
Introduction to Typeface Design
with
Jesse Ragan
This course introduces basic principles and techniques of typeface design. Basing their digital typeface on historical sources, students cultivate skills of observation, analysis, and problem-solving. Students will leave the course prepared for more ambitious projects in the second and third terms.
About Jesse Ragan

Jesse Ragan designs a broad range of typefaces for XYZ Type, which he and Ben Kiel launched in 2017. Beyond making fonts from scratch, Jesse also specializes in customizing lettering for logotypes and helping clients understand how letterforms tick. Jesse studied graphic design at Rhode Island School of Design. After interning at Font Bureau, he began his career at Hoefler & Frere-Jones before going out on his own for a decade. He cofounded Type@Cooper, has served on AIGA NY’s board of directors, and has taught at Cooper Union and Pratt Institute.