Last Monday, we introduced you to a few resources that should come in handy if you happen to be a beginner interested in designing type. Today we continue with more useful resources for those new to typography. Online Tutorials Never underestimate the power of tutorials! They are made for users who don’t have the time or the money to attend workshops or design schools. Yes, there are more reasons, but that’s not the point. You can even read them on your mobile device on the bus. So, handy is an understatement. You could start with this series of tutorials published on Noupe.com a couple of years ago. This crash course in typography aims to underline the fact that typography is one of the most important elements of any design project. And that being intimidated by typography is not an option. The first part deals with the ‘Basics of Type’ and it will teach you the difference between typefaces and fonts, weights and sizes, how to classify type, the anatomy of the typeface, what are the four basic classifications for Sans-serif and so on. In part two, it’s all about ‘Paragraphs and Special Characters‘. The discussion continues with paragraph composition and using special typographic characters, like ligatures and hyphens. Next, the tutorial dives right into basic typographic layouts, and how to decide on a typeface for your project. Then comes the bit about body copy. That’s what makes up the majority of many websites and it requires you to consider two separate parts: character styles, and paragraph styles. It comes without saying what good paragraph styling can mean to readability and therefore, the amount of time someone is willing to spend reading your copy. In the fourth part you’ll learn how to effectively combine typefaces. This is a skill best learned through practice. But first, check out the principles covered in this tutorial. You’ll have the tools you need to try out combinations while making educated guesses about what will and won’t work together. The last tutorial of the series will teach you how to pull it all together. You’ll combine more than two typefaces for things like navigation, image captions, fonts for paragraphs and headlines, as well as for other common type elements, like pull quotes and by-lines. Not Just Another Book You might want to add this classic book to your list. The fifth edition of ‘Designing with Type’ has been completely redesigned, with plenty of new information and images. All these new additions make this best-seller an even more valuable tool for anyone interested in learning about typography. This edition has been integrated with a convenient website, designingwithtype.com, where students and teachers can examine hundreds of design solutions and explore a world of typographic information. Great resource to educate and inspire a new generation of designers. If you’re an experienced type designer, what’s your best advice for beginners?

The types used by venerable universities is probably not one of the decisive reasons for your choice, but you can’t deny that a good type in the right place can work miracles. We brought together logos from all around the world. They are the types that students will see everywhere for a few good years, not to mention that they will be on their diplomas for eternity. Notice how playful the types in newer universities can get, and the special attachment old universities have to their mature types. Don’t worry, they’re not all Old English fonts. It’s a pretty interesting trip. Take a look! In your opinion, which type has graduated with distinction? Do you have a favorite uni logo? Share! Berkeley Princeton Sapienza Napier Oxford Liverpool Exeter Cambridge Brown NYU Drury Goldsmiths Sydney Hong Kong Stanford Sorbonne

Summer is here! And there’s probably no coincidence that most of the pieces in our round up are colorful, vibrant, and oozing inspiration. You’ll meet a new font, some flowery typography, retro ‘photography meets typography’ project, beer… types, tips on classifying fonts, proverbs and types that tackle sensitive issues. Let’s take a closer look: New Handwriting Font is a Thing of Beauty This new Sketchnote typeface, created by Mike Rohde, the author of The Sketchnote Handbook, is designed to be practical, to convey the human character and quirks of Rohde’s normal handwriting and hand-drawn lettering with the benefits inherent in digital fonts. The family is comprised of four fonts: Sketchnote Text in regular, bold and italic, plus Sketchnote Square, with some cute illustrations thrown in for good measure. Take a look! What do you think? Colorful Typography Print by Katie Daisy This collection of unique typography art pieces by Katie Daisy is quite sweet, inspiring for those into flowery, colorful, springy inspiration. Typography meets Retro Photography Here’s some more inspiration. For those who don’t know, Stéphane Massa-Bidal is Retrofuturs, and ‘Space Relationship’ is a new series that throws the viewer in a retro-futuristic universe. Enjoy! The Magic of Typography This is not just an article praising typography, it actually comes with some basic tips to improve your web design typography. Useful for beginners and fans alike. Typography Gives Ale Bottle Designs Added Flavor Check out these unique beer labels designed by Scott Greci! Ranging from the classic to the quirky, each label’s font effectively conveys the unique characteristics of each beer. Attractive, attention-grabbing beer bottles, great source of inspiration and… thirst. The Proverbs Typography Project This Project by Michael Masinga uses old proverbs that provide insights on life and the way one should behave and act to live a good life. But before you get to the meaning of the words, enjoy the beautiful typography. Creative Use Of Typography Tackles The Issue Of Child Abuse Here is the latest Childline video on the tough subject of child sexual abuse. Typography plays an important part. Emotional, creative and inspiring. Take a look! A Short Diving into Typography: How to Classify the Fonts In this article you have a clear and concise classification of fonts. There’s nothing too complicated and it is well-explained. Don’t worry if you have another classification or you find another article that delimitates the fonts into different categories. As the authors suggest, maybe you should just consider the classification of fonts as a tool or a guideline, not as a rule. Except for the common accepted classification of fonts: sans serif and serif fonts. Check it out, it might come in handy. How about you? What great read did you come across this week? Share! And don’t forget to have a fabulous weekend!      

Did you know this quote from Steve Jobs, where he shares his passion for typography? If you didn’t, take a look below! Besides being quite impresses by all this, we realized that people don’t talk as much as they should about calligraphy these days. For those who need a bit of clarification, calligraphy is a type of visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a broad tip instrument or brush in one stroke. Classical calligraphy differs from typography and non-classical hand-lettering, though a calligrapher may create all of these. Of course, modern calligraphy ranges from functional hand-lettered inscriptions and designs to fine-art pieces where the abstract expression of the handwritten mark may or may not compromise the legibility of the letters. But it still is basically about the beauty of creating characters at the moment of writing. Take up a course! There are a ton of courses out there. You can find one for beginners, but there are plenty for those who want to improve their calligraphy skills. If your job involves lettering (engravers, masons, sculptors, artists, draughtsmen, typographers & printers) and you feel it might help, trying a course that suits your level might be like renewing the passion for your trade. Museum Courses It’s not only colleges and universities that offer courses and classes in calligraphy, museums are another place you should check. Like this one: Pen Museum in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Their classes are suitable for everybody, from people who have a general interest to those who make hand-crafted cards, historians and teachers. Those who are interested in a career in advertising, design or graphic art might want to consider such a course too. And if you’re torn between fonts and calligraphy, you can always choose to create some adorable Calligraphy fonts. Another great plus is the informal atmosphere. You’ll probably be introduced to the broad-edged pen, receive advice and information about cartridge inks. You’ll be shown a range of different types of fountain pen with an explanation of how they are re-filled, plus advice on care and maintenance. Of course, you’ll also have the opportunity to try out a range of fountain pens and dip pens to assist them in deciding which one is suitable for you. Correspondence Courses Believe it or not, this actually works. The Calligraphy Correspondence Course at The Society of Scribes and Illuminators was originally part of the Roehampton University programme. The course was devised to answer requests from those who wished to study calligraphy seriously but were unable to attend full-time courses. Since 1987 it has been helping many calligraphers worldwide. This kind of course can be invaluable for those beginning to study calligraphy seriously as well as for those wishing to realise their full calligraphic potential. Check out there page for details. Next week we’ll back with more tips for those interested in calligraphy. Stay tuned!    

These troubled times require suitable types, a must in every ‘revolutionary’ tool kit. And what better way to display them than by conquering the public place? Color and unrestrained imagination in the streets, where many battles are fought and revolutions are won. For those who want to use some graffiti fonts in their next project, wherever that may be, here you have a collection displayed in a city, street or on a wall near you: Taipei Pigs RIP Ruby Toronto Mel Smoking Eye Love Yes Rio Jamie Explode Change Share your favorite graffiti!  

This week we go back to basics… again. But we mainly focus on summer and the harvest of typography projects that make the most of food, T-shirts and paper. You’ll see! In other words, we have animated typography, 3D types that pop out of the page and English idioms ready to be served (literally!). Well, you’ve got the picture. Let’s move on:  The Principles of Typography: Back to Basics They say content is king, typography is the crown and design is the throne. What do you say? Whatever the answer, this article juggles with some basic principles. Hopefully you already know that typography enhances the readability of information on a web page, yet — quite ironically — it also helps users avoid reading. But no more spoilers, go back to basics. Read on! Why Do Web Designers Need To Pay More Attention To Typography? What is one of the most common tasks people perform on their computers, tablets and phones? Reading, of course. And this article gives web designers five suggestions on how they can improve the look, feel and readability of their pages. It might come in handy. English Idioms Recreated With Food Typography This is fun. The many faces and… tastes of typography are quite popular these days with projects that combine food and types. ‘_____ as _____’ series is London-based designer Christine Kawasaki-Chan’s latest lettering project, where she recreates English food-related idioms using typography and food items. Hungry already? By the way, what other idioms would you like to see recreated? TypographyShop: Clothing and Art for Type Nerds Here’s another project that plays with types in unexpected places. Designer Patrick King made this collection of T-shirts for designers and typophiles. Take a look! Anything you like? Which one would you wear? Any favorite fonts you’d like to see on your favorite T-shirt? Animography Aims to Bring Animated Typography to the Masses We came across this type foundry created by Jeroen Krielaars, a graphic designer who runs the Amsterdam-based design studio Calango. Animography declared aim is to make life a little easier by offering animated typefaces delivered in neatly organized After Effects files. You must agree that animation and typography has always been a tricky combination. Hundreds of hours go into designing a family of type, a process that is, at times, highly exact. Oh yes, the types are scalable. Don’t be shy, take a look around. Intricate, 3D Typography That Pops Out of The Page This is absolutely lovely, a project by typography artist Yulia Brodskaya. She makes her words come to life with… paper, thus combining her interests in paper crafts, hand-made objects and typography. From personal projects to advertisements and packaging, her work creates an added texture to any product. Enjoy! And, of course, don’t forget to have a fab weekend!  

"Calligraphy trains not only your eye and hand, but your mind as well." Margaret Shepherd Today we’ll talk more about the steps you can take to further your calligraphy education. Last week we browsed through courses you can attend, this week we take a closer look at books, societies for calligraphy and Chinese calligraphy classes you can check out. Who knows, in the end, you might even be able to add your own calligraphy fonts to our collection. The Society for Calligraphy A Society for Calligraphy is always a good place to start your journey. This particular ‘society’ is in Southern California. It is a non-profit educational organization which promotes the study, teaching and practice of calligraphy and related disciplines. Sounds ideal, right? It also encourages the exchange of ideas through speakers, program meetings, workshops, its journal and bulletin, the annual retreat and regional groups. So, there you have it, meetings, resources and information to digest over long periods of time. You can search for a ‘society’ closer to you, but by all means keep track of as many societies as you want. For those who wish to join the Society right away, click here. Learn Calligraphy: The Complete Book of Lettering and Design This book, written by Margaret Shepherd, also known as America’s premier calligrapher, shows you that calligraphy is not simply a craft you can learn, but an elegant art form that you can make your own. The beauty of calligraphy resides in the simple fact that it remains perennially popular. Whether it is Roman, Gothic, Celtic, Bookhand, or Italic style, calligraphy conveys class and elegance. Margaret Shepherd makes this ancient art form accessible in a completely hand-lettered technical guide that will provide context for calligraphy as an art, give detailed technical advice on choosing pens, paper, and inks, setting up your workspace, mastering various pen angles, along with step-by-step illustrations to guide you as you practice. The book also explain which alphabets are appropriate for different forms of writing. For example, the Roman alphabet works well for short, unpunctuated passages, while the Italic alphabet is more suited to informal everyday communication. You’ll find out how to personalize your lettering by using variant strokes and interpreting how you would like the words to look on the page. Inspire you with carefully chosen illustrations and examples, which bring letters to life. Calligraphy and Chinese Brush Painting Classes Chinese Calligraphy and language classes happen in countries around the world. Like this one, at the Confucius Institute for Scotland, where you can attend a five week course if you want to start or continue to develop your artistic calligraphy/brush painting skills. Beginners start with the practice of basic strokes and simple characters and then progress to more complex calligraphy and brush painting. Because they work with small classes, there is plenty of personal attention and printed handouts are provided for home practice. Do you know of any classes or books beginners should definitely take a look at? Please, share!    

Who doesn’t need a bit of music in their life? We certainly do need it. That’s why, this Wednesday, we pressed play, and their he was, the one and only, David Bowie! We browsed through his records, compilations and live albums, and came up with the selection you’ll find below. Check out the types used over a period of more than 40 years. Talking about futuristic fonts. But not only. And don’t forget to press play too! Enjoy! Space Oddity Absolutely Rare Black Tie White Noise Hunky Dory Zeit Young Americans Changes David Bowie Diamond Dogs Live Rehearsal 1976 Heathen The Man Who Sold The World Ziggy Stardust Aladdin Sane The Next Day The Next Day What’s your favorite Bowie type?

You’ll be swimming in tutorials this weekend, because we came across 90 of them. For those who prefer other recreational activities, we have a short history of typography, lyrics onto walls, types as art and striking typography to spread witty messages. Let’s stroll: 90 Top-Class Typography Tutorials Here you have some of the best typography tutorials on the web, because, honestly, you can never stop learning about typography or improving your skills, right? You’ll learn how to design a headline typeface, create isometric 3D lettering, smelt your favourite font and much more. You’re bound to find something that can help you raise your type skills to the next level. Bookmark it now! Sam Winston’s Typography For the "Memory Palace" exhibition at V&A, in London, Sam Winston has created this typography piece of art based on a text by Hari Kunzru specially written for this occasion. Read the article and browse through the pictures to discover more. In London Hotel, Artist Paints Beautiful Typography Of Britpop Lyrics Onto Walls Illustrator, designer and mural artist Tobias Hall has painted a typography-based mural in Camden, London, to pay tribute to the birthplace of Britpop. The mural is within Holiday Inn. Why Camden? This is the place where Britpop originated. Hall chose lyrics from three well-known songs as the words on his murals. He then added playful, bespoke lettering to each alphabet in order to bring them to life. Modern fonts, within limits, of course. Check out the article to see the result. A Brief History of Typography 1928 - 1980 We just found out that at Monotype’s "Pencil to Pixel" pop-up exhibition in New York City last month, 3,400 students and professions learned about the history of typography. Artifacts demonstrated how metal type was historically designed, made, specified by designers, and set by typesetting companies — and translated into today’s font menus for individual users. This article has some interesting quotes and close-ups of some of the artifacts that were on display as well as some typography history. Enjoy! Re-Brand Campaign Uses Striking Typography To Spread Its Witty Messages "Silver in the City" is an unconventional gift store that has recently launched an attractive re-branding campaign. Created by Young & Laramore, the project is centered around striking typography, witty slogans and skillful use of color. Playful, stylish, not to mention that the humorous and unexpected copywriting makes one feel that shopping there would be a fun experience. Click on the image if you want to see more  images from this creative re-branding campaign. Typography 3D Projects Time for some inspiring 3D typography now! Neon lights and traditional elements was the main source of inspiration for this piece. Read the article and find out about Tiger Beer, how this piece of digital art came into being and more. Enjoy! And have a great weekend!            

With Halloween looming around the corner, it crossed our mind that the hard working font designers out there might need some inspiration. For them - but also for everyone else’s viewing pleasure - we’ve been rummaging through the www for this eclectic collection of 13 (boo!) straightforward, sublime, vintage, ugly, poor taste or ‘you name it’ fonts that should be a good start for your next design. Unless you just want some free ready-made Gothic fonts and Halloween dingbats. Either way, browsing though the selection below should help you make up your mind. The Wicked Style The Happy Ghost Fake Ceremony   Circus should work too   Vintage Halloween Classy The Scruffy Ones Glossy Same Old Same The Twists Beware! Stating the Obvious? Classy 2 So, what suits your Halloween better? And last, but not least: have a great time!