Practica Latin One: Mechanics ↗

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

• How to improve your spacing

• 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

What’s included:

• 21.5 course hours

• Live feedback sessions held over Zoom on Wednesdays (sessions are recorded)

• Pre-recorded lectures released each week

• Access to our private Discord community

• Free trial Glyphs license

• Certificate of completion (80% attendance required)

Schedule:

• Nov 4 — Course introduction and kickoff (live, 1 hr) — videos: Working smart: a basic type design workflow; Glyphs setup tutorial: How to install plugins & modules

• Nov 11 — Font file review (live, 2.5 hours) — videos: Font Info in Glyphs, Part 1 — Foundations & Setup; Proofing type

• Nov 18 — Feedback session (live, 2.5 hours) — videos: Basic techniques for drawing letters with Bezier curves; Advanced techniques for drawing letters with Bezier curves

• Nov 25 — Feedback session (live, 2.5 hours) — videos: Spacing workshop, part one; Font Info in Glyphs, Part 2 — Production & Iteration

• Dec 2 — Feedback session (live, 2.5 hours) — videos: Design difference between text and display type; Spacing workshop, part two

• Dec 9 — Feedback session (live, 2.5 hours) — videos: Optical corrections in type

• Dec 15–17 — Individual feedback session — students choose a single 20-minute feedback slot on one of the three days

Practica also offers a 15-week follow-up course Latin Two, that can be taken after Latin One to continue learning about type design. The two courses can also be taken separately.