Latin Two / Expansion

Applications open
Dec 4, 2023.
15 weeks
Live and online
Jan 16–April 30, 2024
Tues and Thurs @ 10:30a

Expand your typeface and your perspective on type design.

Immerse yourself in the world of type design while surrounded by the support of industry professionals and a community of like-minded typophiles. This live, online program is for designers who already have the beginnings of a typeface, but want to build it out into a multi-weight family. Students will work towards creating two compatible masters that are ready to interpolate into a larger family.

We’ll also focus on developing a more reflective design process and a more thoughtful typeface — one that is an expression of your unique outlook but also meets the needs of readers and users of type. Through the work of your classmates you’ll be exposed to a variety of typeface genres, giving you a window into approaches and styles outside of your own. We’ll weave these elements together and build a strong foundation in typeface design, not only for your current typeface but for future projects as well.

Through lectures and feedback sessions, we’ll explore these topics and dive into type design as a living, evolving discipline. By the end, you’ll be ready to tackle more complex projects with more confidence, and will have a better understanding of contemporary type design practice.

Practica’s constructive environment truly champions practical learning and experimentation for type designers of all backgrounds.

Andrew Bogard, Graphic Designer


What you’ll learn

Designing according to the intended use of your font

Building a strong visual system

Structuring font families and their design spaces

Creating new weights or styles through interpolation

Developing a more efficient and reflective type design process

Expanding character sets and designing diacritics

Keeping yourself motivated throughout development

The importance of writing systems outside Latin

Insight into the professional world of typeface design

Practica program with Sol and Nicole was a delight, I was not only able to develop my typeface by the hand of very experienced and generous professionals, in a warm and friendly environment, but to know new ways to approach expanding a font family.

Dafne Martínez, Heartline



More student work →

Schedule
Week 1 Jan 16 / Course introduction + lecture
Jan 18 / Lecture: the brief, making useful type
Week 2 Jan 23 / Project introductions
Jan 25/ Lecture: systems in typeface design
Week 3 Jan 30 / Mini lecture: designing proofs for feedback + feedback session
Feb 1 / Lecture: planning your typeface family, intro to interpolation
Week 4 Feb 6 / Feedback session
Feb 8 / Lecture: interpolation and its possibilities, design space ideation
Week 5 Feb 13 / Review of students’ font files
Feb 15 / Guest lecture: a case study with Alice Savoie
Week 6 Feb 20 / Feedback session
Feb 22 / Flex session: Q&A
Week 7 Feb 27 / Feedback session
Feb 29 / Lecture: design of special characters
Week 8 Mar 4—8 / Individual feedback sessions
No formal class this week
Week 9 Mar 12 / Feedback session
Mar 14 / Guest lecture with Pooja Saxena
Week 10 Mar 19 / Feedback session with Fer Cozzi
Mar 21 / Guest lecture: the design of diacritics with Aleksandra Samuļenkova
Mar 25—29 / No class this week, extended Easter holiday
Week 11 Apr 2 / Flex session: Q&A
Apr 4 / Feedback session: diacritics with Aleksandra Samuļenkova
Week 12 Apr 9 / Feedback session
Apr 11 / Guest lecture with Ulrike Rausch
Week 13 Apr 16 / Feedback session
Apr 18 / Guest panel: careers paths in type with Veronika Burian, Romina Hernández, and Amy Hood
Week 14 Apr 22—26 / Individual feedback sessions
No formal class this week
Week 15 April 30 / Final presentations 🎉

The schedule is subject to modifications.

Tuesday classes are 2.5 hours. Thursday classes are 1.5 hours.
Classes begin at 10:30am Chicago / 12:30pm Buenos Aires / 5:30pm Berlin / Convert

Are classes recorded? →
Will daylight savings time change my class time? →



What a blast! ... The program has boosted both my confidence and my motivation to produce more fonts. I recommend it highly.

Guillaume Berry, Rawr



Instructors
Nicole Dotin
Lead instructor
Process Type Foundry
Sol Matas
Lead instructor
Hungry Type
Veronika Burian
Visiting panelist
Type Together
Fer Cozzi
Visiting critic
Type Designer
Romina Hernández
Visiting panelist
Tortilla.studio
Amy Hood
Visiting panelist
Hoodzpah, Inc
Marie Otsuka
Visiting panelist
Occupant Fonts
Ulrike Rausch
Visiting lecturer
LiebeFonts
Aleksandra Samuļenkova
Visiting lecturer
Type designer
Alice Savoie
Visiting lecturer
Type designer
Pooja Saxena
Visiting lecturer
Matra Type
What’s included
  • 53 course hours
  • Live classes held over Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays
  • Lectures, feedback sessions, font file reviews, focused instruction to push your ideas further
  • Ability to watch lectures again (lectures are live, but recorded)
  • Individual feedback on your typeface
  • Five guest lectures and one guest critique from industry professionals
  • Access to our private Discord community
  • Free trial Glyphs license
  • Certificate of completion
Tuition
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Apply by Dec 17
$1600
$1950
$2300

Tuition is on a sliding scale and you decide which tier you pay according to your means. No matter what tier you choose, the course is exactly the same. Fees are stated in US dollars.

Why is tuition on a sliding scale? →

Applications open
Monday, December 4, 2023.

Learn more about applying →


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FAQ
Who is this course for?

Latin Two was created with a diverse community of typography enthusiasts and professionals in mind. Because the program devotes significant time to personalized instruction, it caters to individuals with a range of motivations. Whether you’re aspiring to become a professional type designer, seeking a formal platform to deepen your knowledge of the craft, looking to enhance your confidence and tackle larger type families, or aiming to release your own font or establish a foundry, this course is for you. Our participants include recent graduates, parents, educators, working typeface designers, web and graphic designers, and passionate learners from around the globe. Latin Two welcomes individuals from all walks of life who share a common passion for typeface design and have the start of a typeface waiting to be fleshed out into a multi-weight family.

Based on our past experiences with students, we expect that most people interested in taking Latin Two will also want to take Latin One. The exception is students who have already received significant formal training in type design.

Important dates

Mon, November 27, 2023 — Priority enrollment opens for Latin One students
Mon, December 4, 2023 — Applications open for everyone
Sun, December 17, 2023 — Applications close, last day to apply
Rolling – Notification emails sent out (see How to apply)
Fri, December 22, 2023 – 25% tuition deposit due
Wed, January 10, 2024 — Final payment due (except those on the payment plan)
Tues, January 16, 2024 — Latin Two begins, first day of class

Do I need to have a typeface designed to participate in Latin Two?

Yes! — you’ll spend 15 weeks expanding a typeface you have started outside the program and practical experience is an important component for your individual advancement. However, the typeface doesn’t have to be fully formed or in a finished state when you apply. See → How far along does my typeface have to be to apply to the program?

What style of typeface can I start the course with?

Text, display, connected script, experimental, sans serif, serif — bring whatever you’re excited to work on.

How far along does my typeface have to be to apply to the program?

The typeface you bring is your starting point. We don’t expect you to show up with a finished piece of work, but you should be past the ideation phase and have a strong direction in place. At a minimum, you’ll need a single weight in progress with a basic character set. The definition of “basic character set” depends on the style of font, but it is likely most of the lowercase and some uppercase, or just the uppercase if the font is intended for all-caps settings. If you have more, that’s great!

How much time am I expected to work outside of class?

We recommend committing a minimum of six hours per week to work outside of class and that might include readings.

Do I need to use a specific font editor?

All demonstrations using a font editor will be conducted in Glyphs. Many of the concepts are universal (like drawing or spacing) and will easily translate from one font editor to the next. There is a lot to learn that is independent of a font editor. Although any font editor is welcome, just know that some content is Glyphs-specific and our primary fluency is with Glyphs. If you are interested in trying Glyphs, you can opt to use the trial license that comes free with the course.

What’s the difference between Practica Two and Latin Two?

They’re the same course, we changed the name to better differentiate our evolving offerings!

Visit our FAQ page for more questions and answers →

How to apply

Your primary application materials consist of two items included in a single PDF: a cover letter and a specimen of the typeface you propose to work on during Latin Two. Once applications open, an online form will collect basic information about you (name, address, etc.) and allow you to upload your PDF.

When the application window opens, applications will be reviewed as soon as they are received and you will be notified of your status in the program within a few business days. Applications will be accepted until the program is full or we reach the application deadline, whichever happens first.

Applications open December 4, 2023.


1.

Cover Letter

The cover letter should respond to the following questions:

  • What is your background and previous experience in typeface design?
  • Why do you want to attend the program?
  • What do you hope to learn from the program?

2.

PDF Specimen

  • Start with a description of the typeface(s) you are proposing to work on. This might include the origins of the typeface, why you started designing it, where you are in the design process, how you’d like to expand it, what you’re struggling with, or the number of weights and styles (if applicable).
  • Include a full character set, labeled as such.
  • Show the typeface in an appropriate variety of sizes and types of settings.
  • Size your document to A4 or letter.

Note: Please add your full name to your PDF file, for example: daisy_newman-application.pdf.

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