21 February28 May 2023
Classes

I Love Typography is partnering with Glyphs to present a series of courses in font engineering and production. Once participants complete each course and are able to meet high standards in font production, they will be presented with an ILT-Glyphs certificate.

  • Certificates will be offered for the Font Engineering course.
  • Each of the smaller courses can be booked independently, but we will give priority to those who are also booking the Font Engineering course.

ILT Academy: Python Crash Course

Tue 21, Thu 23, Sat 25 and Tue 28 Feb 2023,
4 sessions with 10 hours in total

This is a 10-hour course that will introduce you to Python for font engineering. It will enable you to read and modify existing Python code, and get you started in writing your own code from scratch. Special attention is given to automating tasks in Glyphs. This course also works as an add-on to the ILT-Glyphs Font Engineering course.

  1. Feb 21 (2 hours), 18:00-20:00 UK
  2. Feb 23 (2 hours), 18:00-20:00 UK
  3. Feb 25 (4 hours), 14:00-18:00 UK
  4. Feb 28 (2 hours), 18:00-20:00 UK


Participants are required to prepare for each session with recommended reading. You will be given a set of tasks as homework once (doable within an hour). You are encouraged to submit questions before classes. Homework tasks, prepared content and collected questions are discussed in live sessions.



Who?

Rainer Erich Scheichelbauer

For Whom?


The course is open to a maximum of 15 participants.

How Much?

£300 + 20% VAT (if applicable)
£150 + VAT if booked together with the engineering course.

Language

English

Prerequisites

Participants will need to join the sessions via a Zoom link. A Mac (macOS 10.15 or later recommended) with Glyphs 3 and a stable internet connection is required.

ILT Academy: Font Engineering

Thu 2 March – Tue 18 April 2023,
classes take place Tuesdays and Thursdays
18:00 to 20:00 UK time
19:00 to 21:00 CET/CEST
12 sessions, 24 hours in total

This course will introduce you to font engineering over a span of 3 months and 24 hours of teaching. You will understand how an OpenType font works internally, be able to make adjustments to a .glyphs file, manipulate a CFF and TTF post-export, produce variable fonts, as well as track down and fix technical issues. Some experience in Glyphs and basic Python skills are expected (a parallel Python workshop can be booked separately).

  1. March 2: Setup, OpenType specification and fonttools/ttx in the Terminal
  2. March 7: name table: family naming, style linking
  3. March 9: OS/2, head and hhea tables: special focus on vertical metrics, fsSelection
  4. March 14: OTVAR production (STAT, fvar, avar and gvar tables)
  5. March 16: OTVAR production (STAT, fvar, avar and gvar tables)
  6. March 21: OTVAR production (STAT, fvar, avar and gvar tables)
  7. March 23: fontbakery: passing the adobefonts tests
  8. March 28: Writing your own tests (fonttools, fontbakery) for OpenType binaries
  9. April 4: Writing Terminal commands for post-production (fonttools)
  10. April 11: Pre-export engineering (.glyphs files)
  11. April 13: Pre-export engineering: outlines (plus outline conversion)
  12. April 18: Pre-export engineering: components & reusing shapes

Participants are required to prepare for each session with recommended reading and pre-recorded videos (doable within an hour). Throughout the course, sample tasks will be given as homework. You are encouraged to collect and submit questions before courses. Homework tasks, prepared content and collected questions are discussed in live sessions.

The course will use the latest software in order to set up a virtual classroom and a resource centre for the course materials. Participants will need to join the weekly sessions via a Zoom link. A stable internet connection is required, as well as the latest Glyphs software on a Mac. macOS 11 or later and Glyphs 3 are recommended. We will install FontTools/ttx at the beginning of the course.

Who?

Rainer Erich Scheichelbauer

For Whom?

The course is open to a maximum of 15 participants.

How Much?

£990 + 20% VAT (if applicable)

Language

English

Prerequisites

Participants will need to join the sessions via a Zoom link. A Mac (macOS 10.15 or later recommended) with Glyphs 3 and a stable internet connection is required.

ILT Academy: Glyphs Power Up

Sat 29 April 2023
13:00 to 18:00 UK Time
14:00 to 19:00 CET

Take your Glyphs skills to the next level in a half-day session loaded with tips, tricks and the gems hidden in the depths of your favourite font editor. Topics covered include:

  • paths: explore more efficient or alternate drawing techniques: outside corners, masks, hidden tool tricks
  • harmonizing: quickly achieve the perfect curve, understand nudging
  • batch-editing: multiplying shapes, mass transformations, understand the Paste Special menu
  • extensions for finding, or better, avoiding mistakes from the start
  • components: put smart components to good use, apply corner, cap and segment components, use brushes, make the most of auto-alignment

…and more! Bring your fonts and show us your toughest nut to crack, and we will figure out a workflow that gets the job done smoothly.

Who?

Rainer Erich Scheichelbauer

For Whom?

The course is open to a maximum of 20 participants. Both beginning and advanced Glyphs users.

How Much?

£200 + 20% VAT (if applicable)

Language

English

Prerequisites

Participants will need to join the sessions via a Zoom link. A Mac (macOS 10.15 or later recommended) with Glyphs 3 and a stable internet connection is required.

ILT Academy: Color Fonts

Sat 27 and Sun 28 May 2023
13:00 to 18:00 UK Time
14:00 to 19:00 CEST

Learn how to create all major color font formats in Glyphs in this two-day workshop with Rainer Scheichelbauer.

Topics covered include:

  • COLR/CPAL (including a sneak peek into COLRv1)
  • SVG
  • sbix
  • layered fonts

…their potentials and their limits, how to prepare a design for multiple formats, and which formats work in which environment. Recommended reading: the color font tutorials on the Glyphs website (not mandatory, but you’ll get more out of the workshop if you prepare).

Who?

Rainer Erich Scheichelbauer

For Whom?

The course is open to a maximum of 15 participants.

How Much?

£350 + 20% VAT (if applicable)

Language

English

Prerequisites

Participants will need to join the sessions via a Zoom link. A Mac (macOS 10.15 or later recommended) with Glyphs 3 and a stable internet connection is required.

ILT Academy: Variable Fonts

t.b.a., waiting list available

Finally make the move from static to variable font design! Topics covered include:

  • drawing for delta interpolation
  • set up axes, masters and instances
  • use the best extensions for OTVAR production
  • efficiently use variable font settings and custom parameters in the Glyphs Font Info
  • make the most of OpenType features for variable fonts
  • animate your variable font in a browser
  • take a peek into the STAT and fvar tables
  • test your variable font, fix and avoid common mistakes

Plus, learn what variable fonts can—and cannot—do. Recommended (not required) reading: the tutorials ‘Multiple Masters’ (3 parts), ‘Creating a variable font’ and ‘Switching’ shapes tutorials on the Glyphs website.

Who?

Rainer Erich Scheichelbauer

For Whom?

The course is open to a maximum of 15 participants. Some experience with Glyphs required.

How Much?

£350 + 20% VAT (if applicable)

Language

English

Prerequisites

Participants will need to join the sessions via a Zoom link. A Mac (macOS 10.15 or later recommended) with Glyphs 3 and a stable internet connection is required.