Type Design Course

• Instructor: Lynne Yun
• Parsons School of Design, Art Media & Technology
• PSAM 3010
• 4:00–6:40pm on Wednesdays, Spring 2021

Course Description

Typeface design is a unique and important skill that profoundly affects visible language. The drawing of letterforms intersects with the history of graphic design and technology and affects every aspect of design practice from branding and editorial design to motion and interaction design. This course gives students an overview of the historic context of type design and an introduction to current methods from calligraphy to parametric type. Students will apply their knowledge to design an original typeface.

Course Outline

The Stroke (Weeks 1–2)

Students will be introduced to the history of letterforms and understand the relationship between technology and the written form. Students will learn the basics of calligraphy to complement their theoretical knowledge with practical experience as well as study historical models. Focus will be given to conceptual ideas such as modularity and how the tools influence the form (such as the axis).

The Letter (Weeks 3–5)

Students will be introduced to font-making software and related concepts such as vectors, bezier curves, and multiple masters. Students will practice drawing select letters by digitizing historical scripts or sketches. Focus will be given to conceptual ideas such as spacing, counters, design axis, and variable fonts in the browser.

The Alphabet (Weeks 6–15)

Students will propose and develop a full typeface (ASCII set). Focus will be given to creating a visual system of letterforms, with the consideration of the performability of the typeface in different print and technological settings. There will be an emphasis on spatial concepts such as spacing, where students will learn that designing the negative space is just as important as designing the positive outlines. Toward the end of the unit, students will develop a typeface specimen to showcase their typeface.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the semester, students will be able to:

• Understand a historical overview of letterforms
• Understand the modular nature of letterform systems
• Understand how type design intersects with the multidisciplinary nature of communication design
• Articulate and analyze letters and compositions
• Understand how to plot proper bezier vector points
• Designing a working digital typeface and supporting specimen display materials.
• Achieve fluency in industry standard software
• Know resources to seek inspiration & self-improvement

Required Supplies:

• 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

Semester Overview

Subject to adjustment.

|Week|Live Content|Asynchronous Content | Assignment |----|------------|---------------------|------- |1|<li>Overview of syllabus </li> <li> Past Student Gallery</li> <li>Student Introductions </li>| <li>Watch Lecture modules for Week 1 </li><li> Read Counterpunch Excerpt</li>| <li>Get class supplies </li> <li>Download license</li> <li> Install Glyphs App </li> |2| <li>Discussion: Reading </li> <li> Demo: Carolingian Calligraphy </li>| <li>Watch Lecture modules for Week 2 </li> | <li>A page of calligraphy practice</li><li>creating a short word ('aeon') based on Carolingian</li><li>digitizing test word in Glyphs</li><li> Upload Homework: A photo or scan of your calligraphy practice page & a screenshot of your test word in Glyphs </li> |3| <li> Glyphs Technical Q & A </li><li> Demo: Making masters, instances, and exporting variable fonts in Glyphs </li>| <li>Watch Lecture modules for Week 3 </li> | <li>Digitize a test letter in two masters & make them compatible (option to make new letters or use last week's assignment)</li> <li> Export a variable font and test it out in this type tester</li><li> Upload Homework: A GIF of your variable type in animation</li> |4| <li> Sketching a test word using Type Cooker recipes </li><li> Bezier Curve Clinic </li>| <li>Watch Lecture modules for Week 4 </li>| <li>3 Typeface Proposal Drafts (that includes all the pages from the proposal template PLUS pencil or digital sketches of the word 'adhesion')</li> |5| Small Group Crit Session: Propose 3 Proposals and get feedback | <li>Watch Lecture modules for Week 5 </li> | <li>Finish Typeface Proposal with digitized test word</li> |6| All Class Crit Session: Final Typeface Proposals | <li>Watch Lecture modules for Week 6 </li> | <li>Complete Proof Template</li> |7| 1:1 Office Hours Crit Session | | <li>Complete Proof Template</li> |8| 1:1 Office Hours Crit Session | Reading: <li>About Designing Display Types</li><li>About Spacing</li><li>About Proofs</li><li>About drawing vectors</li> | <li>Complete Proof Template</li> |9| Spring Break | Spring Break | Spring Break |
|10| <li> All Class Crit Session: Typeface Project</li> | | <li>Complete Proof Template</li> |11| <li> All Class Crit Session: Typeface Project</li> | | <li>Complete Proof Template</li> |12| <li> All Class Crit Session: Typeface Project</li> | | <li>Complete Proof Template</li><li> 50% progress on type specimen (at least Intro page & character set page) </li> |13| <li> All Class Crit Session: Typeface Project</li> | | <li>Complete Proof Template</li><li> 75% progress on type specimen (minimum intro page, character set page, in-use sample(s) page)</li> |14| <li> Special guest: Sabrina Nacmias and Maxime Gau from Faire Type </li> | | <li>Complete Proof Template</li><li>Update Type Specimen</li> |15| All-class Final Presentation | | |

Resources

Recommended Books

• 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 App Tutorials

• Glyphs Essential Training by Charles Nix
• Glyphs App Tutorial Posts

Spacing & Kerning

• Adhesiontext tool by Miguel Sousa

• Text for Proofing Fonts by Jonathan Hoefler

• Spacing Tests by Dan Rhatigan

• Kern King by Leslie Cabarga

• Galvanized Jets by Samarskaya & Partners

• Kerning Pairs by Andre Fuchs

• Micro Typography:How To Space And Kern Punctuation Marks And Other Symbols

Type Specimen Inspirations

• Letterform Archive Type Specimens
• Pre-Digital Type Foundry Catalogs by Stephen Coles
• Parsons Type Design 2020
• Yale School of Art, Type Design
• Type Media 2018

Inspirational Finds

• Fonts In Use
• Archivio Tipograpfico
• Typographica: Type Reviews, Books, Commentary
• Alphabettes: Commentary by Women in Type
• South Asian Book Cover Collection by Erin McLaughlin

Variable Fonts

• Variable Fonts Support
• Can I Use

NYC Lectures, Classes & Events

• Type@Cooper
• The Type Directors Club
• Society of Scribes
• Type Thursday
• AIGA NY

Archives

• Herb Lubalin Study Center

Conferences

• Typographics: NYC, USA
• TypeCon: USA
• ATypI: International

Articles & Links

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