Meta: The Helvetica of the Nineties

META THE HELVETICA OF THE NINETIES

ORIGINS In 1984, Erik Spiekermann of MetaDesign persuaded the German State Post Office, the Budespost, to commission a new, exclusive font for use on all of the Budespost’s printed material. The aim of the project, which began in 1985, was to develop a face that would be legible in small sizes, available in several weights, unmistakable as an identity, and technologically up-to-date. To meet the demands of The Bundespost, three fonts were created for the family: regular, regular italic, and bold.

Although the font was digitized, tested, and approved in the summer of 1985, the project was canceled. Despite funding the project, the Bundespost returned to using different versions of Helvetica, assuming that digital type would not catch on.

In 1989, after design software made creating new fonts more efficient, MetaDesign refined the Bundespost typeface for its own exclusive use, renaming it Meta. Initially, Meta was used for in-house projects, but soon MetaDesign began to use it in mailorder catalogs for FontShop. FontShop encouraged the parent company to license the face. Released as FF Meta, it has become one of the most successful typefaces available from FonFont, a subsidiary of FontShop.

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz . ,:;()[]{}~— !?/ “”%&@-–+=± ×÷<>$*#\`^•…

2 | META & THE DESIGNER

THE DESIGNER Erik Spiekermann, born in 1947, calls himself an information architect. In 1988, Spiekermann started FontShop, a digital typeface foundry and distributor of fonts. Spiekermann currently holds a professorship at the Academy of Arts in Bremen, is vice president of the German Design council, president of the International Institute of Information Design, president of the International Society of Typographic Designers and a board member of ATypI. He withdrew from the management of MetaDesign in 2000 to work on a new project: The United Designers Network, a collaboration of many designers he has worked with over the years.

When it comes to designing typefaces, Spiekermann sees himself as more of a problem solver than an artist. His process for beginning a new typeface is simple and straightforward. “Identify a problem—like space saving, bad paper, low resolution, on-screen use—then find typefaces that almost work but could be improved,” he explains. “Study them. Note the approaches and failings.

Sleep on it, then start sketching without looking at anything else.”

META & THE DESIGNER | 3

ANGLED FINIAL

EXTENDED BASE

4 | CHARACTERISTICS

CHARACTERISTICS

AC FS GJ RZ 2

3

4

1

3

3

3

Meta incorporates pseudo-serifs and exaggerated features designed to increase legibility at small sizes. The bent tips in the stems of letters function visually like serifs while still working within the sans serif domain. Meta has capitals with flat apices, similar to those of Helvetica. The crossbar in the A was dropped down a little to increase its legibility. Similarly, Metaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s C has a wider opening, which additionally has angled finials. Angled finials also occur in the top strokes of the E, F, G, and on both ends of the S. Other perks specific to Meta includes an extended base in the E, no spur in the base of the G and the lack of a loop in the J.

3

3

5

6

3

7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

DROPPED CROSSBAR FLAT APEX ANGLED FINIALS WIDE OPENING NO SPUR NO LOOP CURVED LEG

3 CHARACTERISTICS | 5

Furthermore, the K has one junction, and the junction of the M rests on the baseline, like Helvetica, except that Meta stems are oblique. The tail of the Q is wavy and the leg of the R is slightly curved. The junction and base of the W are both flat. The Z has angled finials on both ends, unlike the lowercase z, which has an upright finial at the top and an angled one at the bottom.

Q

MW OBLIQUE STEMS

JUNCTION ON BASELINE

6 | CHARACTERISTICS

FLAT JUNCTION AND BASE

Q

WAVY TAIL

SINGLE JUNCTION

CHARACTERISTICS | 7

T

Several of Meta lowercase have specific traits that distinguish the face from other sans serifs. The ascenders of the b, k, h, and l are slightly bent at the top, a feature that is carried through the stems of the m, n, p, q, and the spur of the u. The finials of the v, w, and y are slightly angled, unlike the Meta family capital letters.

BENT ASCENDER

SLIGHTLY ANGLED FINIALS

8 | CHARACTERISTICS

T

condensed condensed condensed GILL SANS REGULAR

META BOOK ROMAN

HELVETICA NEUE REGULAR

COMPARISONS Overall, Meta is a more condensed face than Helvetica, and it has a slightly lower x-height. Both Meta and Helvetica have thin shoulders. The varying widths in the strokes of Meta aligns with Spiekermannâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intention to create a sans-serif typeface that is both legible and interesting even at small point sizes. The l has a slight curved tail and the y has an offset junction.

COMPARISONS | 9

HELVETICA NEUE REGULAR

Other distinguishing features include the double-storied g. Although the g in Gill Sans also has two stories, it is attached unlike Metaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highly unusual open bowl. This characteristic of Meta is shared by the transitional typefaces Baskerville and Cheltenham; only a few other sans-serif typefaces, such as Kabel, have this feature.

GILL SANS REGULAR

META BOOK ROMAN

10 | COMPARISONS

HELVETICA NEUE REGULAR

;!?

While the dots of Gill Sans and Meta letterforms and punctuation are rounded, Helvetica has square dots.

Moreover, the dots in Meta are visibly larger than those of Gill Sans and Helvetica. The nuanced construction of the Meta typefaces sets it apart from Helvetica’s regularized structure, contributing to the face’s appealing design and personality.

META BOOK ROMAN

GILL SANS REGULAR

;!?

DOT

;!?

ANGLED TERMINAL

COMPARISONS | 11

BIBLIOGRAPHY Sweet, Fay. MetaDesign: Design from the Word up. New York: Watson-Guptil Publications, 1999. (A&A: VNC999.6.G4 M48 1999 and Vault) Spiekermann, Erik and Ginger, E.M. Stop Stealing Sheep & Find out how Type Works. USA: Hayden, 1993. (Vault) Revival of the Fittest: Digital Versions of Classic Typefaces/essays by Carolyn Annand ... [et al.]; edited by Philip B. Meggs and Roy McKelvey, New York: RC Publications, c2000. (A&A: Z250 .R45 2000) http://www.linotype.com http://www.fonts.com http://www.fontfont.com http://www.typography.com

COLOPHON Designed by S. Crystal Yun in the fall of 2012 for Typography I in the Communication Design program at Washington University in St. Louis.

Typefaces used include Meta Book Roman at 8.9/12.2 pt and Meta Bold Capitals at 8.9/12.2 pt.

Printed on 67 lb Office Max Vellum Bristol Coverstock paper via the Xerox Color Fiery 550 printer.

12 | BIBLIOGRAPHY