Helvetica

Helvetica is a font from the group of linear sans serif typefaces with neo-classical character or grotesque. It is one of the most widely used sans serif fonts.

History

The first typefaces designed in 1956 by graphic Max Miedinger in collaboration with Eduard Hoffmann, Managing the Haas type foundry in Munich near Basel. As Template them served the Akzidenz-Grotesk by Berthold and Normal Grotesk made ​​by Haas. In 1957, the semi-skimmed was set to Mass graphique 57 published for the hand set, initially under the name Neue Haas Grotesk. The D. Stempel AG, involved since 1954 the majority of the Haas type foundry, brought the magazine from 1960, - adapted to the technical conditions - as matrices for Linotype typesetting machines out. As part of this they hit the sales before under the name of Helvetia, to have more opportunities in the international market. This, however, liked the Haas type foundry not, since even an insurance company and a sewing machine factory had this name, and she suggested instead the name Helvetica - " Swiss " or "the Swiss " - before, under which it has been marketed since 1960.

1983 designed the D. Stempel AG, Linotype AG Neue Helvetica font family. For the historically grown and not always matching sections were redrawn and better coordinated. In the PostScript version of the font family now consists of 51 sections.

Since 2011, the original design of the New Haas Grotesk, digitized by Christian Schwartz, again available from Linotype. It also contains the designed by Max Miedinger Alternativglyphen for the R (so-called "flat R") and the a, which took place in the Helvetica way into the Arial and so far regarded as the distinguishing feature between the two documents.

In the former GDR did you not make them dependent on the manufacturers from the West and created as a socialist response to the Univers and Helvetica font, the maxima.

Importance

Helvetica is ubiquitous through its use as a corporate typeface of many companies. It is accompanied, among others, with the operating systems Mac OS X and iOS from Apple. A very similar font, Arial Monotype, is delivered with the various versions of the Windows operating system from Microsoft. Open source software often uses a similar font to Helvetica, Nimbus Sans L, the URW Software & Type.

In 2007, the 50th anniversary of the publication has been celebrated and honored, among others, through the documentary Helvetica by Gary Hustwit. In addition, the New York Museum of Modern Art devoted an exhibition of Scripture, and there appeared a book about its origins.

From Helvetica inspired writings

  • In the software package CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, the same type font with all relevant font styles called Swiss or Switzerland is included as a replacement for Helvetica. The Swiss font was designed in 1982 by Max Miedinger, who had already developed in 1961 the Helevtica for Linotype.
  • B & P Graphics (Dublin, Ireland) published in 1991 with the CD SERIALS Vol 2 ( Sans Serif Collection) also similar fonts named Olympia ( for Helvetica ) and Olympia 88 ( New for Helvetica ).
  • Furthermore, it appears under the name: Aristocrat, Claro, Corvus, Europa Grotesk, Geneva / 2, Hamilton, HE, Helios, Helios / II, Helv Helvette, Holsatia, Megaron, Megaron / II, Newton, Spectra, Swiss 721, Triumvirate, Vega, Video Spectra

Classification of Scripture

  • In the classification by form Essentially, they're classified as static Grotesque
Antiqua (typeface class) Stempel Type Foundry Mergenthaler Linotype Company Monotype Corporation Helvetica (Film) International Typographic Style Integrated Authority File
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