Type Design Workshop 25
This year, we started the Type Design Workshop with a set of existing references. Each participant received one example from the tutors’ collection, paired with a new context for where the typeface would be used.
The challenge was to capture the character of the original lettering and reinterpret it for a new purpose. The entire process took just two weeks. Participants began by getting familiar with the tools and drawing the letters by hand. Once the sketches were approved, they moved into the font editor. From there, they had only five days to turn the idea into a working typeface.
From here, we’ll let the participants take over. They’ll share what they made, how the process went, and what they learned along the way.
Hausberg Display is a display serif with Gothic roots. As with all display typefaces, its character is fully revealed in medium to large sizes, making it ideal for posters, headlines, and signage. Its letterforms combine techniques of broad-nib and pointed-pen calligraphy, resulting in a bright, eclectic look. The rounded shape of the serifs reflects the intention to “soften” the typeface’s character, making it more approachable. Its range of applications is broad: it feels equally at home on a ski resort sign or on the cover of a fashion magazine. In short, it works whenever a bold and memorable statement is needed.
Velik is an experimental serif typeface developed for the identity of an amateur cycling team. When I was given a sports-related theme, I decided not to follow stylistic clichés and instead take a more challenging route—designing a typeface that would combine dynamism with friendliness.
Its construction is based on broad-nib writing, which gives the letters a lively rhythm. The strong contrast in strokes adds a sense of speed and lightness. One of the main visual references was the bicycle frame: narrow yet functional, it dictated the need for wide letterforms that would remain expressive even in limited space.
Rounded shapes give the typeface a friendly character, reflecting a team of close friends, while sharp, angled serifs evoke speed and new achievements.
The name Velik came at the end of the project—it draws on childhood memories while also conveying the mood of the typeface: warm, slightly nostalgic, yet full of energy.
The project’s theme was a ceramics workshop. I wanted the typeface to convey the principles of form and function, just like in ceramics. Formatico is a search for balance between strict typographic form and the logic of calligraphic writing. The concept is based on slightly squared ovals and half-ovals, shifted and intersecting, with ink traps emphasized in the vertical strokes. The typeface has narrow, contrasting proportions of an upright italic, allowing for compact word combinations in large sizes. It is also suitable for short quotes, large inscriptions, and signage.
Panino is a dynamic upright italic with high contrast. Inspired by Italian food, sunshine, and a love of life, it combines fluid forms with sharp lines and rounded, full-bodied curves, making it an ideal companion for any feast. Its lively, expressive character allows it to stand out as a strong, self-sufficient element in any layout.
Polina Polevshchikova
Slavik is a static display serif with reverse stress. It supports extended Cyrillic, including Belarusian, as well as Latin. It works beautifully in headlines and short texts.
