Not too long ago, a designer asked me if there were a class that would teach her how to turn custom letters into a perfect typeface. Well, this summer, Sara Soskolne, a senior designer at Hoefler-Frere Jones (H&FJ) will teach an exciting, week-long workshop, “Turning Letters into Type,” at the School of Visual Arts from July 12 to 16.
Soskolne (Sos-kol-nee) will introduce the tools and principles of digital typeface design through one-on-one, no-holds-barred engagement with an individual project of each student’s own choosing. “Be it systematizing your own lettering, imagining a complete alphabet from a found fragment,” she says, “articulating that ideal set of forms in your mind, or reviving a non-digital typeface you love,” letters will come alive as type. The workshop will further foster a more critical eye for letterforms, a deeper understanding of how they work, and a whole new set of creative skills that can only make you a better designer. PREREQUISITE: Experience with bezier drawing, lettering or typography. Register here or here (and scroll to bottom).
About Steven Heller
Steven Heller is the co-chair of the SVA MFA Designer /Designer as Author + Entrepreneur program, writes frequently for Wired and Design Observer. He is also the author of over 170 books on design and visual culture. He received the 1999 AIGA Medal and is the 2011 recipient of the Smithsonian National Design Award.View all posts by Steven Heller →