Enrollment Closed

This exclusive course is part of the program:

The Complete Typographer

Go at your own pace

4 Sessions / 6 hours of work per session

Price

Program ($900 USD)

Certificate

Included w/ premium membership ($20/month)

Skill Level

Intermediate

Video Transcripts

English

Topics

Typography, Typesetting, Graphic Design, Digital Alphabet

Not available for purchase in India

Making Typeface Families

Course Description

Continuing from the previous courses in The Complete Typographer, Making Typeface Families focuses on drawing a complete alphabet from start to finish, then adding bold and italic variations. Students will choose a sample document for which they'll create a typeface, translate concepts from rough pencil sketches to digitized finishes, and establish cohesiveness in a small trial range of selected characters. Through study of various letterform elements, students will establish how these parts need to come together in a logical way to form a set of related letters and eventually, an entire typeface.

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Go at your own pace

Session 1:

Picking a Purpose and Getting Started

In this session we’ll talk about how we’re going to pick a direction for a new typeface, and check out an overview of the software we’re going to use to make it.

6 lessons

  1. Introduction
  2. Choosing a Print Document
  3. Let's Get Sketching
  4. A Word About Terminology
  5. Enter the Font Editor
  6. Assignment: Getting Started

Session 2:

Drawing Control Characters

Last time we picked a text document to design a new text face for, did some sketching on paper for it, and got a quick and dirty intro to font editing software. This session we’re going to do the first twelve letters of our first typeface.

7 lessons

  1. Introduction
  2. HDO
  3. nop
  4. Drawing & Spacing
  5. RHODESphones
  6. Checking Your Proofs
  7. Assignment: RHODESphones

Session 3:

Completing the Alphabet, Numbers, and Punctuation

Last time we drew our control characters and expanded on them. This session we’re doing ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING ELSE in the typeface. That includes the rest of the alphabet (uppercase and lowercase), the numbers, and some standard punctuation.

8 lessons

  1. Introduction
  2. hamburgefontsiv
  3. HAMBURGEFONTSIV
  4. Completing the Alphabet
  5. Numbers
  6. Punctuation & Conclusion
  7. Assignment: Completing the Character Set
  8. A Conversation with Nina Stössinger

Session 4:

How to Make an Italic and a Bold

In this session we’ll identify what makes up the structures of an italic and a bold, and I’ll walk you through how to draw one of each of your own to accompany your textface.

9 lessons

  1. Introduction
  2. Italics & Not Italics
  3. Making Italics: Skewing & Correcting
  4. Making Italics: Tailing & Narrowing
  5. Sketching Bolds
  6. Making Bolds
  7. Keeping It In the Family
  8. Assignment: Italic & Bold
  9. A Conversation with Luisa Baeta

Learning Outcomes

Below you will find an overview of the Learning Outcomes you will achieve as you complete this course.

Creating your Typeface

  • Ability Create a complete draft of an original typeface.
  • Understanding the principles of how to properly construct italics and additional weights.

Type Design

  • Ability to recognize consistency in the design elements and color of a typeface.

Vector Drawing

  • Ability to demonstrate proficiency in font editing software and vector drawing.

What You Need to Take This Course

  • Supplies:
    • Pens/Pencils
    • Drawing Paper
    • Tracing Paper
  • Software:
    • UFO-based font editing software such as RoboFont (used in this course) or Glyphs
    • Adobe Creative Suite

Additional Information

Please note: Taking part in a Kadenze course as a Premium Member does not affirm that the learner has been enrolled or accepted for enrollment by School of Visual Arts.
If a student signs up for the Complete Typographer program, it is recommended that these courses are taken sequentially.