Intro to Type Design: Latin, Georgian Mkhedruli, Southern Sumatran scripts
Yaprak Buse Çağlar, Ana Sanikidze, Ariq Syauqi
This tutorial looks at how different scripts shape the process of reading source material and turning it into type. Each script comes with its own logic, conventions, and constraints, and there’s no single method that works for all of them. Three case studies anchor the session — Latin, Southern Sumatran scripts, and Dives Akuru, — chosen precisely because each demands a different approach. Attendees will pick up the basics of type design and get hands-on practice interpreting letterforms directly from source material in each script.
Latin letterforms carry centuries of stylistic change and technological influence. Reading them accurately takes more than recognizing basic shapes — proportion, contrast, rhythm, and construction all shift in subtle ways from one source to the next.
Georgian Mkhedruli script is defined by rounded, spacious letterforms, with tall ascenders and descenders that are essential for letter distinction. Since research and guidelines on Georgian letterform proportions and their construction are still limited, the script is often adapted to Latin proportions — an approach that can result in inconsistent texture across scripts and legibility issues.
Southern Sumatran scripts are often recognized by their angularity. The forms can look deceptively simple, but the treatment of stroke endings — cut, tapered, rounded, or left natural — has a major effect on how the design reads. These small decisions carry much of the script’s character.