Duration: 2 weeks
Please select your course date from the drop down menu.
This class is held every other month and generally starts the second Monday of that month and continues for 2 weeks.
Type is everywhere around us: on our computers, television, books, packaging; pretty much everywhere you look. But what separates good use of type vs. bad? What makes a font good or bad? Typography Basics will go over the basic rules and guidelines of how to use type, and how to take your own designs up a notch with a bit of typography magic.
In this Typography for Beginners class, you will learn the parts of a typeface and why they are important. We will go over the different styles of type of serif, sans serif, and script and how to pick good fonts. We will also delve into rules and guidelines of letter spacing, kerning, leading, and how to apply these tools in your design projects. We will also talk about a list of “never-evers” and typography faux pas. Homework assignments are fun and useful—and you will notice a vast improvement in your own design work.
The Nicole’s Classes application is a downloadable program you install on your computer. (The link to download will be provided the day the class starts.) Learning is divided into 2 weeks and within those weeks you can learn at your own pace, anytime, anywhere. There are no set class times, though homework is due every Sunday night and there may be scheduled chats with the instructor. Our classes are flexible, fit into most any schedule and we happily welcome international students!
This class is for beginners with little to no knowledge of typography. The class will be taught in both Illustrator and Photoshop, so you must have basic knowledge of one of these programs to take this class. If you do not already know the basics, please enroll in Photoshop 101 or Illustrator 101 as prerequisites. Illustrator and/or Photoshop must be installed on your computer. Versions CS2 and above are acceptable. Free 30-day trials of both programs are available at adobe.com.
Melanie Burk is a graphic designer who is obsessed with type. She believes there are three rules to good design: “typography, typography, typography.” Melanie is the founder of Fifth and Hazel, a company that produces websites, branding, catalogues, and surface design. With the belief that art impacts people, Melanie aspires to create good design that invokes change for the better. Get a sense of her teaching style by watching a few of her free tutorials and reading a few design tip blog posts here at Nicole’s Classes! Feel free to drop her a line if you have any questions about taking this course!
“I have to tell you that the class has helped me already. Watching the videos and your rules was just like a light bulb for me.” —Elise, typography student
If necessary, we do provide refunds up to 1 week before the class start date. Please check our FAQ and Policies pages for more information.
