Design a Sans in Three Days – Workshop Typedesign 2020/21

The workshop covered a period of three weeks, in fact there were three identical sessions. Due to the Corona pandemic, the group of students had to be split into three smaller groups. In addition, the workshop had to be done entirely online.  Not a single computer or tablet was used to create the works. Everything was made by hand, only using paper, black markers and white correction fluid, not to forget the most important tool that was used: the double pencil, a tool that consists of not more than three pencils and two elastic bands. Writing with this double pencil results in large outline characters (with an x-height of 70 mm) that imitates letter shapes normally derived from a calligraphic pen. The participants created a few italic serif characters from which a word was compiled. This proces took about 2 days. The last half day was used to create the same word in italic sans style, based on the already finished serif word. Every group came up with its own word: knapge old dutch for a cats ear piankos danish for elephant that got drunk from eating fruit rizofan name of a medicine to keep an open mind Much attention has been given to the spacing of the characters within the words. It is one of the most underestimated and important aspects of type design. Given the fact that every participant started under the same conditions (namely an empty sheet of A3 paper and a self-made double pencil tool), it is fascinating to see how different the characters are that each student has created. All characters are original designs, born from unique creative minds. Could it be that these characters are a mirror of the participants’ own personal character? Who knows!