What’s it all about?
Unlike handwriting, typography is constructed of a consistent visual framework. It is this framework that makes a typeface work effectively as a system of letters.
For example – no less than fifteen letters of the alphabet we know are composed only of straight lines. Six of these are made up of only vertical and horizontal lines and nine letters have diagonals as well as horizontals and verticals. Five letters are circular, and the other six consist of circles together with straight lines!
With this thinking in mind, many designers have explored different methods of creating letters from a restricted number of shapes or modules. This restrictive system of letters is a quick and dynamic method to build your own letter creations, because new and surprising letterforms can emerge quickly. This system is called Modular Typography.
What will we cover?
You will create an alphabet by hand using only a small set of basic geometric shapes, and an efficient approach introduced by the teacher. You will be walked through the process of development and refinement so that your letterforms feel consistent. Gradually you will design a whole alphabet and be shown how to test the letters in word combinations to expose flaws in your design to refine for a consistent alphabet.
Who will be teaching?
This workshop is the second Laneway Learning workshop brought to you by Melbourne’s rebellious new Design School, Old School the New School for Graphic Design and Typography. The instructor is the School’s Creative Spirit Veronica Grow who has a wealth of experience teaching Design Degree Students at RMIT the craft of typography, and also teaches hand made lettering and Typography at Old School.