- Instructor: Lynne Yun
- Parsons School of Design, Art Media & Technology
- 4:00–6:40pm on Thursdays, Spring 2020
Knowing how to design letterform systems is a unique and specialized skill. It requires keen eyes that are attuned to see the finest of details, yet also know how to predict how those small features will function when they are seen repeatedly throughout a typographical system. In this course, students will learn the nuts and bolts of designing a working typeface. They will start out with calligraphy exercises to help understand the modular nature of typefaces, then apply that knowledge as a foundation for an original digital typeface.
By the successful completion of this course, students will have:
- Have knowledge of historical overview of letterforms
- Understand the modular nature of latin letterform systems
- Articulate and analyze letters and compositions
- Knowledge of how to plot proper bezier vector points
- Designing a working digital typeface (minimum ASCII set)
- Fluency in industry standard software (Glyphs)
- Know resources to seek inspiration & self-improvement (online & in NYC)
- Pencil and sharpener
- Eraser
- Ruler
- Masking or artists’ tape
- Pad of 9” x 12” Layout bond or tracing paper
- Black Zig Memory System Calligraphy Markers
- A range of sizes of black markers (.05 micron to fine sharpie)
- Mac with Glyphs app installed
Subject to adjustment.
| Week | Class Content | Assignment | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intro: Overview of syllabus, class policy, Q&A Lecture: Introduction & Review Exercise: Rapid Ideation Exercise |
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| 2 | Discussion: Reading Exercise: Carolingian calligraphy Lecture: Letterform Digitization Demo: Overview of Glyphs App |
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| 3 | Discussion: Reading Lecture: Letterform Adjustments Demo: Glyphs App Efficiency |
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| 4 | Discussion: Reading Review: Digitized test words Lecture: Typefaces for Today Exercise: |
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| 5 | Review: Typeface Proposal Draft Lecture: Historical Overview of Letterforms & Inspirational Resources in NYC Exercise: Preview of Proofs & concept of spacing |
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| 6 | Final Typeface Proposal Guest Critique with Juan Villanueva | ||
| 7 | Discussion: Reading Review: Typeface Proof |
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| 8 | Class will be held online due to COVID-19 Review: Typeface Proof Lecture: Typeface Specimens |
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| N/A | Spring Break | ||
| 9 | Study Week due to COVID-19 Individual Office Hours |
Study Week due to COVID-19 |
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| 10 | Review: Typeface Proof | ||
| 11 | Review: Typeface Proof | ||
| 12 | Review: Typeface Proof Glyphs Demo: Using lists in Glyphs |
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| 13 | Review: Typeface Proof Review: Type Specimen Sketches |
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| 14 | Guest Critique with Juan Villanueva |
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| 15 | Final Presentation Typeface Proof |
- Gerard Unger Theory of Type Design. Nai010, 2018
- Fred Smeijers Counterpunch: Making Type in the Sixteenth Century, Designing Typefaces Now. Hyphen Press, 2011.
- Cristóbal Henestrosa, Laura Meseguer, José Scaglione. How to Create Typefaces: from Sketch to Screen. Tipo e, 2017.
- Glyphs Essential Training by Charles Nix
- Glyphs App Tutorial Posts
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Adhesiontext tool by Miguel Sousa
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Text for Proofing Fonts by Jonathan Hoefler
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Spacing Tests by Dan Rhatigan
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Kern King by Leslie Cabarga
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Galvanized Jets by Samarskaya & Partners
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Kerning Pairs by Andre Fuchs
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Micro Typography:How To Space And Kern Punctuation Marks And Other Symbols
- Pre-Digital Type Foundry Catalogs by Stephen Coles
- Fonts In Use
- Archivio Tipograpfico
- Typographica: Type Reviews, Books, Commentary
- Alphabettes: Commentary by Women in Type
- South Asian Book Cover Collection by Erin McLaughlin
- Typographics: NYC, USA
- TypeCon: USA
- ATypI: International
- A Useful Guide to Bad Type by Erik Van Blokland
- Thinking With Type by Ellen Lupton
- History of the Western European Alphabet by Judy Ross
- Multiscriptual Typesetting by Beatriz Lozano
- On Type Classifications by Indra Kupferschmid
- Bézier Curves and Type Design by Fábio Duarte Martins
- NYT: The Difference Between Copyrights, Trademarks and Patents
- Punctuation(1): the linguistic side by Lisa Fischbach
- Butterick's Practical Typography