Field Notes notebooks are a staple in many creative lives. Aaron Draplin started the brand back in 2000-somethin', inspired by the old, frayed agricultural company memo books he'd find while out junking around Midwestern farm country. These promotional notebooks were giveaways — a throwback to the days of handshake deals and business relationships …

Host Graham Sturt sits down with graphic design icon, David Carson. Known for his revolutionary work with Ray Gun magazine and his unconventional, expressive style, David has continually pushed the boundaries of visual communication. Join us as we explore David’s unique approach, creative journey, and the philosophies that have shaped his illustrio…

In this week’s episode, Monotype’s Executive Creative Director, Tom Foley, sits down with renowned graphic designer Astrid Stavro to explore her captivating journey. Astrid grew up amidst the hum of printing presses in her father’s print shop in Trieste, Italy. She recounts the profound influence of her family’s publishing heritage, her deep-seated…

It's August. Many of us on the podcast team are trying to wring out the last drops of summer. Others are hard at work getting ready for Monotype's visit to Adobe Max. So this week, we're replaying an oldie episode from our first season. Monotype Creative Type Director Charles Nix talks with Scott Starrett, Co-Founder and Principal of NYC design fir…

This week on Creative Characters, host Charles Nix sits down with Thomas Jockin, the founder of Type Thursday, a global type meetup. The two discuss Thomas’s journey from an art-obsessed youth on Long Island to becoming a key figure in the global type design community. Thomas shares pivotal moments such as his apprenticeship with Joshua Darden, the…

In this episode, host Doug Wilson sits down with his long-time friend, Kyle Read, a distinguished type designer and graphic designer based in Denver, Colorado. Kyle shares his journey from studying at the Savannah College of Art and Design, working for various design studios and advertising agencies, to founding Badson Type Foundry. The two discuss…

In the final edition of our new podcast miniseries series, Behind the Font, we answer your questions about font licensing [cue Jeopardy theme]! Once again, Monotype's Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Phil Carey-Bergren wades into the intricacies of font licensing with our host, Carl Unger. Topics include the implications of breaching f…

In the second edition of our new podcast miniseries series, Behind the Font, we dig into the technical side of font licensing [cue psycho theme]. Our Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Phil Carey-Bergren, and host, Carl Unger, dissect the main parts of a font license and walk us through some common font licensing use cases you might see …

In the first-ever edition of our new podcast miniseries, Behind the Font, we dive into the often murky and mysterious waters of font licensing [cue Jaws theme]. Our guest for this journey into the depths is Monotype Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Phil Carey-Bergren, and we couldn't ask for a better person to walk us through the ins a…

This episode of Creative Characters is hosted by Livia, our Social Media Manager at Monotype. Livia interviews designer Kat Romulo about her unconventional journey into design, beginning with a serendipitous flyer at UC Berkeley. Kat shares her rise from posting personal projects on Instagram to acquiring client work, her experiences with public sp…

Host Doug Wilson geeks out about watch design with Lee Yuen-Rapati of Fears Watch Company. They discuss the intricacies of designing numerals for watches and the parallels between watch design and typeface design. And if you’re looking for inspiration on a personal project — or just want to drool over some gorgeous sketches — check out Yuen-Rapati’…

Host Graham Sturt journeys into the life and work of famed graphic designer Lance Wyman. Renowned for his iconic Mexico 1968 Olympics identity, Wyman shares the story of how a one-way flight to Mexico City ultimately landed him a role on this influential design team. Wyman talks about other key moments in his career as well, like working on the Chr…

Hear Monotype Creative Director Graham Sturt in conversation with Vic Lee, an artist, illustrator, and self-described “ragamuffin.” After years of doing graphic design work for agencies, Vic was ready for a change. So, he began sketching a streetscape from a little cafe in his London neighborhood — a practice that evolved into a popular local print…

In this week's episode, first-time host Doug Wilson chats with Petra Dočekalová, a designer, educator, calligrapher, and sign painter from Prague, Czech Republic. They explore Petra's involvement in a book about Yaroslav Benda, a notable Czech designer known for his typography and calligraphy. Their conversation covers networking at events like Typ…

Each year, for over a week, the city of Austin, Texas erupts into a cacophony of life, music, film premieres, comedy showcases, interactive tech demonstrations, and world-class exhibitions for the annual South by Southwest (SXSW). This year, amongst the chaos, community, and creativity of the festival, we recorded our first-ever episode of the podc…

For many of us, the sea holds a special place in our hearts — the sights, smells, sounds of long summer nights are etched into our minds. Join Monotype Creative Director Graham Sturt as he and guest Justin Burns, Head of the School of Arts at the University of Derby, explore the signage and typography of the English seaside and examine the linkage …

How do cultural influences, historical contexts, and geopolitics influence design and typography? As part of the 2024 Type Trends report, we wanted to take a deeper look at how design is manifesting across the globe. This episode will take you on a journey from the bustling streets of New York City to the colorful neighborhoods of Santiago, the rom…

This week, host Charles Nix sits down with Steffi Marty, the Global Director of Brand Identity and Design for Mars Snacking. If that sounds abstract, you probably know the brands she oversees: the Mars Bar, Snickers, Skittles, and M&M's. Charles and Steffi collaborated on a new typeface for M&M's, released last year, and the two discuss the joys an…

You’ve probably heard something about it, but just in case you missed it: our 2024 Type Trends report is finally here! And good news: this week on Creative Characters, you can tune in to hear even more about it. Join Type Designer Jordan Bell and Creative Type Director Damien Collot as they discuss their experiences curating this year’s report, gui…

We're closing out 2023 by spotlighting three amazing type studios from different corners of the world — and three of our favorite hosts. This week, Charles Nix, Phil Garnham, and Tom Foley each selected a type designer they admire to bring on the show: Stephen Nixon of ArrowType; Alja Herlah, Directress & Lead type designer at Type Salon; and Matth…

Roger Black draws from origins and evolution of type, type trend drivers, and his own career in this week’s episode with our own Charles Nix. Combining various lenses that allow creatives to see between and behind the lines of type, the two designers inspect the nitty gritty of typographic design — from machinery to wider influences of cultural shi…

Now that the Adobe MAX dust has settled, we bring you our second annual recap of the inspiring event that brought 10,000 from around the world to Los Angeles in October. Between emotional, soul-baring presentations that went much deeper than design, to the “font connection” game at the Monotype booth, there was a palpable sense of community and con…

For decades, the bright colors and bold type of Globe Poster Printing Corportation formed the cultural heartbeat of Baltimore. From R&B shows and rock concerts to boxing matches and, now, something called a Deviled Egg Pageant (?!), Globe's unmistakable style has shouted out a range of events — and brought color and electricity to the urban landsca…

Can you remember a time you had an emotional reaction to type? Have fonts ever made you feel some type of way? This week, we dive into Monotype’s scientific research on the emotional power of typography. Marie Boulanger, Senior Brand Designer at Monotype, joins as a guest and shares some of the thinking, methodology, and insights behind the global …

David Berlow has been at the forefront of type design, publishing, and technology for 45 years. His impressive career began in 1978 drawing letterforms for the Haas, Mergenthaler, Linotype, and Stempel type foundries, before he went on to work at Apple, Bitstream, and later founded the Font Bureau with Roger Black. A self-described “loose cannon” a…

Erwin Hines’ creative life began with an interest in architecture and urban planning but shifted to art, design, and brand building after several serendipitous events. In a time when concepts like empathy and inclusivity have become trendy catchphrases, Erwin decided to step away from agency life, where he had been actively involved with DE&I initi…

Kent Yoshimura does a lot. And that's kinda his thing. At a young age, Kent learned that pouring himself into something artistic meant he could glimpse at mastery and then find ways to play with whatever that skill might be. Throughout his life, Kent has illustrated for children's books, recorded music for film and television, made a couple documen…

Sarah Olin started her career as a magazine designer at a challenging time — during the 2010s, when the industry was trying to figure out its transition to digital. She stuck with magazines for over a decade, designing for major fashion and beauty publications like Allure, Glamour, and Cosmo. But she recently shifted to brand art direction and, spo…

In the Before Times, working from home was often treated as a perk, or maybe a dubious accommodation for someone with a doctor’s appointment. But we know how that story unfolded following the COVID outbreak in 2020, and now remote work is the norm for creative teams all over the world. Upwork Executive Creative Director Patrick Holly joins us this …

“Modern creators know that pace rivals perfection.” Picsart, which provides photo and video editing tools and templates to the creator community, has lived this motto since it began more than a decade ago. Today, with more than 150 million monthly users, the company is helping to streamline the design process like never before. In this week's episo…

This week’s episode is a triple threat. Monotype Executive Creative Directors Phil, Tom, and Charles each selected a type designer they admire to bring on the show. What resulted is inspiring discussions with Mark Bloom of CoType, Naïma Ben Ayed Bureau, and Jesse Ragan and Ben Kiel of XYZ Type, three unique studios making great work in their own di…

For decades, creative work has consolidated in traditional locations such as Los Angeles, New York, and London. Today, technology has opened the aperture on creativity, enabling brilliant producers, writers, and artists to work directly with brands and entertainment studios from anywhere. In this week's episode, Monotype's Bill Connolly sits down w…

Mark Simonson has designed some of the most widely used typefaces in the world. Host Charles Nix sits down to talk influences, process, and why truly memorable work – such as Simonson’s versatile, legible, and wildly ubiquitous Proxima Nova – has to be “both novel and familiar.” And speaking of legibility, don’t forget to check out the article abou…

Ever wanted a peek inside the creative minds behind one of the biggest design platforms in the world? If so, this episode is for you. Canva, the go-to graphic design software for 125 million global users, recently celebrated its 10th birthday at its annual Create event in Sydney. Before the big event, our Executive Creative Director, Charles Nix, s…

Maureen Raisch has spent the past 18 years designing for some of the biggest names in professional sports — from MLB team rebrands to marquee events for the NHL and NFL, including the Super Bowl. Now, as she embarks on a new journey as the first ever Creative Director for the National Women's Soccer League, Maureen reflects on the importance of vis…

This week, we take you behind the scenes of one of Monotype’s biggest, and most anticipated campaigns of the year: the annual Type Trends report. Tune in to hear from the report’s curators, Creative Type Directors Terrance Weinzierl and Emilios Theofanous on their experiences producing the report. Why do people make trends reports? What does the cu…

Aaron Draplin likely needs little introduction – he's one of the most beloved and well-known designers working today. People fill auditoriums for his talks and workshops, wait in long lines for selfies (and Draplin Design Company merch), and fill his DMs with requests for advice, help, and perspective. In this episode, Draplin shares his perspectiv…

This week, Monotype Executive Creative Director, Charles Nix, is joined by Michu Benaim Steiner and Lope Gutierrez-Ruiz of In-House International. Michu and Lope share the studio’s origin story, which also includes Art Director, Alex Wright. In-House is connected by Venezuelan roots, and they discuss how the country’s “tropicalized geometries,” and…

In our first episode of Season 3, we welcome the new Senior Director of the Monotype Studio, Tom Rickner, as a first-time host. Tom speaks with Jim Moran, Master Printer and Collections Officer for the internationally-known Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum. The two discuss Jim’s history as a printmaker working at his family business for 35 year…

This week, Creative Type Director Phil Garnham sits down with Elliot Jay Stocks, designer, musician, and lover of all things typographic. From his time with Adobe Typekit to his current project building out Google Fonts' Knowledge center, Elliot has explored the vast universe of typography and helped people understand what they need, how to use it,…

What has everyone been up to for the past two years? Is AI coming to take all our jobs? What’s your least-favorite typeface? We packed up our recording gear and traveled to Adobe MAX, one of the largest creative conferences in the world, to pose these very questions to people just like you. What we found was an audience craving connection and inspi…

From big brands to lego bricks, Craig Ward has left his mark all over the world of typography. This week, host Charles Nix sits down with Craig to talk about his career, his myriad side projects and quirky pastimes, and how technology could revolutionize the way we use type and ensure the rights of ownership for designers.…

Today we're welcoming Annie Atkins, a creative in the film industry. She's known for her graphic props and set pieces for Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel and Isle of Dogs. She's also done design work for The Tudors, The Boxtrolls, and Spielberg's thriller, Bridge of Spies. Tune-in to learn about the magic of film.…

Today we're welcoming Holly Fraser, editor-in-chief at WePresent, WeTransfer's digital arts platform that works with 1,000+ creatives from over 100 countries. Holly was part of the team that commissioned the 2022 Oscar-winning best live action short film, "The Long Goodbye", created by Riz Ahmed and Aneil Karia. Tune-in to learn what makes a hit fi…

Today we're welcoming Mindy Seu, a New York-based designer, researcher, and assistant professor at Rutgers. Seu recently completed the Cyberfeminism Index, a book documenting more than 700 short entries of radical techno-critical activism. Tune in as Seu shares her story of getting involved in cyberfeminism and the process involved in publishing he…

Today we welcome Jason Debiak, an old friend of our co-host, Carl, and co-founder of Paper Tiger, a family-owned design agency in New Jersey. Jason runs the agency alongside his brother, creating designs for user-friendly websites and mobile applications while having a "Helvetica of a good time" (his words, pun intended, no apologies). They've work…

This week we speak with Ximena Amaya, recent graduate of ArtCenter in Pasadena, California by way of Mexico City. Ximena talks about what led her to study graphic design and her passion for using it as a communication tool, in architecture, and for emerging technologies through her work as an intern at Pentagram. To see Ximena’s work, visit ximena.…

Today, we're welcoming Sarah Boris, a London-based artist who runs her own creative studio. Creativity seems to be in her DNA. Tune in as Marie Boulanger, Brand Designer at Monotype talks to Sarah about her experiences working in-house versus running an independent creative studio, the power of titles, and her interest in pop art. To see more of Sa…

This week’s guest is passionate about designing for change. We're welcoming Nathan Lance, creative director at Leap, a B Corp certified design agency in Truro, England. Nathan is here to spill the tea on eco-friendly design, sustainability, and brand transparency. To see more design projects from Leap. Design for Change, view their case studies onl…

Get ready for a dive into punk rock history! This week’s we're welcoming Andrew Krivine, author and punk rock collector, alongside Michael Worthington, faculty at CalArts and co-founder of Counterspace. The creative duo is here to tell the tale of how they co-created the largest exhibition of punk and new wave graphics ever shown on the West Coast.…