The International Typographic Style, also known as the Swiss Style, is a graphic design style developed in Switzerland in the 1950s that emphasizes cleanliness, readability and objectivity. Hallmarks of the style are asymmetric layouts, use of a grid, sans-serif typefaces like Akzidenz Grotesk, and flush left, ragged right text.
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Ward Schumaker, who has ridden industry’s waves for decades gripes that there is a new generation of artists that seem less interested in craft, relying heavily on what he percieves as “heta-uma”... (a graphic design style or trend that can be translated as “clumsy skill” or "badly drawn on purpose"). Schumaker states: “Sometimes I wonder whether or not it’s intentional."
What are your thoughts on "heta-uma"?
I think that this just goes in cycles just like Picasso. It's great but it's only for a period of time. I think that we are in the ipod era where it's clean, simple and colorful. It would make sense that in the near future that it's more sketchy and random.
I consider that Schumaker is right "Sometimes". I think there are people that have been born in the clean, simple, and colorful era and want to rebel against the culture but then I'm positive there are some designers that realize what culture we are in and come up with relevant design.
I think the "heta-uma" style is very unique. One thing is for sure that nothing ever will be drawn or designed the same way with line, shape, and texture. It may look sloppy and not well thought out but it's another interesting form for graphic design.
-Kalan
I think I know what Ward means. As a writer I see a lot of nonsense out there particularly in the fantasy genre that I enjoy. (ever read a book and swear you can hear D&D dice in the background?...yeah that gets me too.) I think he is someone who appreciates the true value of design and can't stand the sight of new inexperienced designers coming around and filling up the void with random junk and then finding excuses for themselves as to why it should be concidered art. (like someone tripping over a bunch of stuff and saying: i meant to do that)I'm not saying that 'new blood' bringing in the 'new trend of the age' is bad, but i am reminded of something a professor once said to me in regards to the structure of writing: "You need to know the rules before you can break the rules." If these new guys come in, make something up without knowing what they're doing and then try to pass it off as art, then i think they are only trying to justify their own inabilities. However once they are properly trained, mentored and shown how to do it right then and only then do they have the RIGHT to disregard the rules because only then will they know what they are doing. Training wheels on the sidewalk before motorcross in the mud children. But hey, that's just my opinion.
~John L. Hanson IV
I find the "heta-uma" style fascinating. While it can be a little confusing at times, it keeps things interesting. You see "heta-uma" a lot now, although I agree with JerryM, in that we also see a lot of clean, simple, colorful ideas on products or ads. Depending on what message or idea you are trying to get across, the "heta-uma" style can really help draw in a specific audience.
I have a few mixed feelings on the style of Heta-Uma.
I happen to find this style different and overall unique. It may be perceived as messy or trashy to some, but I kind of like it. That's just me. I have a tendency to be fascinated with weird and unusual (the GOOD weird and unusual) things. It is indeed an interesting new point of view from up and coming artists.
However, I do agree with JHanson-IV on one thing in particular. I also believe that artists should have some sort of Art background or training, instead of assuming that they're ready to show their work off to the world. Once they know what they're doing is when they will officially be considered artists.
All in all, I like Heta-Uma. But the artists behind this new creation need to be more informed about the Fine Arts and know exactly what they are doing.
"In order to love Art, you've got to appreciate all types of Art."
-Melissa
I think that it is a style chosen by a designer on purpose. And most of the time the design turns out really good.
i think "heta-uma" can have a purpose. In advertising, if someone has an idea that relates to families (particularly children), then they can use "heta-uma" to make it look like the kids are responsible for the drawing. However, if your client is a chic, upscale, 5-star restaurant, a drawing full of "clumsy skill" is probably not going to win you any points.
I guess what i'm trying to say is that it's all a matter of how you use it...
~Brianne Davis
To be honest it think the idea of "heta-uma" is brilliant, in a weird sort of way. It is good in the way that if you are good at doing this style and people enjoy it, you are sloppy but still getting a very valid point across.
The "heta-uma" style may be sloppy and not well thought out looking but...it also seems that there is a bit of complexity to this, where you can only go so sloppy without making it look bad, so to me it seems as though it is professional sloppiness if you will.
It is definantly not your typical form of graphic design in quality look wise, but people do what works for them and it tends to be doing such.
- Matthew Haubert
Heta-uma huh...well this goes in the same category of metro-sexual and all of the other "personality paradigm" invented ideas. What i mean by that is simply that some people are lacking originality, substance and character, so they mask themselves with jeans that come complete with tears and stains, t-shirts with obvious pre-torn rips.
Whether or not these people are concious about cloaking themselves in fake originality or are just trying to fit in, the concept seems to sell. People will pay anything to make a good impression.
There are always exceptions to the rule, and i'm sure there are people out there who don't care about anything that i've just said above, but individually we need to have an inside-out approach to individualizing ourselves.
On the artistic side of things, it's all case by case, my style and taste will differ from yours, and yours from someone elses. It's all in how we see things, our paradigms. Clumsy skill or heta-uma can work in certain instances, and the intentionality of it can be scrutinized heavily.
With the advent of internet, etc. bad design can travel the world in a day and peak interest of tons of people who think it's great design. There's an audience for anything; just look at ebay!
Jaron Ballard
I'm sure that Schumaker is correct, and that there are many designers and artists out there who use the idea of heta-uma as a crutch to cover for a lack of skills. However, I think that heta-uma, in its genuine form, can be just as valid of an artistic style as any other. If nothing else, it does take a significant amount of effort to purposefully make an organic clumsy drawing.
-Justin Gil
I myself enjoy most of the "heta-uma" style but at the same time I have O.C.D. tendencies and if the sloppy badly drawn "art" is beyond art and is just plain sloppy then I can't agree that it is art.
Just the other day I was behind a bus that was using children's art to advertise D.A.R.E. and it's logo was re-drawn by a child. It was very sloppy and I'm sure that child didn't intend for it to be poorly drawn but it was "heta-uma"
I see "heta-uma" as staying away from the "norm" and isn't that what being an artist or designer is about? Yes peoples styles can be similar but everyone is different, so when people are following "heta-uma" they are just being themselves.
I think heta-uma is more of a reflection of the mindset of the "new generation" than a reflection of their work ethic. It's a more laid back, outside-the-established-standard version of graphic design and I think it only makes sense that our generation would come up with it, since we too are fairly laid back and liberal compared to previous generations. It gets reflected in our TV programs, clothing, buildings, literature, and lifestyles, so why not in graphic design? It's the abandoning of formality. Heta-uma is just an expression of a mindset that was already there, and I don't think it's going anywhere.
I agree with the comments that say "heta-uma" works depending on how it's used.
The simple and boxy animated show separators on PBS seem to appeal to the kids watching the cartoons that are on at that time. My kids used to giggle as much at those as they did at "Sesame Street" or "Between the Lions".
Now going to an art museum and seeing pictures drawn by an adult that look like a 2 year old executed them? That's not something I particularly care to see. I'd rather go back and look at the artwork my children produced when they were 2.
Unfortunately, I'm sure there are more people using it to cover incompetency than there are people who genuinely need that particular style to drive their concept home to the viewer. That doesn't mean that we should throw the baby out with the bathwater and totally disallow heta-uma as a valid design choice.
Ylan Salsbury
I think "heta-uma" is accpetable. I think of it is done intentially and the artist does ulitmately know what they're doing, it should have it's place in the world of art. It reaches out to a group of people that the sharp, clean art doesn't appeal to.
Mandy
My 5 year old will be happy to know the drawings she's done all over her bedroom wall are a valid design concept.
All kidding aside, I believe "heta-uma" can convey a honest, naive feeling just like a child's drawing. Which is great if that is the feeling you want your visuals to convey. But, there's always a but, if it is continually used as an easy solution to design problems then not only is it the wrong answer then even when it is the right answer it's been so over used it has become cliché and ineffective.
Personally, I yearn for less clutter in all areas but realize us humans are a messy bunch.
Pam
I like the whole idea of "badly drawn on purpose." Mainly because of my anemic drawing abilities. Sure sometimes there are harsh overuses, but I've noticed that "heta-uma" is appearing more and more within our popular culture. I think that the reason that it is so attractive to look at for some people is that it is very simple and easy to understand.
I have never disliked or liked one style over another. A place for everything in its place, know your audience. I think "heta-uma" has developed its own audience. Which is a feat of its own.
I'm with you on liking more clean,traditional design.Though all "art" is subjective,you do have to wonder if people do this on purpose,or if its just bad design.I think either way our industry is subject to trends and what the public can relate to,with that being said,I think this is just another piece to the puzzle if you will.
It seems that heta-uma can be an effective art form when performed correctly. It is a very unique method that can, like all artistic styles, be done well or not-so-well.
It tends to remind me of certain abstract pieces (for example much of Jackson Pollock's work), in the sense that it often looks like something that any person could do with little effort, but it may have a complexity unrecognizable to an inexperienced eye. Some people see abstract work and think, "I can do that," and splash some paint on a canvas and stick on a $300 price tag. But real high-quality abstract art requires experience, technique and knowledge.
Heta-uma seems similar in that it looks easier than it actually is, and it is hard to discern what is well-done and what is done poorly.
I think that because it is so new and unique, a standard for what works and what doesn't work using heta-uma hasn't yet been established. It will be interesting to see if it varies or evolves and becomes more widely used and acceptable as time passes.
-Danielle Sheridan
i think that "badly drawn on purpose" compositions on art define a generation that somehow cares more about content rather than form. although badly crafted art can be a very useful tool for certain compositions, i personally think that well trained artists should be able to use both poorly and well crafted elements, and be able to know when to shift from a tendency.
I would say that heta-uma being defined as a "clumsy skill" and "badly drawn on purpose" sort of contradicts itself. I think that most people can tell the difference between sloppiness and making something look sloppy. But like everything in time, it may be a phase, a trend and it may or may not pass eventually. In a way, its like fashion. Like when bell bottoms were in style in the 60's and 70's then came around again with a tweak and were called flares. I think I'm getting off the point but none the less, with art, you can't please everyone but I like it.
From a perspective of seeing art as an unrestricted form, there is no problem with the 'heta-uma', as it just another expression. However, when we critique art and judge it, there has be some line drawn. The line that seperates perfect technique from free form expression.
In the right place, Heta-Uma can be the perfect style to place in an image. With the correct application, the result can be astonishing. However , as others here said, it's important that this is not the only style that person is familiar with. For better understanding and more mastery of the arts, one should study all aspects of it.
what i get from looking at the inter-typo-style is that is very fornal and well used in mags from the 60's
damian
I personally like the heta-uma style, but I can see how people might feel that because it is "clumsy skill" there is quite a bit of room for people to play artist. Is that really a bad thing? Art in any form is only worth what others think of it, so if someone pulls something clumsy from within themselves and the masses find it visually appealing then so be it. Isn't that what advertisement is? Appealing to the masses through visuals?
I think that heta-uma is not entirely unintentional. Just because someone can create heta-uma on accident or by mistake shouldn't label it as clumsy or badly drawn. Maybe the artist wanted it to look that way without it being perceived as badly drawn, myself included. Take into consideration the "bubbly" type from the 60's. Is that to be considered heta-uma even though it is over 40 years old and still in use today? I feel that just because a design is not formatted or create within the perameters of a square, circle or triangle, it doesn't make it less of a "craft."
-Shelby
I think heta-uma has its place, like all design, it works some places, and doesnt in others.I personally really like the heta-uma style. I think heta-uma is a style for the time we are in...more indie i guess, for people who dont want to be the "adverage designer" i think it gives people the ability to use a little more of an creative outlet in there designs.
-Gianna
I think that heta-uma, if used correctly can create a very great and unique type of design, but the down side is that it can be very easily miss used, I believe there is a thin line between heta-uma and just plain being sloppy, but it defiantly has its place in design.
I think that 'heta-uma' is a clever form of design if it used in the right context. I think it is effective because it makes the viewer think or form an opinion on the piece. even if the viewer hates the piece, they will have looked at it... which is a key part in design, just grabbing their attention. I only like this form it is used sparingly or with great thought, if not it can get super sloppy and expected.
babino_ashley
"heta uma" to me is our generations form of expression in the art world. Rather than imitate what has already been done, we are trying to find our own creative way. One must look harder to find the message in the work, and in doing so have taken more in and from it.
I share Schumaker's distress on the infestation of heta-uma in this generation. Poorly drawn compositions can have their place among the world of art. They can stand out and let the viewer fill in the blanks with his or her own imagination, but it is a growing trend that I think might be going too far.
In my experience, I use the heta-uma technique usually when I'm just too lazy to come up with a more creative and detailed composition. Using it means that I don't need to use techniques like the Golden Mean or complex color schemes in order to entice my audience. It is a much more simple process, and most of all, since heta-uma is often abstract and simplistic, the audience doesn't ask questions that require you to know your work. Since I am a heta-uma user (hypothetically), I know my audience will act this way and consequently create work that has little, if no, meaning to me.
I hope a new wave of insightful and detailed masterpieces can balance out the excessive use of heta-uma.
well i say to schumaker, that if the shoe fits ware it that is some times, time is short and you have to go with the flow leaving out hours of creativity and getting that pay check.
Of course other times countless hours of reserch leads us back to where we started.
Git-R-Done
if the style is used for a specific purpose or to achieve a desired result, then the use of heta-uma could be appropriate. Ultimately, it's the specifics of a given design problem that determine which style will be most effective in achieving a successful solution. Personally, I think it takes a certain level of skill to make a design appear clumsy yet successful.
I kind of like the heta-uma style, how it is loose and free. In response to Schumaker’s quote I think that if the heta-uma style is not done purposefully than it is not a style- it is just bad design, which I suppose people try to play off as real art. I think that if one is portraying a heta-uma style and is successful at it, there is a gravitational quality to it. You may not understand it, but it sucks you in, and out of its harsh and indescribable quality, it makes sense and is beautiful.
-marilyn b.
Art is a very difficult thing for one person to perceive as skilled or not. There is alot of art I dont get, but I suppose that if it was made out of heart and emotion it must be good o the artist, and I believe that is all that is important on an individual basis. Now society as a whole accepting the art form is another subject. Why warhol? Why abstract? Its all on who thinks what. People sometimes only follow their artisiic likes due to the popularity, but if we all did that...how would it became a mainstream form of art? I think it may be a little childish, but i appreciate those kinds of designs when I am thinking of my children and their perception of things.
Amber Shand
I think that "heta-uma" is a great style. Its kind of sloppy but i think that that fits in nicely in certain settings. somtimes you need a little sloppyness to pull a peice together. kind of like grafitie. that sloppy but looks extra neat in some settings.
-emily b
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