Typography

Member lesson

Independent foundries and where to buy

Lesson 25 of 34 in Typography.

Top 5 Independent Type Foundries · Spruce Rd.
Lesson

Type is made by a large number of small independent foundries and a handful of large ones, and buying directly from the designer is usually possible, often cheaper, and always better for the person who drew the letters.

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One source file exported to the formats print and web each need.
A type designer at her desk points at a curved letter outline on her screen while a customer leans across holding a printed sheet.
A customer talks a question through with the type designer in her small studio. Buying from the maker gets you answers and custom changes, and pays the person who drew the letters.
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Members answer these 3 questions and keep the ticket for this lesson. Every lesson has one.

  1. Question 1, locked

    Which of these words means this? “A company that designs and licenses typefaces. The word survives from metal.”

    • Cursive by nature
    • Foundry
    • Libre
    • Reserved font name
  2. Question 2, locked

    Which of these words means this? “A shop selling other people's fonts. Convenient, and takes a share.”

    • Font
    • Distributor
    • Typeface
    • Revival
  3. Question 3, locked

    Which of these words means this? “The standard off-the-shelf terms. Usually negotiable at scale.”

    • Retail licence
    • Ghost sign
    • Sign painter
    • Vernacular lettering

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