illuminated letter FINALS

the world.

It is crucial to have a world view.

The Design of Life

My Current World View

Jamie Housh

December 7, 2010

I’m a designer- a graphic designer. Not only do I design solutions for projects, I also design my life. Design is about improving life- both others’ and mine. I essentially design my life to accommodate all aspects, whether it is my schoolwork, job, family, friends, or free time. I believe in learning how to learn to solve my own problems. I do not ask for help unless it is completely necessary- I feel the majority of people going through college with a 4.0 ask for help too much, are afraid of failure, and are not allowing for enough creativity in their lives.

I love organizing and creativity.

I feel organization is crucial to a designer’s life.

Without the ability to organize, a designer cannot function.

I use organization to manage my time, create schedules/lists, and get

work done.

I don’t believe in standardized tests-

or tests in general.

I believe in subjective grading, but not subjective to other students, subjective to creativity and growth as a student.

I believe in situational learning-

mistakes are the greatest form of learning.

I do not believe in a higher power.

I do not understand, nor try to understand, the people that do.

I believe all will be forgiven.

I am a firm believer that every design can be improved-

therefore, I start over on every project I do.

I see it in my mind, and work on it until it looks right.

I do not believe in fast food.

I believe that without me, the world would be boring.

I believe that the world would be a better place if everyone walked at my speed.

Excuse me, people, but I have places to be and projects to design.

I’m Jamie Housh, and I believe in design.

giving.

"If you give, you begin to live."

- Dave Matthews

I love this time of year,

but I hate final projects/papers/tests.

19 hour schedule -

I am going to make you my bitch!

On a lighter note, I joined Twitter a few days ago...

I read somewhere that it is beneficial to have one to follow designers and keep up with the design world, and it's true.

and I also get to 'follow' my favorite, Mike Posner!

& here's where I'll be spending the majority of my time for the next 3 weeks of the semester,

if you need me...

at least I have my boyfriend as company...

my 27 inch baby, the love of my life.

cheers.

- J.

illuminated letter lovin' pt. 2

Mary Engelbreit is a graphic artist and illustrator that can be compared to Martha Stewart- she has a little bit of everything out. She started in greeting cards and then moved to illustrating books, calendars, and other assorted things. Her books, calendars, and picture frames are spread throughout my mom and my grandma's houses. Her style is very distinguishable, with borders around most of her work and use of geometric shapes and her flowers.

bright, merry, childish yet sophisticated, colorful, charming, whimsical, flat, imaginative, adventurous, personal, comforting, sentimental

Georgia O'Keefe - flowers, paint, color, inappropriate, bright and dull, precise, solid, organic, repeated, shape, extensive, clarity, abstract

Piet Mondrian - flat, geometric, abstract, primary colors, black, line, contour, precise, perfect, blocks, straightforward, easy, rigid, defined, minimalist

illuminated letter lovin'

An illuminated letter is an embellishment that enhances a page. Illuminate means to fill with light, or a glowing effect. History: illuminated letters used to be included in primarily manuscripts, which made it easy to find the beginning of a section. Illuminated books were representative of wealth and power; the letters started out drawn by monks, but grew to illuminators and scribes. There are four types of illuminated letters in history- celtic, romanesque, gothic, and renaissance.

My 6 artists:

Ron Mueck is an Australian sculptor a year older than my mother. Mueck is known for his super-realistic sculptures, which include humans at the key stages of their lives. These sculptures happen to be HUGE - several times life size. Several of his works can be seen here: http://www.boredpanda.com/13-hyper-realistic-sculptures-by-ron-mueck/ Ugh! Crazy. I chose him because his work is unbelievably creepy, and gives me the chills even seeing the images via my computer.

Mary Cassatt is a well-known woman impressionist painter. She generally portrayed images relating to the social and private lives of women, especially women and children and their relationship. Cassatt has a very distinct color palette, as well as very visible brush strokes. I chose Cassatt for my Drawing II final, where we had to recreate several works from a particular artist, thus I chose her again, she did not let me down before.

Jackson Pollock was an abstract expressionist painter. He once said "When I am in my painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It's only after a sort of "get acquainted" period that I see what I have been about. I have no fears about making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own." His style is very recognizable, with splattered paint filling his canvases. We just learned about Jackson Pollock in Modern Art History, as well as some of the other artists on my list.

Max Mikulecky is a friend. He is a brilliant student photographer. He earned his recognition for his work on old, rusty cars, but has since grown to shoot several things, my favorite being his fashion photo shoots. Max went to my high school and now goes to KU and is a freshman. I chose Max because I love his work.

Georgia O'Keefe is associated with the American Art movement in the 1920s. She painted several flowers and landscapes, which she transformed into abstract forms. She also painted some cow bones, which to her represented the landscape of New Mexico. Georgia O'Keefe was one of the few artists that I had heard about before taking Modern Art History. I knew some of her work, and thus chose her for this project.

Piet Mondrian was a dutch painter, associated with the De Stijl art movement. He created a non-representational form, which he named neo-plasticism. This included white ground, with a grid of horizontal and vertical black lines, as well as the three primary colors. Mondrian's style could be easily translated into an illuminated letter.

you can thank me now...

While researching book/DVD/CD cover designs, I came across the inside booklet of Drake's "Thank Me Later" CD. In most CD inserts, the artist will include a section for people they'd like to thank... this is part of Drake's:

I love it.

This whole spiel could easily be said about someone important in my life.

"But do I ever come up in discussion over double-pump lattes and low-fat muffins...? Do I?"

I love Drake.

Anyways...with Thanksgiving coming up, I want to remind myself of what I'm especially thankful for (I know, I know... cliche)

the two funniest, most important people in my life

How could you not love them?!

Family over everything.

and if you're reading this, I'm probably thankful for you too.

Happy (almost) Thanksgiving!

-J.

bird is flying high.

My inspiration...?

Bird man.

On November 5th, 1990, Kevin Sweeney was born.

On August 13th, 2007, the day before our Junior year started,

Kevin Sweeney took his own life.

Happy belated birthday, Bird.

You probably would have been celebrating with your beer gogg's at some bar in Massachusetts... we all know you would have been ivy league bound.

I hope you stay busy playing beer pong with Abe Lincoln and flip cup with Biggie Smalls and Tupac!

You were the smartest, most genuine guy I will ever know. Not to mention the biggest flirt!

We all love and miss you more each day.

- J.

just a thought... (or three)

for my infographic posters, i chose to do birth control.

i've chosen it for every research paper i've done (different aspects of it)

so why wouldn't i choose it for a poster series?

anyways, my thought is that only 51% of the girls (17-23 years old) that took my poll are on the pill...

that's out of 66 girls!

is that surprising to anyone else besides me and Tad?!

second thought... i LOVE kansas in the fall. always have, always will.

(especially game days! even if our football team sucks)

oh, i also love my friends. more than a lot of things.

and... thirdly,

- J.

i'm not a player, i just blog a lot.

We watched TYPEFACE by Kartemquin Films in class on Monday.

This is what I got out of it:

I think I'm going to change my career aspirations, as you get paid for each letter you make in wood type. (I'm just kidding I could never do that. I would never leave.) Type is the "fabric of America." There's a need for large type to make a poster be "louder" than the one next to it. Print shops used to be like grocery stores- everywhere! At one point, wood typing was thrown out because they thought there would be no need for it in the future. While semi true, the importance of handmade craft is under-appreciated, as a lot of computer work begins to look alike after some time.

"Don't let your dreams be dreams."

- Jack Johnson"

"What I want is what I've not got, and what I need is all around me."

- Dave Matthews

In INDD 510 (Human Factors in Design), the professor has said over and over again to have a world view. After about a month, I have finalized my World View (for the time being, of course).

"Learn how to learn and keep learning." - Richard Branham, my professor

"The key to success is that grades are not important, and neither is looking to the future for guidance. You can work very hard and give your best effort and still not succeed the way you would like of get the grade you think you deserved.

Standardized tests are shit. Who dictates the questions?

It's all about what you retain for life, not what you cram for a test.

Do your thing. Do what feels right. Don't get down on yourself. Your willingness to always learn something new is what is most important.

Mistakes are the biggest form of learning.

Work hard, play hard, and keep an open mind at all times."

- J.

"The sun will shine no matter what I do."

-Dave Matthews

i'm behanced

my behance profile.

-J.

helvetica

Helvetica

Courtesy of University of Kansas Library database – WilsonWeb:

http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.www2.lib.ku.edu:2048/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.34

http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.www2.lib.ku.edu:2048/hww/results/external_link_maincontentframe.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.43

Online Resources:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_happened_in_the_year_1957

http://fontfeed.com/archives/helvetica-and-alternatives-to-helvetica/

http://www.fontco.com/helvetica.php

http://www.answers.com/topic/helvetica-1

Print Resources:

The Complete Typographer by Christopher Perfect. Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1992. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Revival of the Fittest: Digital Versions of Classic Typefaces. Edited by Philip B. Meggs and Roy McKelvey. RC Publications, Inc. 2000. New York, NY.

Helvetica is a sans serif, often classified as a “neo-grotesque”. It has a large x-height, and short ascenders and descenders. The increased x-height, along with the face’s pronounced stroke weight, gives it a darker appearance in large bodies of text than other sans serifs. These characteristics add to its consistency in color and printing quality.

Max Miedinger was a Swiss typeface designer. He was born in Zurich on December 24^th, 1910, and died on March 8^th, 1980, also in Zurich. In 1957, he developed Helvetica. When Linotype adopted Neue Haas Grotesk (which was never planned to be a full range of mechanical and hot-metal typefaces) its design was reworked. After the success of Univers, Arthur Ritzel of Stempel redesigned Neue Haas Grotesk into a larger family. Helvetica was the only typeface used during the 1960s and 1970s in Switzerland. The font is based on the earlier Akzidenz Grotesk typeface from around 1898. Edouard Hoffman was the one who wanted to refine the Akzidenz Grotesk fonts into a new typeface, but Miedinger made the drawings and worked closely with Hoffman in the design of the face, therefore he is credited. In 1960, the typeface's name was changed by Haas' German parent company Stempel to Helvetica, in order to make it more marketable internationally. It was initially suggested that the type be called 'Helvetia' which is the original Latin name for Switzerland. Eduard Hoffmann ignored this as he decided it wouldn't be appropriate to name a type after a country. He then decided on 'Helvetica' as this meant 'Swiss' as opposed to 'Switzerland'. The aim of the new design was to create a neutral typeface that had great clarity, no intrinsic meaning in its form, and could be used on a wide variety of signage. In 1983, Linotype released the Helvetica Neue (German for "New Helvetica") typeface, based on Helvetica.

Helvetica soon took off as the typeface of choice for a new generation -- first as a favorite in advertising, then in 1985 becoming the choice of the masses. That was the year Apple introduced a Macintosh computer with Helvetica as one of its five fonts. Helvetica suddenly seemed the natural choice for a new century as well.

While Univers is acknowledged to be the most used Latin typeface in the world, Helvetica is widely used in countries such as France, the United Kingdom and the Nordic countries.

The typeface Arial, distributed with Microsoft Windows, has the same widths as Helvetica and almost identical characters, and was essentially created as a cheaper unauthorized Helvetica clone, which has lead to several criticisism towards Microsoft. One of the easiest ways to distinguish the two is their uppercase "R". Another way is looking at the "tail" of the a.

Hardworking Helvetica gets the message across. It may look like the name of a hard rock band, but the beauty of Helvetica is that metaphorically speaking, it hardly makes a sound. Helvetica is a typeface, or more appropriately, the typeface of the 20th century. And, surely, it is the only typeface ever to have its 50th birthday observed with a major museum exhibit and an award-winning independent film. [Side note: Andrea, I’m watching the documentary while writing this!] "Helvetica is really a standout," says Christian Larsen, curator of the exhibition on the history of Helvetica at New York's Museum of Modern Art. "It helped define the typographic look of the 20th century, and I think it is here to stay."


In 1957 in the United States…

Leave It To Beaver premiered, Sputnik was launched, Jackie Robinson retired, American Bandstand went national, Elvis Presley emerged as a star, and Dr. Suess (Theodore Geisel) wrote Cat In The Hat!

"Helvetica was introduced at a moment where postwar optimism was at its highest, at a time when -- pre-Vietnam, pre-Watergate -- people had real confidence in modernism and modern institutions to solve the world's problems," says Michael Bierut, a partner in Pentagram, a New York design firm. It was "a beautifully machined, rationally resolved, entirely modern typeface that seemed absolutely suited to its times." Not everyone is so generous, of course. In Lars Müller's book Helvetica: Homage to a Typeface, Wolfgang Weingart, a leader in experimental typography known as the father of "Swiss Punk," sniffed that anyone who uses Helvetica must know nothing about typefaces. He calls it "the epitome of ugliness."

Tom Geismar, a well-known New York designer, noted that Helvetica is "like a good screwdriver; a reliable, efficient, easy-to-use tool. But put it in the wrong hands, and it's potentially lethal."

But when it is used correctly, the beauty of any typeface, including Helvetica, is its ability to facilitate message delivery, its role as a mass communicator, an unseen persuader that helps readers understand both the message and the messenger. Like most typefaces, Helvetica "works its magic on an entirely subconscious level," says Bierut. "Its ubiquity and inherent authority are inescapable," he adds, noting that "if it's important to people's daily lives, it's largely without their knowledge or consent."


While it was designed to be "neutral" and "unbiased," Gary Hustwit, creator of the film Helvetica, noted in an E-mail -- typed in Helvetica -- that over 50 years, Helvetica has "picked up baggage." Because it's used by big business and government, "when we look at a word set in Helvetica, we pick up the subtle feelings of authority, efficiency, [and] permanence." In some ways, its overuse may have left it powerless to steer people correctly, making not just the typeface but also the message invisible to some eyes.

Helvetica’s Popular Uses:

Hundreds of firms set brand names in its strong, straight lines, from icons of stability like 3M, Microsoft, and Sears to upstart retailers like American Apparel. New York's signage, including that of its subway system, is set in Helvetica, as is virtually every lighted exit sign in every building in the country. The U.S. government is so sure of Helvetica's ability to lead that the typeface has become the default font for tax forms.

Warning messages on cigarette packs are set in Helvetica, notes Hustwit, but "although it clearly says, 'Smoking kills,' apparently people aren't understanding the message. Maybe if it was set in a scary, ugly typeface, people would get the point."

Helvetica is a popular choice for commercial wordmarks, including those for 3M, American Airlines, American Apparel, BMW, Jeep, JCPenney, Lufthansa, Microsoft, Mitsubishi Electric, Target, RE/MAX, Toyota, Panasonic, Motorola, Kawasaki and Verizon Wireless. Apple Inc. has used Helvetica widely in Mac OS X (as default font for sans-serif/Swiss generic font family), iOS (previously iPhone OS), and the iPod. Helvetica is widely used by the U.S. government; for example, federal income tax forms are set in Helvetica, and NASA uses the type on the Space Shuttle orbiter.[1] Helvetica is also used in the United States television rating system.



There are many reasons why Helvetica is so widespread. It is arguably the most respectable of the “default” fonts. But it’s also used because it’s a safe, neutral choice. For many purposes, typography is more about content than style. Helvetica, with its simple, unadorned forms, is the perfect crystal goblet. Even its ubiquity contributes to its neutrality — letters so common they become invisible.

stress-free livin'

ATTENTION: All stress has been lifted.

I just found out my BEST FRIEND IS COMING TO TOWN THIS WEEKEND!!!!

my best friend in the whole world - GENO!

the only thing that will ever come between us is Oklahoma.

PLUS - citizen cope show on monday.. my 7th time seeing him

i might be a little obsessed...

things are looking up!

"all jokes,

no stress.

love.

live life.

proceed.

progress."

Lil Wayne ;)

- J.

helvetica lovin'

font classifications:

old style - old style typefaces contain a great contrast between thick and thin strokes, and more refined. serifs in old style have more wedge shaped ascenders. the letters do not have much stress and are generally upright. old style is sturdy without being heavy and based on handwriting. some examples are: goudy old style, janson, palatino, and perpetua

transitional - transitional typefaces have sharper serifs and high contrast as well. they are between modern and old style (hence the name) and include times and baskerville.

modern - modern typefaces have thin, straight serifs, vertical axis, and an extreme contrast from thick to thin strokes. the serifs are thing and the vertical lines are heavy. bodoni and didot are examples. modern fonts are generally less legible than the others.

slab serif - slab serif typefaces are heavy, bold, and decorative. these typefaces are mono weight were born in the 19th century for advertisement use. examples are: courier and rockwell

sans serif - sans serif typefaces can be classified into grotesque, neo-grotesque, humanist, and geometric. the characters have no serifs. they are generally used for on-screen readability. some examples are: helvetica, franklin gothic, ms sans serif, lucida grande, myriad, trebuchet, tahoma, verdana, futura, and century gothic.

now....

helvetica is a sans serif... neo-grotesque

max miedinger is credited for the typeface.

it was created in 1957 (older than my momma)

BUT - it was revamped in 1983 by D. Stempel AG and this new and improved font is named helvetica neue.

helvetica would definitely be a huge greek family if it were human... it contains regular, fractions, light, light oblique, oblique, black, bold, fractions bold, black oblique, bold oblique, compressed, condensed light, condensed medium, condensed light oblique, condensed oblique, condensed black, condensed bold, extra compressed, ultra compressed, condensed black oblique, condensed bold oblique, not to mention the whole helvetica neue fam.

all letterforms sit (or slightly swoop below) the baseline

the height from baseline to the top of the letterform is the cap height

x-height is the height of the lowercase x of a typeface

serif style includes serifs in the typeface

the weight of the character is called the stroke weight

the apex is the highest point of a letterform, like the uppercase A

vertex is the bottom of the character where the lines form a point, (v, w)

final/terminal is the bottom curve or tail on the lowercase a, but generally seen in lowercase d or b as well

barb is the part that gets cut on the top of a C

on a G, a spur connects the bowl and the serif

an ear is the part that hangs off a lowercase g (serif)

a loop is the lower part of a lowercase g

a link connects a bowl and loop in a lowercase g

1/2 story indicates a lowercase a or g <>

a capital Q has a tail

capital R's and K's have legs

-J.