Typeface type thing.

Since watching the film Helvetica in class I have thought considerably about text design and typeface insofar as the the meanings that they convey. Typeface gives an impression about the material it is used for, and there are different kinds of typeface for different kinds of material. Academic material today is typically in Times New Roman, while Helvetica still dominates corporate logos.

In the 1960s text designers saw a need for consistency with typeface and thus came about the creation of Helvetica. This typeface is well-balanced in every aspect. Traditional text designers see it as the industry standard for typeface. Other nonconformists see it as the typeface of corporate hacks. Regardless of where anyone's opinion stands, it is obvious that Helvetica is the predominant typeface in American culture of the past fifty years.

Personally, I never thought about Helvetica at all, never used it as my choice of font. After watching the film, however, I began to see Helvetica everywhere. I would point it out to friends as we passed street signs, or where I saw it used in commercials. I don't see it as a font I'd use, but learning more about typeface as the cultural movement that it is, I do think more critically about the fonts I use with my own writing.

Typeface is a reflection of your personality.

I think that typography is a fascinating thing. So does the website http://ilovetypography.com/ a blog all about typography. I found many of the articles quite useful and interesting while I'm learning about typography as a movement.