INTRODUCING



Asia’s first part-time, 
9-week online type design course


· Design an original typeface in just 9 weeks, after work hours in GMT+8.
· Get mentored by a TDC award-winning designer & educator.
· Level up with community so you don’t have to journey alone.
JOIN THE WAITLIST
Be notified when doors open!

Does this sound like you?


  • You’ve always dreamed of making your own fonts? But you don’t have the technical know-how and find the process intimidating.

  • You’ve tried drawing letters in Adobe Illustrator? But your letters are inconsistent, and you’re struggling to get smoother, more precise curves, and you’re unhappy with how it looks.

  • You’ve been making fonts, but there’s no one to turn to for constructive feedback. So you keep second-guessing yourself, and it feels like you’re going around in circles.

If yes, and you’re tired of it — let’s get started on your journey to create a typeface together.

You’ve definitely considered these...


❶
Self-Serve Courses
BUT there was no one to give you any constructive feedback on your type design work. So your design sits there unfinished, with you wondering how to improve.


❷
Overseas Programmes
BUT the cost and time required are way too high — not to mention that they only take 10–16 students per course ONCE a year! You can’t get away from your work for that long, either.


❸
Using Illustrator
BUT you can’t seem to figure out how to make it a working font that you can actually install and package for your client, so you send them individual PNGs instead, and that can’t go on.

But you really want to make your own type...

Here’s a bold question for you


What if you could stop going in circles figuring out how to make your own fonts and shortcut your learning? All the while being connected to a community of like-minded designers who are as passionate about typography as you are?

Sounds too good to be true? Keep reading, and I’ll show you exactly how!



Hi! I’m Mark De Winne
TypeMedia 2014, KABK, The Hague |  TDC Ascender 2018 | TDC Communications Design Judge, 2024

I’m a Singaporean type and graphic designer, and I’ve been captivated by the world of type since I was 15 years old. I always knew I wanted to learn how to make my own typefaces but being from Asia, there weren’t any courses or schools available.

I was fortunate enough to attend Type@Cooper’s Condensed Programme and then the TypeMedia (KABK) course in The Hague to finally realise my dream of being a type designer.

But technical know-how is only one aspect. After 10 years of trying to hack things on my own, while being a brand consultant and raising a family (we all have a life, right?) — I realised two other elements are really needed to be a type designer: mentorship and community.

Through the help of my own mentors, Jean François Porchez & Eben Sorkin, I’ve been able to advance much further than I even could on my own, such as having my font Birra Pils be part of Adobe Fonts.

So I’m pulling back the curtain on type design for designers all across Asia to have the community AND creative control they never knew they needed in typography, branding and graphic design.

10 years on, it’s time for Asia to have a type design course, and it’s my heart build up a new generation of type designers in Asia.

Whether you're looking to advance your design skills or just brush up on your knowledge, I’m excited to journey with you to make your typeface a reality! Connect with me on Instagram.


INTRODUCING



Asia’s first part-time, 
9-week online type design course




JOIN THE WAITLIST
Be notified when doors open!


Our programme aims to blend historical knowledge with technical expertise while leveraging the power of community to foster learning breakthroughs.

You'll develop new skills, make new connections with those who are just as passionate about typography as you are, most importantly, realise your creative vision with the help and mentorship from those who have walked the same paths before. The 9 week course is broken into 3 phases, each designed to guide you through various aspects of a contemporary type design practice and leave you with tools to continue your type design journey.

By the end of 9 weeks, you’ll emerge with:


☑ Design a professional-quality font, possibly in different styles.
☑ Explore the rich history of typography, from ancient to modern times.
☑ Learn how letters visually relate in type design.
☑ Master Glyphs software for creating and refining fonts.
☑ Gain practical skills in crafting letterforms from initial sketches to digital forms — great for branding and other design projects.
☑ Understand typographic principles to keep improving designs and creating unique fonts.
☑ Connect with a vibrant community of type designers from all over Asia!


Phase 1: Laying Foundations
Modules 1-4


What You’ll Learn

Basic Letterform Drawing
Secret Weapon Software
Type Design Fundamentals
Historical Origins and Application 1. Mastering Basic Letterform Drawing Techniques:
  • Understanding Letterform Anatomy through Calligraphy: Learn the fundamental structures and elements of letterforms by practicing calligraphy.
  • Iterative Design Process through Sketching: Develop rapid sketching techniques to efficiently iterate and refine design concepts.

 2. Introduction to Glyphs:
  • Navigating the Glyphs Interface: Familiarize yourself with the Glyphs software interface and its essential tools.
  • Basic Techniques for Drawing and Manipulating Letterforms: Build the foundational skills needed to create and adjust letterforms within Glyphs.

3. Refining Type Design Fundamentals:
  • Principles of Letter Spacing: Understand the key principles of letter spacing and how to use proofing sheets to evaluate and adjust spacing.
  • Building Typographic Consistency: Develop consistency in your type designs through the use of shared components and recursive motifs.

4. Understanding the Origins of the Alphabet:
  • History of Writing Systems: Gain insights into the evolution of writing systems and their transformation into printing.
  • Applying Historical Learnings to Contemporary Type Design: Learn how historical knowledge influences modern type design practices.
Phase 2: Building Blocks
Modules 5-7


What You’ll Learn

 Basics of Font Production
Character Set Expansion
Building a Unique Typographic Voice5. Basics of Font Production Processes:
  • Spacing & Kerning: Learn the techniques for adjusting spacing between individual letter pairs to achieve visual harmony.
  • Curve Tension and Point Placement: Optimize curve tension to refine the shapes of your letterforms, avoiding common mistakes in point placement.
  • Alignment Zones: Learn how to use alignment zones to enhance on-screen performance of your typeface.

6. Expanding the Character Set:
  • Punctuation, Numerals, and Symbols: Draw and align these elements with the typographic DNA of your typeface to ensure consistency.
  • Role of Diacritics: Learn the importance of diacritics in diverse language support and common pitfalls to avoid.
  • Ligatures, Alternates, and OpenType Features: Understand the creation and implementation of ligatures and alternates, and gain a basic grasp of OpenType features.

7. Building a Unique Typographic Voice:
  • Experimenting with Concepts and Styles: Explore different stylistic approaches through the use of stylistic sets.
  • Testing and Proofing: Continuously test and proof your designs to ensure they convey a unique typographic voice.
  • Refining Typeface DNA: Use feedback from testing to refine and solidify the distinctive characteristics of your typeface.