From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jessica Helfand
Jessica Helfand
Jessica Helfand She is a member of Alliance Graphique Internationale
(AGI) and a recent laureate of the Art Director’s Hall of
Fame. In 2010, she and William Drenttel were named the
first Henry Wolf Residents in Design at the American
Academy in Rome. She was appointed by the Postmaster
General to the U.S. Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee in
2006, where she chairs the Design Subcommittee.
Jessica Helfand received both her BA in Graphic De-
sign and Architectural Theory and her MFA in Graphic
Design from Yale University. She has taught for fifteen
years in the graduate program in Graphic Design in the
School of Art, where she is currently Senior Critic in
Graphic Design and a Lecturer in Yale College, where she
Jessica Helfand is an author, columnist and lecturer on teaches the freshman seminar "Studies in Visual Biogra-
graphic design. She is the partner of William Drenttel phy."
of Winterhouse Studios, Winterhouse Editions and Win- Helfand is also a "founding writer" of the Design Ob-
terhouse Institute located in Falls Village, Connecticut. server weblog. with Michael Bierut, Wiliam Drenttel and
She is a critic in graphic design at Yale University, where Rick Poynor.
she earned her M.F.A. in Graphic Design and her B.A. in
graphic design and architectural theory.
Scrapbooks: An American His-
History tory
Jessica Helfand is a 1978 graduate of The George School
in Newtown, PA. "After graduate school, Jessica joined Books by Jessica Helfand
the staff of a respected magazine design studio, and soon
moved on to become Design Director for the Philadelphia • Scrapbooks: An American History", Yale University
Inquirer Sunday Magazine. She credits those years of re- Press. (ISBN 978-0300126358)
lentless photo layouts with teaching her the fundamen- • Screen: Essays on Graphic Design, New Media, and Visual
tals of visual storytelling. In 1992, a seminar on computer Culture, with John Maeda, Princeton Architectural
imaging sparked her interest in new media, and she be- Press. (ISBN ´978-1568983103)
gan to envision creating her own studio. By 1996 she was • Reinventing the Wheel, Princeton Architectural Press.
back at Yale, this time beginning her long-term facul- (ISBN 978-1568985961)
ty association in graphic design with the School of Art, • Looking Closer 3, Vol. 3: Classic Writings on Graphic Design
where she is now Senior Critic."[1] "She has lectured at with Michael Bierut, Steven Heller and Rick Poynor,
the AIGA National Biennial Conference, Cooper-Hewitt Allworth Press. (ISBN 978-1581150223)
National Design Museum, Walker Art Center, Columbia • Paul Rand: American Modernist, William Drenttel
University School of Journalism, the Annenberg School Editions. (ISBN 978-1884381164)
of Public Policy, and the Netherlands Design Institute."[2] • Graphic Design America 2: The work of many of the best
Helfand has written for many national publications, and brightest design firms from across the United States,
including the Los Angeles Times Book Review, Aperture and with DK Holland and Chip Kidd, Rockport Publishers.
The New Republic. She is the author of numerous books on (ISBN 978-1564966810)
design and cultural criticism, including Paul Rand: Amer-
ican Modernist (1998), Screen: Essays on Graphic Design, New Published works Online Essays
Media and Visual Culture (2001) and Reinventing the Wheel
(2002), which formed the basis for an exhibit in 2004 (Design Observer)[3]
at the Grolier Club in New York City. Her critically ac- • “On The Shoulders of Midgets: A Conversation about
Scrapbooks:
claimed ’Scrapbooks: An American History’ (Yale Univer- Reality TV” Design Observer, July 11, 2011
sity Press, 2008) was named that year’s best visual book • “The Look of Freedom” Design Observer, July 4, 2011
The Times’.
by ’The New York Times’
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jessica Helfand
• “The Public Face of Disgrace” Design Observer, June • “Better Living Through Artistry” Design Observer,
16, 2011 February 17, 2010
• “The Royal Tweet” Design Observer, February 29, • “All Things Matter.” Design Observer, October 28,
2011 2009.
• “New Lives for Old Paper” Design Observer, February • “A Stich in Time: Review of 9.” Design Observer,
23, 2011 September 21, 2009.
• “Penny Dreadfuls” Design Observer, February 14, • “Significant Objects : The Elvis Chocolate Tin.”
2011 Design Observer, August 21, 2009.
• “The Little Savages” Design Observer, February 12, • “Can Graphic Design Make You Cry?” Design
2011 Observer, August 3, 2009.
• “When Do We Call it Art?” Design Observer, January • “An Open Letter to Design Students Everywhere.”
27, 2011 Design Observer, June 4, 2009.
• “Certificate of Approval” Design Observer, January • “What’s The Story?” Design Observer, April 26, 2009.
25, 2011 • “Land in Crisis: The Antelope Valley Story.” Design
• “Does It Have To Be A Lightbulb?” Design Observer, Observer, April 15, 2009.
January 20, 2011 • “My Facebook, My Self.” Design Observer, March 11,
• “Bring In Da Ponk!” Design Observer, January 19, 2009.
2011 • “The Kindness of Strangers.” Design Observer,
• “You Never Go Down The Candy Aisle” Design February 11, 2009.
Observer, January 18, 2011 • “Ten Things That Need to be Redesigned.” Design
• “Sweet Spot: Cake as Craft?” Design Observer, Observer, January 14, 2009.
January 4, 2011 • “Graphic Design Spam.” Design Observer, November
• “Be Careful What You Wish For” Design Observer, 17, 2008
December 15, 2010 • “The Posters of Padua." Design Observer, October 6,
• “Wait a Minute, Mr. Postman!” Design Observer, 2008.
December 15, 2010 • “Second in a Series: Completions.” Design Observer,
• “Oh, To Be An English, Um, Person!” Design September 18, 2008.
Observer, December 12, 2010 • “Biblionomatopoeia.” Design Observer, August 25,
• “Pretty Pictures, Bad Judgment” Design Observer, 2008.
November 26, 2010 • “First In A Series: Cartophily.” Design Observer,
• “The Bantjes Covers” Design Observer, October 25, ugust 8, 2008.
2010 • “Annals of Ephemera, Part III: Aging 2.0.” Design
• “An Introduction to Graphic Design” Design Observer, July 16, 2008.
Observer, October 11, 2010 • “Reflections on the Ephemeral World, Part Two:
• “AIGA Winterhouse Awards for Design Writing: 2010 Food.” Design Observer, June 19, 2008.
Recipients” Design Observer, October 5, 2010 • “Reflections on The Ephemeral World, Part One:
• “The Kindness of Strangers” Design Observer, Ink.” Design Observer, May 30, 2008.
September 16, 2010 • “Iron Man: The Screen Behind the Screen.” Design
• “Fat Chance” Design Observer, September 9, 2010 Observer, May 16, 2008.
• “The Real Skinny on the Real Skinny” Design • “National Scrapbooking Day.” Design Observer, May
Observer, September 7, 2010 3, 2008.
• “In the Palm of Your Hand: Dexterity Puzzles” Design • “Viewer Discretion Advised.” Design Observer,
Observer, August 23, 2010 March 21, 2008.
• “Viva The Villain: A Review of Despicable Me” Design • “Animal Magnetism.” Design Observer, February 14,
Observer, July 14, 2010 2008.
• “Happy Birthday, Steven Heller” Design Observer, • “Gone, Baby, Gone (Things, Part II).” Design
July 7, 2010 Observer, January 30, 2008.
• “The Next Great Graphic Designer” Design Observer, • “Remembering Paul Rand.” Design Observer, January
June 23, 2010 3, 2008.
• “Rome’s MAXXI: Force Field as Field Space” Design • “Things, Part I." Design Observer, December 3, 2007.
Observer, June 1, 2010¬ • “Type Means Never Having To Say You’re Sorry.”
• “Every Poem an Epitaph: The Protestant Cemetery in Design Observer, November 7, 2007.
Rome” Design Observer, April 15, 2010 • “Science and Design: The Next Wave.” Design
• “Prisoners of Logic” Design Observer, February 19, Observer, October 16, 2007.
2010 • “Stan Brakhage: Caught on Tape.” Design Observer,
October 1, 2007.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jessica Helfand
• “Back to School." Design Observer, September 8, • “What We Talk About When We Talk About Design
2007. History.” Design Observer, February 16, 2006.
• “Another Myth Brilliantly Debunked.” Design • “Separated at Birth: Method? Or Madness?.” Design
Observer, August 23, 2007. Observer, February 5, 2006.
• “Harry Potter and The Enchanted Letterforms.” • “Freedom of Speech or Filching of Style? The New
Design Observer, July 17, 2007. Law of Eminent Lo-Mein.” Design Observer, February
• “Cock-a-Doodle-Don’t.” Design Observer, July 10, 2, 2006.
2007. • “The “D” Word.” Design Observer, January 29, 2006.
• “Why is This Font Different From All Other Fonts?” • “Civilian Typography: The Power and the Fury.”
Design Observer, June 26, 2007. Design Observer, January 8, 2006.
• “My Dirty Little Secret.” Design Observer, May 28, • “Calling All Angels Design Observer, December 24,
2007. 2005.
• “Ad Reinhardt: Graphic Designer.” Design Observer, • “Face Value.” Design Observer, December 16, 2005.
May 17, 2007. • “Cease and Design.” Design Observer, November 10,
• “The New Manifest Destiny.” Design Observer, April 2005.
22, 2007. • “On Considering the Source.” Design Observer,
• “Annals of Ephemera: The Town and Country November 3, 2005.
Cookbook.” Design Observer, March 26, 2007. • “The Shock of the Old: Rethinking Nostalgia.” Design
• “Art Director Ken.” Design Observer, March 14, 2007. Observer, October 27, 2005.
• “Lost, O Lost.” Design Observer, March 4, 2007. • “On Citizenship and Humanity: An Appeal for Design
• “I’m Not Ready to Make Nice.” Design Observer, Reform.” Design Observer, October 6, 2005.
February 12, 2007. • “Why Bugs Don’t Belong on TV.” Design Observer,
• “The Not-So-Golden_Age of Zero Tolerance.” Design September 1, 2005.
Observer, December 15, 2006. • “Eye of the Storm.” Design Observer, July 31, 2005.
• “How Hollywood Nailed the Half-Pipe.” Design • “A Mosaic of Vision and Memory.” Design Observer,
Observer, November 27, 2006. August 12, 2005.
• “Into The Pink.” Design Observer, November 8, 2006. • “Why Bugs Don’t Belong on TV.” Design Observer,
• “My Cup Holder Runneth Over.” Design Observer, July 31, 2005.
October 22, 2006. • New Models for Design Efficiency: Introducing Otto.”
• “Death ‘N’ Stuff.” Design Observer, September 21, Design Observer, July 8, 2005.
2006. • The Adventures of Cynic Mom and Design Boy in
• “Annals of Small Town Life: The Logo Stops Here.” 3D.” Design Observer, June 22, 2005.
Design Observer, September 4, 2006. • “The Cut: When Art Imitates Life.” Design Observer,
• “The Ovalization of The American Mind.” Design June 10, 2005.
Observer, August 20, 2006. • “Method Designing: The Paradox of Modern Design
• “A Good Pan Is Hard To Find.” Design Observer, July Education” Design Observer, May 23, 2005.
28, 2006. • “Scrapbooking: The New Paste-Up.” Design Observer,
• “The Global Curse of Comic Sans.” Design Observer, March 17, 2005.
July 20, 2006. • “The New Paper Chase: Cyberspace on The Auction
• “The Right Stuff.” Design Observer, July 7, 2006. Block.” Design Observer, February 16, 2005.
• “Absolut Signage.” Design Observer, July 3, 2006. • “My Friend Flickr.” Design Observer, February 18,
• “Crafting All The Way To The Bank.” Design 2005.
Observer, June 29, 2006. • “Paris Dispatch: A Long Way Down.” Design
• “Oui, Oui, Oui All The Way Home.” Design Observer, Observer, January 23, 2005.
June 1, 2006. • “Code (PMS) Blue.” Design Observer, December 23,
• “Annals of Academia: The New Exoticism.” Design 2004.
Observer, May 22, 2006. • “The Designibles.” Design Observer, November 15,
• “Disaster Relief 101: No Door Hanger Left Behind.” 2004.
Design Observer, April 30, 2006. • “The Rodneydangerfieldization of Graphic Design:
• “The Art of Thinking Through Making.” Design Part I.” Design Observer, October 8, 2004.
Observer, April 21, 2006. • “Gentlemen Prefer Blogs.” Design Observer,
• “The Propensity for Density.” Design Observer, April September 24, 2004.
11, 2006. • “Under The Microscope.” Design Observer,
• “A Sequence in Time.” Design Observer, April 4, 2006. September 9, 2004.
• “Give Me Privacy or Give Me an ID Card.” Design • “Ladislav Sutnar: Mechanical Beauty.” Design
Observer, March 2, 2006. Observer, Aug 10, 2004.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jessica Helfand
• “An Instrument of Sufficiently Lucid Cogitation”
Design Observer, August 5, 2004.
• “Ask Not What Your Typeface Can Do For You: Ask
What You Can Do For Your Typeface” Design
External links
Observer, July 8, 2004. • Short biography from Yale University School of Art
• “Take Two Logos and Call Me in the Morning.” • Winterhouse Studios (formerly Jessica Helfand |
Design Observer, July 1, 2004. William Drenttel)
• “Annals of Academia, Part II: Graphic Design and The • Design Observer (includes short biography of
New Optimism.” Design Observer, May 20, 2004. Helfand).
• “Annals of Academia, Part I: What I Didn’t Learn In • Me, the Undersigned, A Manifesto by Jessica Helfand
Graduate School.” Design Observer, May 12, 2004.
• “Time Waits for No Fan.” Design Observer, May 1,
2004.
References
• “One Person, One Vote, One MRI?.” Design Observer, [1] "An interview with Jessica:graphic designer,
April 20, 2004. educator, and author of scrapbooks:An American
• “Graphic Flanerie.” Design Observer, April 15, 2004. History". http://www.vintageimagecraft.com/
• “Annals of Typographic Oddity: Mourning Becomes jessica-helfand.html.
Helvetica.” Design Observer, March 9, 2004. [2] "Design Observer-Jessica Helfand".
• “Regarding the Photography of Others.” Design http://designobserver.com/author/jessica-
Observer, March 5, 2004. helfand/397/.
• “The Crisis of Intent.” Design Observer, February 24, [3] "Jessica’s Published works on Designer Observer".
2004. Jessica Helfand. http://designobserver.com/
• “The Span of Casual Vision.” Design Observer, archive.html?search=ob_author&id=397. Retrieved
January 13, 2004. 3 December 2011.
• “Mind the Light, Light the Mind.” Design Observer,
January 2, 2004. See also
• “Sign Language: Endangered Species or Utopian
Uprising?” Design Observer, December 5, 2003. • First Things First 2000 manifesto
• “On Visual Empathy.” Design Observer, November • Emigre 51: First Things First, 1999. [1]
22, 2003. Persondata
• “Implausible Fictions.” Design Observer, November Name Helfand, Jessica
12, 2003.
Alternative names
• “Fatal Grandeur.” Design Observer, October 30, 2003.
• “Edward Tufte: The Dispassionate Statistician I.” Short description
Design Observer, September 26, 2003. Date of birth
• “The Art of Elegant Abstraction.” Design Observer, Place of birth
September 10, 2003.
Date of death
• “The Real Declaration.” Design Observer, September
6, 2003. Place of death
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