I will be giving another online Arabic type design class starting January 14, 2020 and I hope this course will be as great as the 2019 one! I have added 6 extra hours of teaching as I found that 24 hours in total is too little. The course will then be 30 hours of teaching spread over 3 months and with later sessions getting longer and farther apart in order to give the students more time to work on their fonts. Looking forward for another exciting class!
Who is the course intended for?
Anyone interested in Arabic type design! Those with previous knowledge will be able to progress more, but the course is structured in a way that no advance knowledge of either Arabic or type design is required. However, the participants need to have a strong background in design principles and DTP applications. The course will be taught in English.
Course structure:
The course will be comprised of 12 weekly sessions of 2 to 3 hours each, following the plan below:
Session 1 — Jan 16: Introduction to the Arabic script and calligraphic styles; 2 hours
Session 2 — Jan 30: Introduction to Arabic typographic styles: Kufi + Glyphs; 2 hours
Session 3 — Feb 25: Review of Project 1 (structural analysis of one Kufi style); 2 hours
Session 4 — March 3: Introduction to Arabic typographic styles: Naskh; 2 hours
Session 5 — March 10: Review of Project 2 (structural analysis of one Naskh style); 2 hours
Session 6 — March 24: Type Design basics; 2 hours
Session 7 — March 31: Review of Project 3 (first draft); 3 hours
Session 8 — April 14: Review of Project 3 (basic character set); 3 hours
Session 9 — April 28: Review of Project 3 (expanded set); 3 hours
Session 10 — May 12: Review of Project 3 (full set); 3 hours
Session 11 — May 19: Refinement; 3 hours
Session 12— June 2: Refinement; 3 hours
Sessions 1–6 start at 5pm and 7–12 at 4pm London time.
Course materials and projects:
The participants will be required to prepare for each session and typically that will be comprised of the provided course readings as well as watching recommended videos. There will be 3 main projects, though the first two are more analytical in nature. Project 3 will be an opportunity for each participant to design their own new typeface.
Capacity:
The course will have a maximum of 10 participants. This is to ensure that every student gets ample time for feedback.
How will it work?
The course will use the latest software in order to set up a virtual classroom and a resource centre for the course materials. Participants will need to join the weekly sessions via a video conferencing link that would be provided. A stable internet connection is required, as well as the Glyphs software on a Mac.
Fees and registration:
The course fee is £960 (£800 + 20% VAT) and is non-refundable. To register, please email nadine@arabictype.com