Episoder
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On this week’s episode, Sydney-based artist Kris Andrew Small shares his journey from frustrated graphic designer to global creative powerhouse. He spills on how he transformed personal passion into bold, high-energy artwork that breaks rules and speaks volumes. From collaborating with icons like artist M.I.A., to creating campaigns for Nike and Reebok, Kris dives into his process, his love for color and movement, and why staying true to yourself is everything. Packed with thought-provoking moments and refreshing honesty, this episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking inspiration to break the mold and trust their creative instincts.
Check out Kris' work at krisandrewsmall.com.
You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast
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In this episode of Creative Characters, we dive into the whirlwind world of political design with Shar Biggers, the creative mind behind some of the most memorable campaign visuals in recent US politics.
Join us as we chat about Shar’s unexpected journey into political campaign branding, from designing Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential run to her most recent role as Deputy Creative Director for the Harris-Walz campaign. Shar takes us inside last-minute logo sprints, the art of balancing bold typography with the complexities of a major presidential campaign, and how these experiences have changed her as a creative.
Check out the case study for Shar's work on the Harris-Walz campaign at saleah.agency/harris-walz/
You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast
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Typography is more than just choosing cool fonts — it gives designers and brands the power to take action and spark change. This episode of Creative Characters is all about shaking things up in the design world with Monotype’s Re:Vision, a transformative approach to our annual Type Trends report.
Host Carl Unger joins report creators, Phil Garnham and Charles Nix, along with design leader and futurist, Lisa Gralnek, to discuss how typography can impact big cultural topics like AI, climate change, and aging. Get insights on how brands can step up and stand out, and learn about our bimonthly activations (kicking off at SXSW!) that'll explore these ideas throughout the year.
Read the full report and sign up for the exclusive webinar at monotype.com/type-trends
You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast
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Ever wondered what happens when you combine ceramics with typography and throw in a DIY 3D printer for good measure? Join us for a delightful chat with Taekyeom Lee, the graphic designer and educator who takes typography off the page and into the third dimension.
Host Doug Wilson dives deep into Taekyeom’s inventive world where letters become slinkies, and business cards are embossed on demand. From his adventurous journey from South Korea to the cornfields of Illinois — to his experiments with clay letterforms — Taekyeom shares his love for typography and how he turns ideas into tangible art.
If you’re into design, creativity, or just curious about how technology can transform art, this episode’s a must-listen.
Check out Taekyeom's work at instagram.com/taekyeom
You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast
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Creative Director Simon Waterfall is a creative character in every sense. Simon's built multiple creative agencies and has worked for global brands, like Intel, Airbnb, and Vevo.
Now he's about to launch a new product: a sustainable cocktail in a can, developed with James Beard Award-winning spirts expert, Thad Vogler.
Simon chats with host Bill Connolly about why not to repeat what you're good at, his advice for designers starting out, and Waste — his new sustainable canned cocktail.
You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast
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Cat How launched How&How in May 2020, during the height of the pandemic, with her husband, Roger. Four years later, they’re an agency of about 20 people, with studios in London and Los Angeles.
In this episode, host Tom Foley chats with Cat about building an ethical branding agency, tackling big projects, and having fun at work.
You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast
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Kelli Anderson makes objects out of paper that explore design and the world around us. Her popular books — “This Book is a Camera” and “This Book is a Planetarium” — both include pop-up stripped down paper contraptions designed to teach how common objects — like cameras, speakers, and stringed instruments — work.
Luckily for us type nerds, Kelli is in the process of making “Alphabet in Motion” — a pop-up book about how letters get their shape. The book dives deep into the history of letterforms and includes hundreds of color images mined from the archives of type design.
Creative Characters host, Doug Wilson, catches up with Kelli about her forthcoming book, her passion for teaching design with tactile objects, and her love of all things paper.
If you'd like to learn more about "Alphabet in Motion" or back Kelli's Kickstarter, visit kellianderson.com/kickstarter
You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast.
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This year, Adobe MAX migrated to Miami Beach, attracting thousands of creatives for three days of inspiring talks, playful brand activations, and a “total creative nerd fest,” as one guest told us. Throughout the week, we brought people inside a universe of type, had heartfelt conversations about the power of creative intuition, and nurtured our creative inner children. Adobe MAX always leaves us feeling refreshed, inspired, and amazed at the creative community.
In this episode, you’ll hear from twenty or so voices, including screen printers, creative evangelists, students, and educators, all of whom were kind enough to share their time and their stories with us on the mic. Thanks for tuning in!
A special thanks to all our amazing guests. Check out their work below:
Ben Vanderberg – benvanderberg.medium.com
Dale Zine – instagram.com/dale_zine
Eunsan Huh – behance.net/eunsan
Good Type – goodtype.us
Just Okay Company – justokay.co
Karin Fong – imaginaryforces.com
Kerry Squires – kerry-squires.com
Marie Boulanger – marie-boulanger.com
Spike Spondike – instagram.com/spike_spondike
Little Friends Of – instagram.com/littlefriendsof
Meg Lewis – meglewis.com
Nigel French – nigelfrench.com
You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast.
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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 forged in a corn field or around a dinner table.
Aaron quickly partnered with today's guest, Jim Coudal, and together they turned Field Notes into a living, breathing brand that honors this heritage while leaning into all corners of American design. And of course, the blank pages of these pocket-sized notebooks create space for our own stories, from the mundane to the profound. Here's the story of Field Notes, in all of its 3½ × 5½-inch glory, plus an inside look at the latest limited edition, “The Birds and Trees of North America."
You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast.
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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 illustrious career.
You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast.
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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 love for books, and pivotal moments such as her studies at St. Martins and her discovery of Interview magazine. Astrid opens up about her recent ADHD diagnosis, the delicate dance between chaos and tranquility in her creative process, and her responsibilities as Chair of the International Society of Typographic Designers (ISTD). Throughout the conversation, she reflects on her insatiable curiosity and endless pursuit of knowledge, the value of learning from mistakes, and the wealth of inspiration she finds in everyday experiences.
Learn more about Astrid at https://astridstavro.design.
You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast.
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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 firm Tandem. Scott shares his story of a serendipitous introduction to a young bartender named Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, which led to Tandem designing the branding for her transformational 2018 Congressional campaign.
To learn more about Scott and the work Tandem is doing, visit: https://www.tandem.nyc/.
To see this episode's blog post and other past episode, head over to https://www.monotype.com/podcast
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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 development and international expansion of Type Thursday, and his passion for the open-source type movement. Tune in for an interesting look at the intersection of type design, education, and community-building.
You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast.
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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 the balance Kyle maintains between branding and type design, offering insights into the economic realities of the industry and the importance of creating brand-ready, personality-driven typefaces. Additionally, the episode delves into Kyle's innovative marketing strategies for type foundries and his collaborative project, Proof & Co, which provides valuable data analyzing the independent typography market. Through it all, Kyle emphasizes the significance of community within the type industry, particularly within Denver, a city he and Doug both celebrate for its unique creative spirit and historical ties to typography.
You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast.
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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 font licenses, the significance of copyright, and what to do if you accidentally breach a contract or misuse a font license.
Behind the Font is exactly what it sounds like - a podcast miniseries that looks behind the creative work we love to better understand how creative work gets done. Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore? Email us at [email protected] and we may cover it!
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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 at work.
Behind the Font is exactly what it sounds like - a podcast miniseries that looks behind the creative work we love to better understand how creative work gets done. Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore? Email us at [email protected] and we may cover it!
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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 and outs of these contracts.
In Part 1, we get a crash course in recent font history to understand how licenses have evolved and why this matters to today's brands, designers, and agencies.
Stay tuned for Part 2 next week, where we'll dissect the elements of a license and ask the question everyone is thinking - do I really need to read this whole thing?
Behind the Font is exactly what it sounds like - a podcast miniseries that looks behind the creative work we love to better understand how creative work gets done. Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore? Email us at [email protected] and we may cover it!
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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 speaking, and her thoughts on the pros and cons of social media for creatives. The conversation emphasizes the importance of designing for oneself to combat burnout, as well as Kat's philosophy of seeking client work that aligns with her values. Additionally, Kat talks about her evolving creative process, the significance of artistic experimentation, and the impact of building a close-knit community through social media.
You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast.
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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’s @onehourwatch project, where he draws bespoke watches in one hour or less and posts them on Instagram.
You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at www.monotype.com/podcast.
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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 Chrysler Pavilion at the '64-'65 New York World's Fair and creating a comprehensive wayfinding system for the Mexico City Metro.
The conversation also covers Wyman’s thoughts on design philosophy, his inferiority complex around typography, and his knack for infusing local cultural elements into his designs. Take a deep dive into the mind of a design legend who continues to influence the field well into his eighties.
- Se mer
