I recently watched the feature-length documentary Helvetica, about what is likely the most ubiquitous typeface in our environment (on signs, packaging, products, and so on). In a little booklet tucked into the DVD case, the filmmaker writes about how he got the idea for the film, how he travelled around the world to interview type designers and film examples of Helvetica in different cities, and how he was surprised at all the attention his film garnered when it came out. Who knew a film about typography would be so popular?

I'm reading a beautiful new book called Above the Fold: Understanding the principles of successful web site design by Brian Miller (© 2011).

I recently came across a short PBS video about type. I recognized one of the designers interviewed from Helvetica. And I was most interested in the way another one of the designers interviewed creates texture with type. This was new to me.

Finally, I just learned that one of my favourite typefaces, Optima, was used in the National September 11 Memorial. This excerpt from an article in Before & After magazine illustrates some of the features of Optima letterforms and the different effects produced by using caps, caps and lowercase, or caps and small caps.