Add a professional level of finish to your next typeface.
You have a great idea for a typeface and you’ve started fleshing out a character set. But a certain something is missing. It doesn’t look like the polished fonts from your favorite designers. What is it? That’s what Latin One is all about — execution, craft, mechanics.
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
23 October through 27 November 2024,
Wednesdays and Thursdays 10:30 a.m. CST (Chicago)
The course begins with working in a font editor, creating a clean font file, tackling Bezier curves, and making optical corrections to your letters. From there, we’ll discuss how a professional approaches the overall type design process, as well as spacing and proofing type. We’ll cover even more topics, many you’ll find by reading through the schedule.
At the same time, you’ll put this new knowledge into practice by applying it to a typeface of your own. Feedback sessions and font file reviews take this course from purely theoretical to fully practical. You’ll receive concrete advice on how to improve your typeface — whether it’s a missing point, problematic proportions, or a letter that’s heavier than the rest.
The goal of this course is to take your raw material, refine it, and give it a solid foundation. You’ll gain an appreciation for the practice of type design and improve your eye in the process. The world of letters will never look the same.
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:
- 21.5 course hours
- Live classes held over Zoom on Wednesday and Thursdays
- Lectures, feedback sessions, and font file reviews
- Ability to watch lectures again (lectures are live, but recorded)
- One guest lecturer
- Access to our private Discord community
- Free trial Glyphs license
- Certificate of completion (80% attendance required)
Schedule:
- Oct 23: Course introduction; guest lecture with Maria Montes
- Oct 24: Lecture: setting up your font file, the font info panel, vertical metrics, and more
- Oct 30: Font file review; lecture: drawing letters and working with beziers
- Oct 31: Lecture: typical optical adjustments in type design
- Nov 6: Font file review; lecture: type design workflow and proofing
- Nov 7: Lecture: all about spacing
- Nov 13: Font file review; lecture: components, using layers, and basic OT features
- Nov 14: Special session: students ask questions about using Glyphs
- Nov 20: Feedback session
- Nov 21: Lecture: the design differences between text and display type
- Nov 25—27: Individual feedback session
Latin One was designed to be taken as a stand-alone course or in conjunction with Latin Two. Students who enroll in Latin One will be able to enroll in Latin Two before the general public, skipping the application process entirely and simply signing up.
Where?
Live Zoom sessions
Who?
Nicole Dotin
Sol Matas
Maria Montes (guest lecture)
For Whom?
Some experience with type design expected. Read more.
How Much?
Multiple tiers between USD 475 and 675, more info on the Practica site.
Language
English
Prerequisites
Mac with Glyphs preinstalled. Internet connection, a layout program like Affinity Publisher or InDesign. Zoom and Discord accounts (both free).
Registration
Enrollment opens September 9, 2024.
