Are you ready to take your type design to the next level? A great idea isn’t enough. A typeface also needs to be well-executed to knock it out of the park. That’s what Practica One is all about — execution, craft, mechanics. No matter where you are in the type design process, we’ll help you give your great idea a professional finish. Join us Fall 2023 and dig deeper into typeface design.
— 6-week type design course
— All sessions are live and online
— Tuition is set on a sliding scale
— Sessions are held in English
Participants who do not have a Glyphs license yet receive an extended trial license and can purchase their own full license at a discount.
Practica Latin One: Mechanics
7 November through 14 December 2023,
Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:30 a.m. CST (Chicago)
What you’ll learn:
- Techniques to improve your Bézier curves and add snap to your letters
- How to make informed decisions about vertical metrics
- The importance of spacing on the overall quality of your font and how to improve yours
- How to move more consciously through the type design process
- The design difference between fonts meant for text vs. display
- How to make optical corrections and small adjustments that improve the overall color of your font
- To notice the details without losing sight of the larger system of your typeface
- How to use proofing as a tool to make your typeface better
- Ways to boost creativity and find inspiration for future projects
What’s included:
- Live classes held over Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays
- Lectures, two feedback sessions, and font file reviews
- Ability to watch lectures again (lectures are live, but recorded)
- Individual feedback on your typeface
- One guest lecturer
- Access to our private Discord community
- Free trial Glyphs license
Schedule:
- Nov 7: Course and project introduction, lecture: display vs. text type
- Nov 9: Lecture: type design workflow, intro to spacing and proofing
- Nov 14: Review of students’ font files, core topics
- Nov 16: Lecture: setting up your font file, basic OT features, vertical metrics, etc.
- Nov 21: Group feedback session
- Nov 23: No class, Thanksgiving in the US
- Nov 28: Review of students’ font files, core topics
- Nov 30: Lecture: typical optical adjustments
- Dec 5: Review of students’ font files, core topics
- Dec 7: Lecture with Maria Montes
- Dec 11—15: Individual feedback sessions (optional)
Our program is now two complementary courses, Practica One and Two, that can be taken back-to-back or separately, totaling 21 weeks in all (with a nice break in between).
Where?
Live Zoom sessions
Who?
Nicole Dotin, Process Type Foundry
Sol Matas, Hungry Type Society
Visiting Instructor: Maria Montes
For Whom?
Some experience with type design expected. Read more.
How Much?
Starting at USD 425, and one scholarship for a person with demonstrated need
Language
English
Prerequisites
Mac with Glyphs preinstalled. Internet connection, a layout program like Affinity Publisher or InDesign. Zoom and Discord accounts (both free).
Registration
Link
All details available on practicaprogram.com
