Online Core: Foundations of Text Type Design

Learning how to design a text typeface is a vital part in the education of any serious type designer. In the first term, we’ll lay a solid foundation and study the principles of type design by diving deep into the design of a text typeface.

By working on a revival project, we’ll learn the tools, the history, and the theory behind writing and type. We’ll analyze historical and contemporary works as well as practice calligraphy, lettering, and vectorization to understand how both analog and digital methods for drawing letterforms are essential in the design process.

Through lectures, demos, tutorials, discussions, and critiques, you’ll learn to see, touch, feel, and understand the principles behind what makes a text typeface work and feel comfortable for contemporary readers. To complement the lessons with real world examples, experienced practitioners will visit our class and share their insights into the field of type design.

Learning Outcomes

• Learn the principles for designing a text typeface
• Discover your process and develop an efficient workflow
• Understand calligraphy, lettering foundations, and typographic variables
• Learn digital drafting skills via Glyphs App, a digital font editor
• Learn how to design a basic Latin character set
• Develop your eye to judge consistency in contrast, color, spacing, and rhythm
• Learn how to proof and evaluate a typeface

Note: This workshop is only open to students enrolled in the Type West Online Postgraduate Certificate Program in Type Design.