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Generative Typography Spring 2023

<p><a href="https://lynneyun.com">Lynne Yun</a> (she/her) is a Korean typeface designer and educator fluidly connecting the seams between calligraphy, type design, and generative typography. She is an alumna of the Type@Cooper Extended program, School for Poetic Computation, and ITP at New York University. She has previously taught for institutions such as Type@Cooper, Parsons School of Design, and The Letterform Archive. She currently runs <a href="https://spacetypeco.com">Space Type</a>, an NYC studio operating at the intersection of type and technology.</p>


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Profile Image - Lynne Yun

Lynne Yun

Type Designer, Educator & Technologist

<p><a href="https://kyeh.me">Kevin</a> (he/him) is a partner at <a href="https://spacetypeco.com">Space Type</a>, a Brooklyn based type studio that operates at the intersection of type, design, and technology. Kevin has a background in computer vision, graphics and robotic learning, and holds an MS in computer science and film studies from the University of Texas at Austin. He also works at Nava PBC, where he partners with government agencies to build simple and reliable public digital services.</p>


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Profile Image - Kevin Yeh

Kevin Yeh

Developer & Technologist

<p>Since the invention of written language, typography as a practice has existed and adapted to the many forms of human expression — from being cast in metal to being manipulated within photographic mediums. Recently, the ability to engage in visual coding through the browser has become easier than ever, opening the doors for creatives to generate and digitally manipulate font structures and layouts to create new and exciting compositions.</p>
<p>This class will focus on generative design as it pertains to typography and letterforms. We will explore the building blocks of algorithmic art and apply those tools to manipulate digital type, which is, at its core, a series of data points. In addition to visual coding, the class will engage in critical discussions about the computational nature of creation. How does this differ from historical methods of typographic exploration, and what can we take from the past to build upon it? How do we create generative designs that are meaningful as opposed to frivolous? Could we express care and thoughtfulness through interactive art and design?</p>
<p>P5.js will be the main programming library for the course, and students who are new to programming are welcome. Techniques covered in this course will include building visual compositions with code, manipulating pixel and vector data, and implementing them in real-time applications, such as computer-assisted handwriting and animation.</p>
<h3>Audience and Format</h3>
<p>This course will assume no prior experience with programming or Javascript for the students, and will cover all fundamentals during the course. That being said, students with no prior experience should expect to allot extra time reviewing the course material after each class in order to solidify their understanding of new concepts.</p>
<p>The course is structured in a hybrid live/self-study format. In the first section of the workshop, weekly live and recorded lectures will tie together typographic and programmatic concepts, and browser-based interactive projects will be assigned with specific goals.</p>
<p>In-class time will be devoted to reviewing projects, building programmatic intuition, and discussing readings and concepts related to generative typography. Outside of class, all students should expect to spend a minimum of 3 hours per week completing readings, assignments, and viewing the recorded coding lecture.</p>
<p>In the final weeks of the workshop, you will apply generative form-making tools as part of your design process in a self-selected medium, such as an interactive website, animated sequence, or dynamic branding identity. We'll hold 1:1 critique sessions to support your creative and technical process.</p>
<p>Throughout the course, we'll be available during class and on slack for all your questions, concerns, and ideas — along with your peers.</p>
<h3>Goals</h3>
<ul>
<li>Gaining a perspective on the inner workings of computational tools and processes</li>
<li>fearlessness to engage and create generative art on the web</li>
<li>Critical reasoning as it applies to computational making</li>
</ul>
<h3>Learning Outcomes</h3>
<ul>
<li>Comfort in Javascript programming</li>
<li>Confidence in the P5.js environment</li>
<li>Familiarity with technological advances in typography</li>
<li>An understanding of digital structures for various data types (images, font files, etc)</li>
</ul>
<h3>Material Requirements</h3>
<ul>
<li>A reliable internet connection</li>
<li>A free Zoom Account</li>
<li>A free Slack account (an invitation to a class group will be sent to each participant)</li>
<li>Access to a computer with a modern browser (e.g. Chrome, Firefox)</li>
<li>A free account on the <a href="https://editor.p5js.org/">p5.js web editor</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Scholarship Information</h3>
<p>Scholarship seats are available for this course. Please check out more details on the <a href="https://www.typeelectives.com/scholarships">scholarship page</a>. This scholarship is open to all Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, with priority given to those who have limited resources or access to educational opportunities.</p>


Intro to Generative Typography with p5.js

Large chunky words spelling out "TYPE" getting dithered and pixellated, white type on black background

Generative Typography SP23 Square

Pink words are stacked over each other on a green background.

Crash Course in Type Design

<p>Libbie Bischoff (she/her) is a California-based type designer. After graduating Type West in 2020, she opened her own type foundry, <a href="http://typedunord.com/">Type Du Nord</a>. She started by making 52 fonts in one year and is now focusing on building her type library.</p>


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Libbie Bischoff

Type Designer

<p>Type design is a tricky thing to learn on your own and a 10-week or year-long program is a big commitment — test the typographic waters in this condensed, 5-week type design class! We will learn the fundamentals of type design while cheering each other on in a virtual classroom. You will learn how to create a design concept and translate it into a functional typeface in an uppercase A-Z character set while keeping spacing and usability in mind.</p>
<p>Whether you’re a graphic designer or a beginner type designer, you will learn the ins and outs of the type design process with like-minded comrades. At the end of this course, you will have the skills to continue your type design practice or feel prepared for a longer type design program. You will have enhanced your typographic vocab and gained an intimate understanding of what it takes to be a type designer. Let’s draw letters together!</p>
<h3>Audience and Format</h3>
<p>This class is open to beginner through intermediate type design students. We will cover the process of making a font from ideation to creating your very own type specimen. It is meant for students who would like a rigorous yet supportive environment for learning about type design.</p>
<h3>Scholarship Information</h3>
<p>Scholarship seats are available for this course. Please check out more details on the <a href="https://www.typeelectives.com/scholarships">scholarship page</a>. This scholarship is open to all Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, with priority given to those who have limited resources or access to educational opportunities.</p>
<p>This class is taught online via Zoom. With an accompanying Slack channel, students will have a communal space for sharing work and troubleshooting. Each week, students will be expected to watch pre-recorded lectures and spend a few hours outside of class working on their typeface.</p>
<h3>Goals</h3>
<ul>
<li>Create an original or revival typeface</li>
<li>Have an understanding of the type design process</li>
<li>Create a supportive community of type enthusiasts</li>
</ul>
<h3>Learning Outcomes</h3>
<ul>
<li>Learn the ins &#x26; outs of the Glyphs App</li>
<li>Learn how to design Latin caps (A-Z)</li>
<li>Develop an eye for spacing</li>
<li>Gain proofing skills &#x26; a typographic vocabulary</li>
<li>Create a small type specimen that celebrates your project</li>
</ul>
<h3>Material Requirements</h3>
<ul>
<li>Reliable Internet connection</li>
<li>Mac computer (laptop or desktop)</li>
<li>Glyphs App (a free temporary license will be issued to each student)</li>
<li>A free Zoom Account</li>
<li>A free Slack account (an invitation to a class group will be sent to each participant)</li>
<li>A license to a professional Graphic Design Software such as Adobe Creative Suite or Affinity Designer to test the fonts.</li>
<li>A black chisel tip marker (Sharpie or preferred black ink marker)</li>
<li>Pentel Presto Jumbo Correction Pen or white-out</li>
<li>A drawing pad or paper (8.5” x 11” or larger)</li>
</ul>
<h3>Software Requirements</h3>
<p>The instructor will be working, demoing, and providing tutorials using Glyphs App (Mac only). A temporary Glyphs App license will be provided to all participants for the duration of the class. However, you’re welcome to use Fontlab (Windows and Mac) or Robofont (Mac only) as long as you’re comfortable with troubleshooting technical issues by referring to your font editor’s manual or forum.</p>
<h3>Scholarship Information</h3>
<p>A <a href="https://www.typeelectives.com/scholarships">scholarship</a> seat is available for this course. Please check out more details on the <a href="https://www.typeelectives.com/scholarships">scholarship page</a>. This scholarship is open to all Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, with priority given to those who have limited resources or access to educational opportunities.</p>


<p>Lauren Williams (she/her) is a Detroit-based designer, researcher, and educator. She works with visual and interactive media to understand, critique, and reimagine the ways social and economic systems distribute and exercise power.</p>
<p>Through her creative practice and research, she often investigates Blackness, identity, bodiliness, and social fictions to examine how racism is felt, embodied, and embedded into institutions. Themes of trust and the transformations enabled by social engagement shape both her approaches—collaboration, facilitation, collective production—and the questions she examines surrounding power and oppression, social relations, and social movements. Lauren has taught design + interdisciplinary studios and intensives at the College for Creative Studies, ArtCenter College of Design, CalArts and elsewhere. In the past, she has managed programs and policy aimed at cultivating economic justice at Prosperity Now in DC. Going forward, she's finding ways to align her capacities with revolutionary movements that build toward different socioeconomic systems entirely and usher in new dimensions of power and freedom altogether.</p>
<p>Her work can be found at <a href="http://www.williamslaurenm.com/">williamslaurenm.com</a>.</p>


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Lauren Williams

Designer / Researcher

<p><a href="https://www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/central-saint-martins/people/rathna-ramanathan-head-of-college">Rathna Ramanathan</a> (she/they) is a typographer, practice design researcher and academic known for her expertise in intercultural communication and alternative publishing practices. She is Head of Central Saint Martins, Pro-Vice Chancellor, University of the Arts London and a Reader in Intercultural Communication. For the past thirty years, Rathna has led research-driven, intercultural, multi-platform graphic communication design projects primarily in the Global South, all fuelled by a love for, and life-long interest in typography and languages, and a belief in communication as a fundamental human right.</p>


Rathna Ramanathan

Graphic Design, Educator and Researcher

<p>Silas Munro (he/they) is an artist, designer, writer, curator, and partner of <a href="https://www.polymode.studio/">Polymode</a>, a studio that leads the edge of contemporary graphic design for clients in the cultural sphere. Collaborations include the City of Los Angeles, Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, David Kordansky Gallery, MoMA, and MOCA. He is a curator and author of Strikethrough: Typographic Messages of Protest that opened at Letterform Archive in 2022. Munro’s writing appears in the book, W. E. B. Du Bois’s Data Portraits: Visualizing Black America. Munro expanded this research as a co-author of the first BIPOC centered Design History course: Black Design in America: African Americans and the African Diaspora in Graphic Design, which will be published in book form. Munro holds an MFA from CalArts and a BFA from RISD. Munro is Founding Faculty and Co-Chair for the MFA in Graphic Design at Vermont College of Fine Arts.</p>


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Silas Munro

Artist, Poet, Graphic Designer, Writer, & Educator

The words "Provoking Type" repeated 5 times with differing colors on dark magenta background

Provoking Type

<p>Schessa Garbutt (they/them) is a Belizean-American creative polymath and founder of <a href="https://www.firebrand.house/">Firebrand Creative</a> House based in Inglewood, CA. Their design practice focuses on brand identity and UI/UX design for social impact initiatives and mission-driven organizations. Garbutt is also an essayist (recently in The Black Experience in Design anthology) and lecturer, speaking on diversifying design history and co-design practices at universities and organizations such as IDEO, SF Design Week, MICA, Where are the Black Designers, and Adobe's Wireframe podcast. Garbutt holds a B.A. in Design from the University of Southern California, and a certificate in Type Design from Type West.</p>


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Schessa Garbutt

Designer & Afrofuturist

<p>Many of us experienced a design education that focused on eurocentric history and theory while de-centering BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) perspectives on type, design, information systems, and ways of knowing. Often, students whose histories and experiences are ignored or erased miss out on the opportunity to learn about the creative work of their predecessors, and many aren’t given the space to question the values behind the aesthetics of classically-taught type history (e.g. Gutenburg, Bauhaus, Modernism). As professionals, many of us are left wanting a more diverse, intersectional view to ground our creative practices as we grow in skill and perspective in a rapidly changing global type &#x26; design landscape.</p>
<p>There is a diverse world of type tools, systems, theories, and histories worth exploring for creatives who are ready to deepen their practices and update their personal canons.</p>
<p>Provoking Type is a 5-week course that invites participants to take a critical &#x26; decolonial lens to type and its role in history, culture, technology, power structures, and identity to explore and reimagine the narratives, contexts, and futures of type. Instructor Schessa Garbutt and guest lecturers offer their critical perspectives on type as a tool and medium, centering BIPOC and othered histories, research methods, and intellectual mirrors while examining classic eurocentric, patriarchal, and capitalist views of the craft.</p>
<p>Plainly, this class is for creative folks with ideas about how they want to get into good trouble with type, and use their design powers to affect positive change in the world.</p>
<h3>Audience and Format</h3>
<p>This course will be taught via Zoom and Slack, meeting weekly online. This class is for creatives looking to expand their personal canons around type and design while challenging internalized notions of what type is and what their design practice can be. Creatives of all backgrounds and experience levels are encouraged to apply. Each week, students will watch or read a text related to the upcoming lecture. Throughout the course, students are encouraged to actively contribute to class conversations and knowledge building.</p>
<h3>Goals</h3>
<ul>
<li>Collectively create a critical thinking framework for discourse around type.</li>
<li>Strengthen our ability to articulate and elaborate on the contemporary challenges/desires/ideas we have about type and design.</li>
<li>Clarify and embody our personal praxes (reflection, theory, action) to guide our future creative work.</li>
<li>Co-create a learning environment that de-centers eurocentric perspectives &#x26; pedagogy.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Learning Outcomes</h3>
<ul>
<li>Learn frameworks for thinking critically in relation to type and the design field at large.</li>
<li>Learn how to understand our own positionalities and question our biases as designers &#x26; non-neutral actors in the world.</li>
<li>Build skills in writing about, articulating, and pursuing a decolonial type &#x26; design practice.</li>
<li>Deepen knowledge in type &#x26; design histories of the global majority.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Material Requirements</h3>
<ul>
<li>A reliable internet connection</li>
<li>A device capable of Zoom and Slack apps</li>
<li>A free Zoom Account</li>
<li>A free Slack account (an invitation to a class group will be sent to each participant)</li>
</ul>
<h3>Scholarship Information</h3>
<p>Scholarship seats are available for this course. Please check out more details on the <a href="https://www.typeelectives.com/scholarships">scholarship page</a>. This scholarship is open to all Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, with priority given to those who have limited resources or access to educational opportunities.</p>


"Provoking Type" title repeated on 4 sides of a square on a magenta background

Foundations of Display Type Design

<p><a href="https://juankafka.com">Juan Villanueva</a> (he/him) is a Peruvian typeface designer and educator in New York City. Juan is a Sr. Type Designer at Monotype. A graduate of the Type@Cooper Extended program, he has taught for institutions such as Type@Cooper, The City College of New York, and The Letterform Archive. Juan is also the founder of <a href="https://typecritcrew.com">Type Crit Crew</a>, an initiative to make type design education more accessible and inclusive.</p>


Profile Image - Juan Villanueva

Juan Villanueva

Type Designer & Educator

<p>Display typefaces are statements of love towards the craft of type design. They offer opportunities to push the boundaries of legibility, creativity, and self-expression while inviting us to engage in conversation with language, culture, and form. Designing display typefaces is a useful skill to develop a deep understanding of the tools and processes for making type as well as finding one’s unique voice in the field.</p>
<p>In this ten-week workshop, we’ll learn the foundations for designing display typefaces that speak for themselves. Through an emphasis on sketching methods and design strategies, you’ll learn how to make letterforms and produce fonts that stand out. Participants will do research to develop their own design brief, practice rigorously through weekly drawing exercises, and hone their personal discipline and craftsmanship.</p>
<p>This class will cover the basics of drawing letterforms by hand and digitally using Bézier curves in order to design coherent systems and develop your own typographic language. Whether you’re a graphic designer or a budding type designer, this class will help you step up your type game, get out of your comfort zone, or level up before a masters program. Let’s have some serious fun and put your talents on display.</p>
<h3>Audience and Format</h3>
<p>This class will be taught online via Zoom and Slack. There will be class participation and homework each week to enable students to challenge themselves and develop practical and critical skills. The ideal student can range from someone with a basic understanding of Bézier curves (e.g. the pen tool in Adobe Illustrator) who is making a font for the first time to someone with years of experience and mastery of the tools who wants to use this as an opportunity to continue developing their practice and join a community of learners. The most important qualities for success in this class are to be curious, have an open mind, and a willingness to iterate and challenge yourself.</p>
<h3>Goals</h3>
<ul>
<li>Discover your own process and develop an efficient workflow</li>
<li>Develop your eye to judge consistency in contrast, color, spacing, and rhythm</li>
<li>Develop an understanding of the relationship between calligraphy, lettering, and type</li>
<li>Join a community of people passionate about letterforms</li>
</ul>
<h3>Learning Outcomes</h3>
<ul>
<li>Learn digital drafting skills</li>
<li>Learn how to use Glyphs App, a digital font editor</li>
<li>Learn the basics of type design</li>
<li>Learn how to design and space a basic Latin character set</li>
<li>Learn how to proof and evaluate a typeface</li>
<li>Learn the basics of OpenType and Language support</li>
<li>Learn to draw for interpolation and produce variable fonts</li>
</ul>
<h3>Material Requirements</h3>
<ul>
<li>Mac computer (laptop or desktop)</li>
<li>Reliable Internet connection</li>
<li>A free Zoom account</li>
<li>A free Slack account (an invitation to a class group will be sent to each participant)</li>
<li>Glyphs App, a free temporary educational license will be issued to each student enrolled</li>
<li>A license to a professional Graphic Design Software such as Adobe Creative Suite or Affinity Designer to test the fonts.</li>
<li>Speedball Calligraphy Pen with C1 nibs or Pilot Parallel Pen, 6.0 mm + refills (black ink)</li>
<li>Speedball Oblique Pen Holder</li>
<li>Gillott 303 Pointed Nib or similar</li>
<li>Canson Pro-Layout Marker Paper Pad, 9" × 12" 50-Sheet Pad or similar</li>
<li>Bee Paper White Sketch and Trace Roll, 12-I nch by 20-Yards or similar kind of tracing paper roll or pad</li>
<li>Non-waterproof ink (black, walnut, or another dark color)</li>
<li>Shallow dish or bowl for ink</li>
<li>Eraser, white-out, scissors, and tape (artist tape or removable tape recommended)</li>
<li>Any kind of sketchbook analog or digital to take notes and jot down ideas</li>
<li>Access to a B&#x26;W laser printer is recommended for proofing homework and class exercises</li>
</ul>
<h3>Software Requirements</h3>
<p>The instructor will be working, demoing, and providing tutorials using Glyphs App (Mac only). A temporary Glyphs App license will be provided to all participants for the duration of the class. However, you’re welcome to use Fontlab (Windows and Mac) or Robofont (Mac only) as long as you’re comfortable with troubleshooting technical issues by referring to your font editor’s manual or forum.</p>
<h3>Scholarship Information</h3>
<p>Scholarship seats are available for this course. Please check out more details on the <a href="https://www.typeelectives.com/scholarships">scholarship page</a>. This scholarship is open to all Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, with priority given to those who have limited resources or access to educational opportunities.</p>


<p>Fabiola Mejía (she/her) is an independent type designer from Costa Rica. In 2017, she completed the Type@Cooper Condensed Program in NYC, and in 2019, she received an MA in Typeface Design from TypeMedia, in The Netherlands. Besides working remotely with Dinamo Typefaces, she recently founded <a href="https://supercontinente.com">SUPERCONTINENTE</a>, a platform dedicated to her type design practice and collaborative graphic explorations.</p>


Fabiola Mejía

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Websites Beyond the Page Spring 2023 Image

<p><a href="https://www.mdholakia.com/">Meghna Dholakia</a> (she/her) is a designer and artist fascinated by individual, collective, and geologic narratives of transformation. She is interested in how communities come together, commune, and collapse.  Currently, she is a designer at The New York Times helping people think more clearly about how to work together.</p>


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Meghna Dholakia

Designer & Artist

<p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/theilonabrand/">Ilona</a> (they/them) is an artist, extrovert, teacher and technologist who sees their work as love notes to themself, the world, and others. They work across mediums using music, poetry, code, drawing, and their jewish practice as tools of expression both publicly and privately. These days they are particularly interested in trans narratives of liberation, judaism as a site of ritual, visibility on and offline, and how we present ourselves and our work to the world.</p>


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Ilona Brand

Artist & Technologist

<p>In this class, you will learn to use websites as a medium for creative expression. Beyond the three column format and cafe chic, what is the web capable of? Let’s lean into the personal, the playful, and the poetic. We’ll explore questions like: how might a website change with the seasons? What can the web do that print can’t? What if a website had to forget? How do we build a website to last for an age?</p>
<p>To study those questions, this course introduces students to the basics of web development, including HTML, CSS, and javascript.</p>
<h3>Audience and Format</h3>
<p><strong>Who is this class for?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>You’re curious about the web, but not sure where to start</li>
<li>You like to make things and you’re looking for an new creative outlet</li>
<li>You’re interested in taking a critical lens towards technology</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Expectations:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>You’re willing to give things a try</li>
<li>You show up with respect for your fellow learners and students</li>
<li>You can make time for 1 hour or more outside of class for hands-on website building</li>
<li>You’re up for 30 minutes of reading outside class</li>
</ul>
<h3>Goals</h3>
<ul>
<li>Explore websites as a creative medium</li>
<li>Demystify basic web skills</li>
<li>Take a critical approach to web technologies</li>
</ul>
<h3>Learning Outcomes</h3>
<ul>
<li>You will have built and launched multiple websites using HTML &#x26; CSS</li>
<li>You will be able to code simple interactions using javascript</li>
<li>You will have learned about some of the early history of the web</li>
<li>You will have challenged your notions of what a website can be</li>
</ul>
<h3>We will probably not cover:</h3>
<ul>
<li>React and other javascript frameworks</li>
<li>Back-end databases</li>
<li>Job specific skills for a coding job or other forms of job prep</li>
<li>Non web-centric languages</li>
</ul>
<h3>Material Requirements</h3>
<ul>
<li>A computer with reliable Internet connection</li>
<li>A free Zoom account</li>
<li>A free Slack account (an invitation to a class group will be sent to each participant)</li>
<li>Pen and paper</li>
</ul>
<h3>Software Requirements</h3>
<p>We'll be using Glitch and VS Code, students are welcome to use the text editor of their choice.</p>
<h3>Scholarship Information</h3>
<p>Scholarship seats are available for this course. Please check out more details on the <a href="https://www.typeelectives.com/scholarships">scholarship page</a>. This scholarship is open to all Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, with priority given to those who have limited resources or access to educational opportunities.</p>


Websites Beyond the Page

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Websites Beyond The Page

Intro to AR Type

<p><a href="https://beatrizl.com/">Beatriz</a> (she/her) is a designer, typographer, and educator exploring how technology can push typography to exist at the intersection of the physical and digital world. She teaches interaction design at Parsons and was formerly a design director at Sunday Afternoon.</p>
<p>Originally on the path to becoming a mechanical engineer, Beatriz shifted to graphic design as her involvement in immigrant rights activism exposed her to the power of visual communication. Her work has been recognized by the ADC, TDC, Communication arts, and PRINT. Some of her clients include ESPN, Target, and NPR.</p>


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Beatriz Lozano

Designer, Typographer, and Educator

<p>This class is designed as an introduction to the possibilities AR can open for designers and typographers. In this class we will explore the latest AR technology, and reimagine how our work can be expanded to exist in all dimensions. The tools and softwares to design in AR are constantly changing and evolving, so the goal of the class is less about the technical skills we will learn and more about developing our abilities to embrace, adapt, and harness technology for good.</p>
<p>In this five-week course we will learn the history and present role of AR in our current visual landscape. We will learn how to utilize multiple tools to translate existing 2D designs into kinetic 3D objects, and how to export our designs as functioning AR experiences. Our homework assignments will be a series of opportunities for each student to develop an augmented reality type specimen using a typeface they designed themselves or one they admire.</p>
<h3>Audience and Format</h3>
<p>This class will be taught online via Zoom and Slack. The ideal student is a designer with little to no prior experience with augmented reality, but who has a strong interest in typography and technology. Students are expected to attend all five classes, complete their weekly assignment, and engage with the work of their peers.</p>
<h3>Goals</h3>
<ul>
<li>To embrace technology and harness it to create positive and impactful work</li>
<li>To reimagine our work beyond the two-dimensional space</li>
<li>To create a community of peers who share your curiosity and passion for type + technology</li>
</ul>
<h3>Learning Outcomes</h3>
<ul>
<li>Understanding of AR history</li>
<li>Understanding of the latest AR tools</li>
<li>Learn to ideate and translate concepts in 3D</li>
</ul>
<h3>Material Requirements</h3>
<ul>
<li>A computer with reliable internet connection</li>
<li>A free Zoom account</li>
<li>A free Slack account (an invitation to a class group will be sent to each participant)</li>
<li>Phone that supports AR</li>
<li>Phone to computer cable</li>
<li>Spark AR</li>
<li>Apple AR kit (optional)</li>
<li>Blender (optional)</li>
</ul>
<h3>Software Requirements</h3>
<p>Before enrolling in this class please make sure your phone is AR compatible. If you are an iphone user this means having an iPhone model that is no earlier than the 7. All of the software we will be using is free and available for download online. Before enrolling please make sure that your laptop is compatible with Spark Studio.</p>
<h3>Scholarship Information</h3>
<p>Scholarship seats are available for this course. Please check out more details on the <a href="https://www.typeelectives.com/scholarships">scholarship page</a>. This scholarship is open to all Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, with priority given to those who have limited resources or access to educational opportunities.</p>


Lettering Variations

<p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/genramirez">Gen Ramírez</a> (he/him) is a typeface designer, graphic designer, calligrapher and sign-painter from Guadalajara, Mexico. His strong interest and passion for brushes and letterforms developed since a young age as he was taught mastery of sign-painting in his father’s workshop. It later led him to graduate from TypeMedia at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague as well as completing both Type@Cooper Extended program in San Francisco and Condensed in New York. He teaches calligraphy, sign-painting, and type design workshops and leads Letrastica Festival, a conference in Guadalajara. With strong roots in an organic approach to letterforms, his work focuses on embracing both the analog and digital dimensions of design. He loves adding a dash of code in there to spice things up too!</p>


Image of a man with short hair on a background featuring lettering and sign-painting practice sheets.

Gen Ramírez

Typeface Designer, Graphic Designer, Calligrapher, and Sign-Painter

<p>In this workshop we'll analyze, explore, and practice some of the more popular lettering styles while learning about the historical background, tools, drawing  techniques, type parameters, and conceptual frameworks. We will mostly be using an analog approach in our explorations.</p>
<p>We will study the foundations of roman, italic, script, block, brush lettering. We will modify, mix and extrapolate many of the rules and features of the classics to create letterforms with a unique personality. We will define a brief to create a piece of lettering under a dynamic and iterative process that will allow us to try many design directions for the same intended purpose.</p>
<h3>Audience and Format</h3>
<p>This workshop is for lettering enthusiasts that have some experience drawing letters and feel trapped or limited by their own style. The participants need basic drawing skills, patience, resilience and have to be willing to embrace happy mistakes.</p>
<h3>Goals</h3>
<ul>
<li>Developing a new perspective on lettering by gaining a better understanding of letterforms</li>
<li>Establishing workflow from idea, through sketching and iterating, to a final piece of lettering</li>
<li>Practice observing, analyzing and being critical during the creative process</li>
<li>Understanding foundations through classic models</li>
<li>Understanding tools to confidently explore new styles and create an original piece of lettering</li>
</ul>
<h3>Learning Outcomes</h3>
<ul>
<li>Understanding of basic lettering principles such as composition, hierarchy, use of color, etc.</li>
<li>Understanding of type design parameters in order to create a piece of lettering such as spacing, consistency, rhythm, etc.</li>
<li>Understanding classic models and how to adapt them</li>
<li>Learning to define a brief for a lettering project</li>
<li>Learning to explore and set a design direction for a lettering piece</li>
<li>Setting up a workflow and iterating through a mostly analog approach</li>
</ul>
<h3>Material Requirements</h3>
<ul>
<li>A computer with reliable Internet connection</li>
<li>A free Zoom account</li>
<li>A free Slack account (an invitation to a class group will be sent to each participant)</li>
<li>Flat brush and broad edge tools</li>
<li>Pointed brush and pointed nibs</li>
<li>Inks for nibs</li>
<li>Tempera, gouache</li>
<li>Drawing tools (Pencils, eraser, whiteout, rulers, etc.)</li>
<li>Tracing paper or Marker Paper</li>
<li>Scissors and tape</li>
<li>Optional: Vector based drawing software (i.e. Illustrator, Robofont, Glyphs)</li>
</ul>
<h3>Scholarship Information</h3>
<p>Scholarship seats are available for this course. Please check out more details on the <a href="https://www.typeelectives.com/scholarships">scholarship page</a>. This scholarship is open to all Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, with priority given to those who have limited resources or access to educational opportunities.</p>


Portrait of a person with short hair wearing glasses and a black and white striped t-shirt, next to a woman with long hair holding a flower.

Lecture Series: Ilona and Meg

This is a lecture series that invites artists and designers to share how they approach their practice from a place of criticality and love.

Type Electives Lecture Series with Meghna Dholakia and Ilona Brand

Lecture Series: Schessa Garbutt

Type Electives Lecture Series with Schessa Garbutt

colorful pixelized type on yellow background that says "pixel type workshop". Each are bright pink with blue shadows.

Pixel Type Workshop

Learn about pixel type and get your pixel creativity flowing by drawing your own! Free event, no prior experience necessary. Come hang out!

Panel Discussion on Scholarships & Mentorships for Type Designers image

Panel Discussion on Scholarships & Mentorships for Type Designers

This is a panel discussion on scholarships and mentorships for type designers, featuring Chantra Malee and Veronika Burian.

Type Electives is an online design school shaping the future of type.

Upcoming Courses

Upcoming Events

Type Electives Lecture Series with David Jon Walker

Type Electives Lecture Series with Gen Ramírez

Wix Playground NYC: Designing with Criticality and Love

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