Type Design Workshop PRO

About the Program

We know how easy it is to end up alone with a typeface project. After the first few months of excitement, the questions usually begin to outweigh the answers: Where should the project go next? Which ideas are worth pursuing? Which decisions should be reconsidered? That is why we created Type Design Workshop PRO — a place for long-term collaboration, regular feedback, and ongoing conversations throughout the development of your typeface.
Type Design Workshop PRO is a six-month program for designers who already have a typeface project and want to take it further.
Unlike our TDW Foundations workshop, where participants create their first typeface from the ground up, the PRO program focuses on developing an existing project. Throughout the course, we’ll expand your type family, explore different approaches to type design, discuss the technical aspects of font production, and help you find solutions that make sense for your own work.
We meet twice a week over the course of six months with one extra month of winter break. Working together over a longer period gives us the opportunity not only to discuss projects regularly, but also to revisit earlier decisions, rethink them when necessary, and watch each project gradually evolve.
As always, we care as much about the atmosphere as we do about the curriculum. We aim to create an environment where it’s comfortable to ask questions, discuss ideas, experiment, change your mind, and learn from one another.

During the workshop we’ll discuss
• developing a type family and planning a design space;
• the logic of designing lettershapes and font classification;
• weight, width, contrast and other design axes;
• italics: history, construction and design approaches;
• variable fonts;
• expanding the character set: numerals, punctuation, symbols and additional characters;
• language support (Latin, Cyrillic and diacritics);
• font production: vertical metrics, blue zones and other technical settings;
• spacing and kerning;
• OpenType features;
• preparing fonts for release: Font Info, mastering, and quality control;
• presenting a typeface project.

How the workshop works
We meet twice a week in a small group. The program combines lectures, practical assignments, project critiques, group discussions and individual consultations.
Most of the workshop revolves around your own project. Rather than following a fixed set of exercises, we try to help each participant find an approach that fits their project and develop the confidence to make their own design decisions.
Throughout the program we invite practicing type designers from around the world. They share their work, talk about their process and join us in discussing student projects.
Our hope is not only to help you move your project forward during the workshop, but also to give you tools that will remain useful long after the course has finished.

Who is this workshop for?
The program is intended for designers who already have experience working in a font editor and want to continue developing their own typeface project.
You don’t need to have a finished typeface. Sketches for the idea of the typeface would be enough.

What you’ll need
• a computer;
• basic experience with a font editor (Glyphs, RoboFont or FontLab);
• your own typeface project;
• 8 hours per week for homework and individual work.

If needed, we can provide a temporary Glyphs or RoboFont license for the duration of the workshop.

Instructors
Maria Doreuli
Anna Khorash

Tuition
300,000 RUB / $3,800
Payment in instalments is available.

Special conditions
• 10% discount for TDW alumnies.
• One full scholarship is available based on a motivation letter and portfolio review.

How to apply
To apply, please send an email to info@typedesignworkshop.org

After receiving your application, we’ll arrange a short online interview and ask you to show us your portfolio and the project you’d like to develop during the workshop.

During the interview we’ll also discuss:
• your previous type design experience;
• your level of spoken English (some guest lectures are held in English);
• which font editor you use (Glyphs, RoboFont or FontLab);

If you’re considering more than one project, we’ll be happy to help you decide which one would be the best fit for the workshop.