Online courses

Richard McDonald

Hi everyone,

Over the last year or so I've been dedicating some time to learning type design. Most of this has been done in isolation, either through online tutorials like lynda/linkedin learning, or reading books like Letters of Credit.

My next step was to take some short classes or workshops to build up a strong foundation, and not pick up any bad habits. I'd done one class, a glyphs workshop with Rainer Erich Scheichelbaur (which was excellent by the way), and had been hoping to do an intensive class for a week or two somewhere this summer. Obviously, the pandemic has put paid to that idea, but I wondered if anyone was aware of any online/distance learning courses which have been advertised for this summer? Specifically, I am interested in live courses through video calls, where questions can be asked and feedback given, rather than pre-recorded lectures. The only ones which I have so far found are with Type@Cooper, though the time difference (I am in London) is less than ideal.

Thanks for any ideas or suggestions!

Richard

Andreas Stötzner

What topic(s) are you interested in for your next steps?

Fernando Díaz

Perhaps you could look for mentorships rather than courses. I know that Alphabettes.org has one program, but I think it already started.

KP Mawhood

Fernando Díaz said:

Perhaps you could look for mentorships rather than courses. I know that Alphabettes.org has one program, but I think it already started.

Alphabettes have relaunched the mentorship program since February 2020. If you are interested in becoming a mentee on the program, just fill in this form. 

For more information, just visit Alphabettes Mentorship Program. There will also be a mentee Q&A session in the next few weeks. Keep an eye out!

Richard McDonald

Thanks for your replies Andreas, Fernando and Katy!

To answer your question Andreas, I think it would be fair to say that I'm still at the stage of learning the fundamentals. I know that I can draw a given character, but extrapolating out the idea into a coherent system is not something I'm yet able to do. To give an example, it'd be things like how to determine the relationship between the widths of different characters that I'd be keen to know more about - do you simply come to understand that through practice, or are there rules and guides to follow? There are also, no doubt, things that would be beneficial to know that I don't even know exist, or things to look for that I would be otherwise unaware of. In that sense, the Glyphs working was very helpful. 

Katy and Fernando, the Alphabettes mentorship sounds good, although my impression was that their mission is to support woman in type design. While the text on the form you linked to says it's open to all, it doesn't quite seem right for me to apply to become a mentee if that could make one fewer place available to women who would like the support. 

Would it be possible to apply with the caveat of only being offered a place if there are fewer applicants than there are spaces available? 

Daniel Calders

Hi Richard,

An option for you could be the recently launched Type Crit Crew. They offer 1-on-1 sessions between students and type design professionals.

I'm sure you can find someone on the list who's in your time zone. See more here: https://medium.com/@juan_kafka/type-crit-crew-fdd180b881c

Good luck!

Simon Cozens

Troy Leinster’s offering an online group course through Cooper Union - 16 participants, three hours a week on a Wednesday evening NY time: https://twitter.com/7roy/status/1256288040718422016?s=21

KP Mawhood

Richard McDonald said:

Katy and Fernando, the Alphabettes mentorship sounds good, although my impression was that their mission is to support woman in type design. While the text on the form you linked to says it's open to all, it doesn't quite seem right for me to apply to become a mentee if that could make one fewer place available to women who would like the support. 

Would it be possible to apply with the caveat of only being offered a place if there are fewer applicants than there are spaces available? 

I suspect the best thing to do is to reach out and ask.  

Joe Elwell

Richard McDonald said:

Katy and Fernando, the Alphabettes mentorship sounds good, although my impression was that their mission is to support woman in type design. While the text on the form you linked to says it's open to all, it doesn't quite seem right for me to apply to become a mentee if that could make one fewer place available to women who would like the support. 

Would it be possible to apply with the caveat of only being offered a place if there are fewer applicants than there are spaces available? 

I was accepted in the first year of the program, even though I am a male (I don't believe it was stipulated in the first year about being M or F but, I wanted to learn); not sure if that was because there weren’t enough females to match with mentors but, Bianca never mentioned the details.

This year it is open to all people and I highly recommend applying and might still be open. I doubt they wouldn’t consider you anyways if you were a little late. The program allowed me to learn from a top-notch type designer, who I still go to when I need a second opinion on things, and gain a good friend. Do it, if the other options aren’t better for you.