On Helvetica - One Size Fits All

I eat my words all the time. This time too I think I might have to.

Well, not really.

I don't know.

I wrote a fast paced, melodramatic and charismatic article called When In Doubt Turn To Jesus And Helvetica in Salt Book last year (August 2010). The story is about how Christian arts and design (read church ~) have lost all sense of relevance today. The design and creativity are stale and drained of all originality. So instead of trying to blatantly copy what they are seeing around them, turn to Jesus (as Christians should in all cases anyway *cringeworthy cheesiness*) and stick to using Helvetica (not Papyrus please, thank you - yes, I know it looks like a font Jesus would use, but that is because Jesus lived in Israel and in the turn of BC and AD, which we don't. This is 21st Century.)

That was my ideal back then.

As you do. You learn. You research more. You study into things. You understand. You.. Grow up.

Now I have to say Use Of Helvetica Incessantly Without Imagination Means Lack Of Originality.

The thing I can't stand about Helvetica is the One Size Fits All way it offers itself to every designer (or non-designers). But at the same time it is that same reason why I love it.

--

I shall continue on this essay/idea/writing/article soon.

Now I have work to do.

And no, I am not using Helvetica. At all.

--

Last words - Helvetica is a bit like Converse Chuck Taylor. There's something about it special though its the most ordinary damn thing! Maybe thats why we all love it. Maybe thats also why we all hate it.