Intro to Type Design for Africans ↗

Are you curious about how fonts are made? Do you find yourself sketching letters or wondering how designing typefaces as an African looks like? If so, this course is for you.

Intro to Type Design for Africans is a beginner-friendly online workshop that introduces you to the world of type design. In 6 weeks, you’ll learn how letters are constructed, how to digitize your ideas, and how to give your typeface a unique voice. At the end, you’ll walk away your first mini type project and a better eye for letters.

Program Outcomes:

• Create a typeface of your own
• Have an understanding of the type design process
• Be part of a supportive community of African type enthusiasts

What You’ll Learn:

• Fundamental principles of type design
• Sketching techniques
• Basic use of Glyphs App
• Learn how to design Latin caps (A-Z)
• Develop a critical eye for shapes, spacing, rhythm, and contrast
• Acquire proofing skills & achieve quality and consistency
• Design a mini type specimen that showcases your project

Learning Format:
For this program, we will be working with Glyphs App (Mac only). A temporary Glyphs App license will be provided to all participants for the duration of the class. Live classes will be held on Google Meet on Wednesdays during the course of the program, with optional office hours on Saturdays. Communication and sharing work will be done through a Discord channel. Pre-recordings will also be made available after every class.