The Type@Cooper West program has been bustling over at the Letterform Archive this year, and their free public lecture series at the San Francisco Public Library is up and running. We’re delighted to sponsor these events along with the SFPL. There are three coming up this month; if you’re in the Bay Area, don’t miss out!

Sumner Stone and Rob Saunders at the “Luscious, Lascivious & Literary Letterforms” lecture on February 23. On screen is Edward M. Catich’s rubbing of the Trajan Column. Photo courtesy of Frank Grießhammer.

All lectures run from 6–7:30pm, and are held in the Koret Auditorium at the San Francisco Public Library’s main branch (101 Larkin Street).

March 9: Bodoni, the Face Behind the Face with Valerie Lester

You’ve seen his name in all your font menus; who was Bodoni? Author Valerie Lester puts Giambattista Bodoni into context.

March 15: Edward Johnston: Calligraphy & Type Design with Ewan Clayton

Edward Johnston’s block letter type for the London Underground is celebrating its centenary this year; calligrapher and professor Ewan Clayton discusses the impact of calligraphy in Johnston’s work.

March 29: Tailored Typography with Dan Rhatigan

It’s easy to take for granted the constraints that earlier type designers worked within when making their initial designs. Type designer Dan Rhatigan will demonstrate this with a couple of classic typefaces — which you’ll never look at the same way again.

Check the Type@Cooper website for more information about any of the lectures, their public workshops, or to learn more about the typeface design certificate program.