Formal visual communication through text relies on two complementary disciplines: type design and typography. Type design provides the instrument; typography determines how that instrument is organized and applied.
The two online courses offered by Dutch Type Library explore these disciplines from historical, theoretical, technical, and practical perspectives. Both are rooted in decades of professional practice, academic research, and vocational education. Although each course can be followed independently, they naturally complement one another.
The Origin of Type Frameworks Course (otfc) focuses on the creation of typefaces: how letters are designed, structured, and transformed into professional digital fonts. The Typography Inside Outside Course (tioc) focuses on the application of those typefaces: how they function within the organization of text, how typographic conventions developed, and how typographic decisions can be understood, evaluated, and consciously applied.
Together, the two programmes offer a unique opportunity to study both the letter and the page, combining historical understanding, technical expertise, and critical reflection into a coherent view of typographic communication.
Origin of Type Frameworks
Course
The otfc is dedicated to the design and production of digital typefaces. It investigates the historical origins of movable type, the structure of letterforms, the systematization of type design, font technology, and contemporary methods of professional font production.
Participants study the relationship between historical models and digital practice while learning to develop, produce, and evaluate typefaces using modern font technology. The course combines historical research, analytical methods, and practical design assignments, providing a comprehensive foundation for professional type design.
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Typography Inside Outside
Course
Typography begins where type design ends. The tioc investigates how typefaces are used to shape information and how typographic decisions influence reading, perception, and communication.
The course explores the historical origins of typographic conventions, the relationship between aesthetics, ergonomics, and concept, the role of perception and conditioning, and the technical possibilities offered by OpenType, automation, scripting, and artificial intelligence. Through practical assignments and critical reflection, participants develop the ability to analyze, justify, and implement typographic decisions.
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