Words of Type

Next lecture: Armenian Type: People, Projects, Possibilities
with @debakir@bird.makeup ✨😎

This talk offers an introduction to the world of Armenian typography, tracing its development from historical writing and printing traditions to contemporary type design practice. Through an overview of notable typefaces, designers, initiatives, and emerging voices, the talk will explore the current state of Armenian type design, the challenges facing the field, and opportunities for future growth. Drawing on examples from both personal and collaborative work, it will examine how Armenian type exists within a global design landscape while addressing the specific needs of its language, culture, and users.

https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #lecture #armenian #typography #typedesign #lettering

Our first workshop in the topic's language! This time in Thai!!

With @boom@typo.social and @typedaybook@typo.social
Beyond Lettering: An Introduction to Thai Type Design

This workshop is designed for graphic designers looking to strengthen their lettering and wordmark skills — learning to see and design through the eyes of a type designer.

More info and tickets at https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #workshop #thai #typography #typedesign #typeface #lettering

Next month!

Conversation around Thai Type Design
with @boom.type and @typespecimint

It will be followed by our first workshop on Thai type design led in Thai so it can benefit to Thai designers first! More info on WoT website!

#ad #lecture #conversation #thai #thailand #type #typedesign #design #typography #fonts

Soon:
Lecture - Conversations around Thai Type Design, with @boom@typo.social and @typedaybook@typo.social 🔥😍✨

This lecture will cover the following topics:
- brief introduction to Thai script;
- an inside look on Thai type design from two practicing Thai designers;
- common assumptions about Thai script (and where they fall short);
- questions we are asked most often: by designers, clients, and collaborators.

More info and tickets at https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #lecture #thai #typography #typedesign #design #graphicdesign #fonts

NEXT WEEK
Lecture on Hangeul script history and typography with Min-Young Kim!

This lecture will examine the historical development of Hangeul, from early metal type to contemporary digital fonts, and explore how these technological shifts have shaped the letterforms we use today. What kinds of type classifications exist in Hangeul, and how did they emerge? Why did Hangeul appear “sans-serif” or rounded in its earliest forms in 1443—centuries before the rise of sans-serif in the Latin tradition?

More info & tickets: https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #lecture #hangeul #hangul #typography #font #typedesign #typeface #cjk

2-days workshop
Drawing Armenian Letters, with @debakir@bird.makeup !!

An introduction to Armenian letterforms through drawing. Starting from the calligraphic foundations of the Armenian script, participants will explore letter structure, experiment with different styles, and create their own lettering composition while gaining insight into the relationship between calligraphy, lettering, and type design.

More info & tickets: https://wordsoftype.com/

💖✨💫🥳🤩
Words of Type Encyclopedia won a Tokyo TDC Annual Awards 2026!
💖✨💫🥳🤩

Deemed as "Excellent” in the category: Web site / Application
https://tokyotypedirectorsclub.org/en/news/tdc2026-results/

Next WoT Conversation will be about
Font Engineering!

With @rafalbuchner@typo.social @frankrolf@typo.social @emmarichal@typo.social @arrowtype@typo.social @rosaliewagner@typo.social

We will talk about the path to learn font engineering, challenges in the field with today’s requirements, and more!

FREE & LIVE EVENT
WoT Members gets to join the Zoom room with access to the Q&A
Non-members still get to watch the live broadcast on our YouTube channel!

#live #conversation #panel #fonts #typography #typeface #engineering #production

NEXT MONTH: lecture on Japanese Writing System: History and Type Design

with Ikumi Honda (Iwata Fonts) and Yui Yoshitomi (Type Project)

Japanese writing system is a mixed system that combines three different scripts: kanji, hiragana, and katakana. The lecture will give an overview of their origins and how they have been used differently within a historical context. We will explore how each script has been designed, and developed over time, in relation to the transition of printing technologies and letterforms.We will also introduce the basics of Japanese type design with a comparison to Latin typefaces. [...]

More info & tickets https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #lecture #typography #typeface #fonts #typedesign #japanese #kanji #hiragana #katakana

It is THIS WEEK!

Fabian Harb from @abcdinamo@bird.makeup lecture on Walter Käch's book Schriften Lettering Écritures re-edition!
Don't miss this FREE event!

Jan. 23 from 3 pm CET
Members: join via the community platform
Non-members: watch the live broadcast on our YouTube channel

A bit late but: next month!

Lecture: Introduction to the diverse typographic landscape of India
with Sarang Kulkarni @ektype@mastodon.social

The existence of multiple writing systems in India presents a unique challenge for Type designers. Apart from the thirteen writing systems used for official purposes, that are used individually and in multi-script scenarios, several historical and contemporary writing systems continue to be used. These writing systems are visually distinct, shaped by their historical evolution, writing tools, linguistic requirements, technological developments (or the lack of it), social trends and user preferences.

Tickets and info at https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #lecture #typedesign #typography #india #devanagari #fonts #typeface #indic

New lecture coming soon!

Japanese Writing System: History and Type Design, with Ikumi Honda (Iwata Corporation) and Yui Yoshitomi (Type Project)

Japanese writing system is a mixed system that combines three different scripts: kanji, hiragana, and katakana. The lecture will give an overview of their origins and how they have been used differently within a historical context. [...] The structure of each script, design rules, and harmonisation with the Latin alphabet—which is often used together in Japanese typesetting—will be discussed.

May 2, 2026
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM CEST
Online, in English
20€

More info & tickets at https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #lecture #typography #typedesign #japanese #kanji #katakana #hiragana

In TWO WEEKS
A very interesting lecture on typography and cinema!
Cinema & StereoType, with Aaron Levin!

Letterforms have been bed partners with the cinema almost from the beginning.
And as the cinema spread its wings and developed into a multitude of genres, lettering and type accompanied and supported this creative dawning of a new art, with their own set of genre-defining styles.

Jan 31, 2026
3 to 4:30 pm CET
20€
Tickets and more info at https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #lecture #cinema #movies #typography #typefaces #fonts

Typography in Cinema! 🎥🍿🎞️😎

Our next lecture coming up THIS SATURDAY with Aaron Levin
Don't miss this!

JAN 31, from 2 to 3:30 PM CET

More info & tickets: https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #lecture #typography #lettering #letters #typedesign #typeface #cinema #movies

Arabic lettering workshop with Samar Zureik is in two weeks!

This workshop introduces participants to the fundamentals of Arabic letter shaping and guides them in creating an original lettering piece based on a chosen keyword.

More info & tickets at https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #workshop #typography #typedesign #type #fonts #arabic #lettering

Words of Type Sponsor highlight: Frere-Jones Type @frerejonestype@typo.social

Uniwidth — with Retina
Hinting — with Mallory MicroPlus
Descender — with Empirica

Check out these typefaces on Frere-Jones Type’s website!
https://frerejones.com/

Do you want to also support Words of Type and sponsor our words? Send us an email!

This Friday!
WoT Conversation Episode 3
Women in Typography, today

with Marie Boulanger, Veronika Burian, Min-Young Kim, Amy Papaelias, and Alice Savoie + surprise guest!
@viko@typo.social @Fontnerd@typo.social @alicesavoie@typo.social

March 7, 2025
2 to 3:30 p.m. CET (Paris time)

WoT Members: register on the community platform at Live Events
Non-members: subscribe to our YouTube channel (WordsofType)

more info 👉 https://wordsoftype.com/

#event #discussion #live #typography #women

NEXT MONTH

2-sessions workshop with Samar Zureik
Arabic Lettering

This workshop introduces participants to the fundamentals of Arabic letter shaping and guides them in creating an original lettering piece based on a chosen keyword. Arabic script is rich and diverse, offering inspiration across many calligraphic styles. Throughout the lecture session, participants will explore this variety and learn how to draw from traditional styles to express their own creativity while still honoring the structural rules of Arabic script.

1:00 - 4:00 pm CET
220€
Limited to 12 participants max.

More info & tickets at https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #workshop #lettering #typography #arabic

Next workshop!
Introduction to Japanese Type Design
with Ikumi Honda (Iwata Corporation) and Yui Yoshitomi (Type Project)

In this workshop, you will design the three scripts used in Japanese: kanji, hiragana, and katakana. Participants will select one Latin typeface (Roman or display) from our selection and create five Japanese characters that harmonize with it.
The process starts with drawing the skeletons by hand, followed by adding weight and digitizing the sketches to complete the design.

3-sessions workshop
May 9, 16, and 23, 2026
9:00 am to 1:00 pm CEST
Online, in English
330€
This workshop is limited to 10 participants max.

More info and tickets at https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #workshop #typography #typedesign #japanese #kanji #hiragana #katakana

Next workshop:
Arabic Lettering, with Samar Zureik!!!

This 2-sessions workshop introduces Arabic letter shaping and guides participants in creating a piece from a keyword. Explore varied calligraphic styles and balance creativity with the structural rules of Arabic script.

March 7 + 14, 2026
1 to 4 pm CET
Online, in English
220€

More info & tickets at https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #workshop #typography #typeface #fonts #arabic #lettering

Next lecture at WoT!
Relevance and impact of preserving endangered writing systems, languages and dialects through type design
with @typojo@typo.social

This lecture is part of the Knuth Bigelow Incubator program, organized in partnership with SILICON (Stanford University) and @letterformarchive@typo.social

July 3, 2025
1 to 2:30 pm CEST
Recorded
20€
In English

Info and tickets at
https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #lecture #endangeredscripts #typography #typedesign #typeface #design

Words of Type Sponsor highlight: Typotheque @typotheque@typo.social

Multilingual — with Lava
Multiscript — with November
OpenType Features — with Irma Display Black

Check out these typefaces on Typotheque's website!
https://www.typotheque.com/

Do you want to also support Words of Type and sponsor our words? Send us an email!

Reminder - NEXT MONTH
Free live broadcast on our YT channel
or
Invitation on Zoom + access to Q&A for WoT members!

Thank you for your support 💖

#discussion #debate #dialogue #live #conversation #women #typography #typedesign

Countless writing systems across the world are on the verge of disappearing. But type design can help to avoid that. and @typojo@typo.social will talk about how that is, thanks to academic research and cultural awareness.

Impacts of preserving endangered writing systems through type design

July 3, 2025
starting at 1 PM CEST
It's online, in English
🎟️ 20€

And if you can't make it to the event, don't worry! It is recorded, so you can (re)watch anytime!

Go to https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #lecture #scripts

NEXT MONTH
Our 2-sessions workshop on Hangeul Type Design with Non-square Style, with YMG Type Foundry and Min-Young Kim

Two sessions online to get some hands-on practice on Hangeul type design with a fun and yet very didactic style: non-square style.

This workshop is for beginners, or those with some knowledge on Hangeul script. If you don't know much about it, we recommend you to also take the lecture presented by @mintoming!

More info and tickets at https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #workshop #hangeul #hangul #typography #typedesign #typeface #fonts #CJK

NEXT MONTH
The lecture on Hangeul script history & typography, presented by Min-Young Kim.

Do you want to learn about the script used for Korean language? How it started, when, who invented it? How it works? How it differs from Latin?
And—most relevant for type designers—its various styles and how each is perceived by Korean audience?

And, if you want to continue and get some practice, we also have a 2-sessions workshop following this lecture! More info on our website!

Get your ticket to this lecture at https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #lecture #hangeul #hangul #korean #typography #typedesign #typeface #fonts #CJK

2-sessions workshop on:
Hangeul Type Design, with non-square style!! 🤩😎
with Mingoo Yoon & Min-Young Kim

In this workshop, you will design a set of non-square style Hangeul. The non-square style is also known as “out-of-the-box” – as the name suggests, the letterform is designed to be fully proportional, free from the embox. By learning Hangeul type design from this style, you can further develop your understanding of the structure of Hangeul Jaso (basic letter components).

APR 18 + 25, 2026
from 11:00 AM to 03:00 PM CEST
Online, in English
220€
Limited to 10 participants

More info & tickets: https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #workshop #typography #typedesign #fonts #typeface #hangeul #hangul #CJK

Upcoming lecture:
Hangeul script history & typography
with Min-Young Kim 💖✨

This lecture will examine the historical development of Hangeul, from early metal type to contemporary digital fonts, and explore how these technological shifts have shaped the letterforms we use today. What kinds of type classifications exist in Hangeul, and how did they emerge? Why did Hangeul appear “sans-serif” or rounded in its earliest forms in 1443—centuries before the rise of sans-serif in the Latin tradition?

APR 11, 2026
01:00 - 02:30 PM CEST
Online, in English, 20€

More info & tickets: https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #lecture #hangeul #hangul #typography #typedesign #typeface #fonts #CJK

STARTING NEXT WEEK
Lecture, followed by a 2-sessions workshop about:
Font production, with @rosaliewagner@typo.social
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn the basics of font production!

There is more to fonts than great designs. They also need to work well as exported files, and that requires some prep work, potentially some tidying-up, and checking on their “backstage” to make sure no bugs will happen when you use them.

More info and tickets at
https://wordsoftype.com/

#ad #lecture #workshop #fonts

MORE GREAT NEWS

Do you want to join the Knuth–Bigelow Incubator? (KBI for short)
There are FOUR spots available to the S-E Asia group.

Starting this summer from June 23 to July 24.
Fully online and recorded for participants.
10 sessions, 2 per week, from 1,5 to 3 hours.

@typedaybook@typo.social @boom@typo.social Sueh Li Tan (Huruf Type) @typojo@typo.social @fercozzi@typo.social @letterformarchive@typo.social SILICON@Stanford Tom Mullaney

More details and tickets: https://wordsoftype.com/

Partnership with @stanfordsilicon and @letterformarchive@typo.social 💖