As previously discussed, postwar sans serif fonts like
Helvetica™,
Univers™, etc. became so enormously successful and widespread that they soon permeated all forms of typographic use with the exception of books and newspapers. Even today, they are still among the most widespread fonts in daily use. In the 1970s, it seemed the development of sans serif fonts had come to a climax. It was widely assumed that the considerable number of sans serif fonts which had been developed since the beginning of the century had led to a saturation of the style and thereby all gaps had been filled for these sorts of typefaces. Looking back from our present vantage point, this assumption must be considered false.
The previous age of gloss
The typical appearance of the gray line was most indicative of the period spanning the 1950s and 1960s where there was a tendency towards glossy surfaces. Buildings were erected whose "skin" was comprised of glass and mirrors. Other typical elements of this period included highly polished furniture, opulent use of chrome on automobiles, the shiny gloss of plastic articles and nylon clothing, not to mention the glossy style of art printing paper. The sans serif types created in the course of this modernistic age were also characterized by a similar "glossy" feel.
A more tactile structure
As environmental awareness began to grow, the desire for glossy surfaces was gradually replaced by a longing for the more natural appearance of matte surfaces. The preference for an artificial shine was replaced by a love of natural materials. The rough, original appearance of materials was left unfinished and unpolished, giving a new expression to modern objects of daily use.
