A Step-By-Step Program To Help You Expand Your Skills With Letterforms, Make Your First Mark In Type Design and Create Your First Font
This 5-Week intensive bootcamp is a hands-on program that offers the accountability, guidance and community you need to create a unique display font.
Learn how to do it, from sketch to working font, including ways of publishing and marketing it–while skipping the hustle of learning complicated software and spending years in the making.
Everything You Need To Bring Your Font Ideas To Live
Type Design can be overwhelming – you need the theory, the know-how, the process, the software. And with thousands of fonts out there, you also need an approach that allows you to create something TRULY new.
Most artists and designers dive into type design by trying to figure out things by themselves.
They download some random software, try to learn how to use it on their own, and attempt to put some of the pieces of the puzzle together through books and tutorials. But as they move forward with their project they start to feel overwhelmed – eventually give up on their font projects altogether.
But it doesn’t need to be this way.
Letter&Co. Is a program taught by industry leaders that combines comprehensive pre-recorded lessons, live QandA’s and a community of like-minded creatives in one place. This 5-week Bootcamp will teach you, inspire you, instruct you and accompany you through the process of finally bringing your font idea to life.
The Bootcamp, In A Nutshell
Join the program and walk away with your very own working display font. Acquire a skill that few artists and designers have – that can set you apart in the growing market of creatives and get you bigger assignments.
1. Start with your hands.
☞ LEARN THE FOUNDATIONS, TECHNIQUES AND FRAMEWORKS YOU NEED TO CREATE A UNIQUE CONCEPT FOR A TYPEFACE
2. Learn the best tools
☞ MASTER DIGITAL TECHNIQUES AND TOOLS THAT TAKE AWAY THE HUSTLE OF LEARNING COMPLEX SOFTWARE.
3. Create your own font.
☞ MAKE IT WORK, PUBLISH IT AND LEARN WAYS TO MARKET IT AND MONETIZE IT.
A Comprehensive Type Design Education From International Experts In Lettering, Font Engineering & Font Marketing
Renowned type designers and experienced instructors will carry out the program’s live sessions and pre-recorded lessons. Guest critics will provide feedback and guidance throughout the process.
MARTINA FLOR
Martina Flor combines her talents as both a designer and an illustrator in the drawing of letters. She grew up in Buenos Aires and studied in Spain and the Netherlands. Now based in Berlin, she works with a focus on type, lettering and illustration for clients all over the world. Her work has been featured in many publications and she teaches and lectures extensively.
www.martinaflor.com
@martinaflor
RAINER E. SCHEICHELBAUER
Rainer Erich (‘Eric’) Scheichelbauer was born in Vienna, and studied photography, philosophy and Dutch. Today, he creates and produces typefaces, gives type design workshops, translates Dutch books on typography into German, and writes articles and Python scripts. He joined the Glyphs team in 2012, and has been writing tutorials and the handbook ever since.
www.glyphsapp.com
@glyphsapp
SOL MATAS
Sol Matas is a type designer from Buenos Aires, currently living in Berlin. Graduated from the Universidad de Buenos Aires in Graphic Design, Digital Design and Typeface Design postgraduate programs. Guest Lecturer at the Type Master program at the same institution. She has developed font projects in Latin, Cyrillic, Devanagari and Greek scripts and has collaborated on typefaces for a variety of foundries.
solmatas.com
@tullida
DAN REYNOLDS
Dan Reynolds is an American designer who lived in Berlin in the 2010s. Now he teaches at the Hochschule Niederrhein. Dan used to work in fonts at Linotype and LucasFonts. He has a Master of Arts in Typeface Design from the University of Reading and a doctorate from the HBK Braunschweig. His research focus is on foundries from Germany’s imperial era.
Picture: © Norman Posselt
typeoff.de
@typeoff
ULRIKE RAUSCH
Berlin-based type designer and letterer Ulrike Rausch holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Design from Potsdam University of Applied Science (Germany). In 2009 Ulrike founded her own type foundry called LiebeFonts, providing high-quality typefaces and hand-crafted letterings with a charming personality and obsessive attention to detail.
liebefonts.com
@liebefonts
ELÍAS PRADO
Elías Prado is a lettering artist and designer from Mendoza, Argentina. He completed his studies of Industrial Design in Gran Canaria, Spain, followed by years of experience in graphic design, advertising and illustration. In 2018 he joined Studio Martina Flor in Berlin to build his career on lettering and type design.
www.martinaflor.com
@eliasjprado
IVO GABROWITSCH
Ivo Gabrowitsch is a marketing and creative leader who has font customers front and center. Having worked for brands like FontShop, FontFont, MyFonts, Linotype, and Monotype he understands the type business like no other. His company Fontwerk is dedicated to help type designers and foundries making a living with their passion.
Picture: © Norman Posselt
ivo.berlin
@gabrowitsch
FERDINAND ULRICH
Ferdinand Ulrich is a typographer, design researcher, frequent writer and occasional type designer. He pursues a PhD at the University of Reading, researching the discourse on early digital type design, and regularly teaches at Berlin University of the Arts (UdK). His articles are published in Eye Magazine, Typographica, et al.
Photograph © Norman Posselt
www.ferdinandulrich.com
@ferdinandulrich
BIANCA BERNING
Bianca is a Creative Type Director, responsible for ensuring type foundry @dalton.maag remains at the forefront of type innovation. She frequently speaks at international design, technology and UX conferences, more recently focusing on the rising popularity of variable fonts. She is an active member of @atypi_org , a network designed to promote the work of women within the type design community.
www.daltonmaag.com
Riccardo De Franceschi
Riccardo is an iItalian typeface designer working as creative director for typeface design studio Dalton Maag @dalton.maag , South London. Dalton Maag has designed typefaces for Airbnb, BBC, Google, Amazon, and other clients large and small.
www.daltonmaag.com
@riccardo.de.franceschi
Create, Publish & Market Your First Font
Over the next 5 weeks, with more than 50 video lessons, a workbook companion, live Q&A’s and Type Crits, and loads of tools and bonus training inside the student’s area, you will be able to:
This is the program that will teach you everything from the foundations & software, to the tools and techniques for creating fonts in a systematic way that will allow you to continue doing it–even beyond the Bootcamp.
An Actionable, Interactive Bootcamp That Can Be Followed By Anybody At Their Own Pace
Whether you are an illustrator, lettering artist, or a working designer who wants to offer type design as a new service, this bootcamp will teach you, inspire you and help you finally complete that font that has been in your mind for so long.
Everything becomes much easier once you make your first mark in type design. Other students have done it and you can do it too.
“One of the great outcomes was that we created a group where we can get together regularly share our work and encourage each other forward on our learning journeys. Honestly, I could not recommend Letter&Co. highly enough if you’re thinking about doing it, it would really be challenging to find a more comprehensive and enjoyable way to get immersion into the field of type design!”
Jamie Otelsberg
“Letter&Co and the great instructors gave me the guidance and support I needed to start applying all that knowledge and theory into a real project. The type critics were extremely valuable. Having deadlines, a project schedule and well known profesional type designers teaching and supporting, were definitely key to achieve the goal. The overall experience was very nice! I totally recommend it.”
Joaquin Diaz
“Letter&Co. covered all the relevant aspects of a type design project, from the history of letters to sketching techniques, even to the marketing of a font. I especially enjoyed the live feedback sessions. They were extremely helpful and encouraging. Letter&Co. is helpful for every skill level, you’ll learn a lot whether you’re a beginner or a little bit more advanced.”
Anni Kylmälä
“Live critiques were crucial and direct feedback from the instructors was encouraging and informative. Big thanks to all the instructors who proved to be professional, prepared, knowledgeable, and possessed an affable, positive energy, keeping me and my font interested and motivated.”
Bryan Geraghty
“I instantly knew that it is going to be worth it. Letter&Co. is not just another type design course it is a community of like-minded people who is always help and support you. It provided me with a huge library of resources that I can keep going back. If you are looking out to start your journey type design, this is the perfect program for you.”
Tanvi Deshpande
“Besides all of the amazing instructors and high quality content, one of the nicest things about Letter&Co is the warm and inclusive atmosphere and tone that is set by Martina and all of the instructors and students, that I found so conducive to learning.”
Jamie Otelsberg
What's Included In The 5-Weeks Bootcamp
0. INTRODUCTION
with Martina Flor
Come on board, schedule your classes and sessions and go through the Introductory unit for Letter&Co. by Martina Flor.
1. BASICS OF TYPE DESIGN
with Martina Flor
Learn basic terminology and gain a broader understanding of the logic behind letterforms.
2. SOURCES OF INSPIRATION
with Dan Reynolds
Discover design historian Dan Reynolds’s type specimen collection and gather inspiration for your font project.
3. CALLIGRAPHY BASICS
with Martina Flor
Learn how to use calligraphic tools and discover their influence on today’s letter forms.
4. SKETCHING LETTER FORMS
with Martina Flor
Learn sketching techniques , brainstorm your first shapes and create a prototype word for your font.
5. THE BRIEFING FOR YOUR FONT
with Martina Flor
Define a brief for your project and set some boundaries for its scope.
6. FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL
with Elías Prado
Learn how to draw letter shapes with vector tools and digitise your letterforms.
7. HISTORY OF TYPE MAKING
with Ferdinand Ulrich
Walk you through the history of type making in an historical letterpress workshop in Berlin.
8. FONT EDITING
With Sol Matas & Rainer Scheichelbauer
Learn how to use the font editor GlyphsApp. Learn how to space, kern and expand your character set.
9. PROGRAMMING YOUR FONT
with Ulrike Rausch
Learn how to program the behaviour of your font through OpenType features.
10. MARKETING YOUR FONT
with Ivo Gabrowitsch
Discover strategies to publish and market your font.
11. WRAP-UP
With Martina Flor
You’ll learn what the next steps can be after designing and marketing your own font.
And there's more!
You’ll Also Get These 6 Bonus Training Tools And Mini-Courses
When you join the bootcamp, you’ll have access to 6 exclusive bonus courses, mini-trainings, and resources to complement your learning.
They’re all there to help you find inspiration, get a deep understanding of the history of font creation, and get the tools that you need to start and finish your project.
Bonus 1 – Live Q&A’s With Your Instructors
These weekly live calls are here to keep you accountable over the next 5 weeks as you create your typeface. Your instructors will be there to answer questions, provide you with feedback, and help you get over any roadblocks that pop up. (Value $4000)
Bonus 2 – Live Critiques
One of the best ways to improve is to have experienced professionals look at your work and give you tailored feedback. With this bonus, you’ll get targeted attention from our instructors so you can quickly see a big jump in the progress of your work. (Value $2500)
Bonus 3 – Field Trips In Type History & Inspiration
Take part in exclusive field trips to explore the history of type design and other sources of inspiration, including a virtual visit to the collection of specimen books of type design historian and designer Dan Reynolds, and a virtual tour of the history of type making with typographer and type researcher Ferdinand Ulrich. (Value $2500)
Bonus 4 – Software & Tools
Get the most intuitive font-making tools and skip the hustle of learning complicated software. Together with your tuition, you’ll get a free 3-months license for Glyphs App and exclusive student discount for Fontself plugin, plus live sessions with the creators themselves to answer your questions (Value $400)
Bonus 5 – Market Your Font
With this mini bonus course, you’ll learn how to market your font, including an overview of marketplaces to offer it. All these will help you find ways to monetize it and turn it into an additional income stream. (Value $1200)
Bonus 6 – Letter&Community
As a student of Letter&Co., you get access to our private community platform. Here you can interact with other students, post your project for general feedback, and even make new friends. It is a community of peers to help you along during the bootcamp and beyond! (Priceless)
Plus, you’ll get a multi-page workbook, templates and downloads, sample fonts for personal use and more.
Yes, you’ll receive an official diploma.
This is what students have to say about Letter&Co.
“Letter&Co is an immensely valuable program and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn type design. The program is structured in such a methodical way that you get an opportunity to understand what it takes to design a font from start to finish, with the most knowledgeable and distinguished group of instructors to guide you along the way.”
Jamie Otelsberg
“Letter&Co helped create my font for many reasons. The emphasis on calligraphy and sketching was invaluable. The course was well balanced. With field trips, practical experimentation, and new software, variety wasn’t lacking and I was learning new skills in the process.”
Bryan Geraghty
“I was amazed to see all of my classmate’s creations and the hard work everyone put into their projects in such short period of time. The environment for learning was really friendly and inspiring. The program really helped me to put my skills in action in encouraging ways.”
Anni Kylmälä
“Just to be able to talk to all the experienced instructors one on one, to be able to share my ideas with them felt very liberating. I had enrolled in with just one wish; that I wanted to design my first font but I took away so much with me. It is really great to be a part of this community.”
Tanvi Deshpande
Try It Risk-Free For The Next 1000 Days
Consume the content of the Bootcamp, join the Q&A’s, and have access to all the tools you need to create your first font.
And if at the end of 100 days you still believe that this program will not help you complete your typeface project, then simply send us a note and we will refund your full tuition.
Are You Ready To Make Your First Mark In Type Design?
Imagine after the five weeks of the Bootcamp, when you can finally hold up your very first unique display font. You’re able to showcase it on your website, build up authority and clients start trusting you with more complex projects.
Picture the moment when you put your first typeface in the marketplace, people can buy it from you and you stumble upon something you created out there in the wild – while making additional passive income.
All of this can definitely happen for YOU.
Sponsors
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Frequently Asked Questions
The course starts right after you sign up. The course has a proposed schedule of 5 weeks, but you can follow it at your own pace.
You’ll have lifetime access to the course and upcoming updates.
Yes! This is an online course, so you can access from wherever you are.
The program is open to designers, lettering artists, illustrators, students and professionals of all levels of expertise. Beginners, as well as more experienced attendees are welcome.
The program offers lectures, field trips, critique sessions, and Q&A. Although some of the content might not be entirely new for you, the program provides a space for you to create a new typeface, with the guidance and creative input from renowned experts.
You need A4 plain paper, tracing paper, a pencil, your computer and your mouse or tablet, ideally with Adobe Illustrator installed. A free license to Glyohs App is included in your registration.
Basic skills of Adobe Illustrator and the Adobe Creative Suite is recommended, specifically vector drawing. Knowledge of Glyphs.app is a plus, but not required.
The fee covers the full access to Letter&Co., a workbook that walks you through the process of creating a working display font, templates, access to private type specimen collections, hands-on sessions, live critique rounds, live Q&A’s, free software licenses, discounts on additional tools and access to future updates. You’ll also be part of Letter&Co. community.
Letter&Co. is offered at a one time fee and through a monthly payment plan. You’ll access to the entire course from the start regardless of the payment option you select.
Both. The program includes around 30% theoretical input and 70% hands-on sessions.
We are happy to issue a refund within the first 100 days.
What Letter&Co. includes
➸ Lifetime access to Letter&Co. content
➸ Access to the Live Critiques (VALUE $2500)
➸ Access to the Live Q&A Sessions (VALUE $4000)
➸ Access to the Field-trips (VALUE $2500)
➸ Software and Tools (VALUE $400)
➸ Market Your Font Training (VALUE $1200)
➸ Access to The Letter&Co. Community
Registrations are open until Friday, September 9, at 11:59 pm ET