A workshop for type designers preparing to enter the font market.
After months of learning, sketching, designing, and refining, you’re finally finished with your typeface (or at least it’s near a stage worthy of release). Now what? A typeface isn’t a typeface until it gets used. This class will survey the ways type was shown and sold in the past, as well as tackle the complexities of the current market. We’ll talk about how to present your typeface in its best light and get it out into the world — including topics like specimen design, promotion, distribution, and an introduction to marketing and licensing. Drawing inspiration from historical specimens, exercises will include: writing a typeface description, choosing and setting specimen text, and designing in-use samples.
Showing (Day One)
🧑🏻🏫 Lecture: Historical Type Specimens 30 min
🧑🏻🏫 Lecture: Current Type Specimens 10 min
🧑🏻🏫 Lecture: Elements of a Specimen 20 min
✍️ Exercise: Design Three Type Specimen Elements 75 mins
Explore the Online Archive and select a specimen to riff on. Analyze what makes it work, and apply to your own typeface, along with a text sample that includes your typeface bio.
12:30pm PT / 3:30pm ET / 8:30pm GMT
💬 Crit: Present Specimen Elements 30 mins
Selling (Day Two)
👨🏫 Lecture: State of the Mart 30 mins
💬 Discussion: A Type Designer’s Options 30 mins
Option 1: Signing with a Foundry
Examples: 205TF, Colophon, Darden Studio, Emigre, Fontwerk, Grilli, Letters from Sweden, Order, Original Type, Production Type, Typotheque, TypeTogether, Typofonderie
Option 2: Signing with a Retailer
Examples: Adobe, Creative Market / Fontspring, Fontstand, Future Fonts, MyFonts (Monotype), Type Network, Type Department, YouWorkForThem
Option 3: Go it Alone (Create your own foundry and shop)
👩🏻🏫 Guest Expert on Writing a EULA: Joyce Ketterer 45 mins
Joyce is Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Darden Studio, one of the most respected indie foundries. Joyce is pretty much the only foundry owner who I would also call an expert in licensing. She will briefly introduce the concept of a EULA and tell you what you need to know when writing your own.
🧑🏻🏫 Guest Expert on Running a Foundry: CJ Dunn 45 mins
CJ Dunn will talk about his experience working at an established foundry (Font Bureau) and then establishing his own brand. Think about your own questions to ask CJ.