Creative Characters

From studying 19th-century sans serifs to expanding Gotham for the Obama Foundation, Sara Soskolne's career has helped define how the world reads today. In this episode, Doug Wilson sits down with his longtime friend and brilliant type designer, Sara Soskolne , for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about growing up curious, falling into typography, and Sara's experiences of coming into her own...

Hold onto your sketchpads ! This week, Livia Halltari sits down with Jess Goldsmith, the one-woman-show behind Women of Type . Jess talks about her creative journey — from doodling graffiti-inspired letters as a kid to building a global community that amplifies lettering work from women and non-binary creatives around the world. As a self-taught designer, lettering artist, and author, Jess also sh...

In this week's episode, host Graham Sturt joins British designer and music producer Trevor Jackson in his Shoreditch studio. Surrounded by an impressive collection of music ephemera, they discuss Trevor's creative approach, how he got into designing record sleeves for early house and hip-hop artists, and why he doesn't believe in having a "house style." Check out Trevor's work at trevor-jackson.co...

On this week's episode, Sydney-based artist Kris Andrew Small shares his journey from frustrated graphic designer to global creative powerhouse. He spills on how he t ransformed personal passion into bold, high-energy artwork that breaks rules and speaks volumes. From collaborating with icons like artist M.I.A. , to creating campaigns for Nike and Reebok , Kris dives into his process, his love for...

In this episode of Creative Characters, we dive into the whirlwind world of political design with Shar Biggers, the creative mind behind some of the most memorable campaign visuals in recent US politics. Join us as we chat about Shar's unexpected journey into political campaign branding, from designing Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential run to her most recent role as Deputy Creative Director for...

Typography is more than just choosing cool fonts — it gives designers and brands the power to take action and spark change. This episode of Creative Characters is all about shaking things up in the design world with Monotype's Re:Vision, a transformative approach to our annual Type Trends report. Host Carl Unger joins report creators, Phil Garnham and Charles Nix, along with design leader and futu...

Ever wondered what happens when you combine ceramics with typography and throw in a DIY 3D printer for good measure? Join us for a delightful chat with Taekyeom Lee, the graphic designer and educator who takes typography off the page and into the third dimension. Host Doug Wilson dives deep into Taekyeom's inventive world where letters become slinkies, and business cards are embossed on demand. Fr...

Creative Director Simon Waterfall is a creative character in every sense. Simon's built multiple creative agencies and has worked for global brands, like Intel, Airbnb, and Vevo. Now he's about to launch a new product: a sustainable cocktail in a can, developed with James Beard Award-winning spirts expert, Thad Vogler. Simon chats with host Bill Connolly about why not to repeat what you're good at...

Cat How launched How&How in May 2020, during the height of the pandemic, with her husband, Roger. Four years later, they're an agency of about 20 people, with studios in London and Los Angeles. In this episode, host Tom Foley chats with Cat about building an ethical branding agency, tackling big projects, and having fun at work. You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotyp...

Kelli Anderson makes objects out of paper that explore design and the world around us. Her popular books — "This Book is a Camera" and "This Book is a Planetarium" — both include pop-up stripped down paper contraptions designed to teach how common objects — like cameras, speakers, and stringed instruments — work. Luckily for us type nerds, Kelli is in the process of making "Alphabet in Motion" — a...

This year, Adobe MAX migrate d to Miami Beach, attracting thousands of creatives for three days of inspiring talks , playful brand activations , and a "total creative nerd fest," as one guest told us. Throughout the week , we brought people inside a universe of type, had heartfelt conversations about the power of creative intuition , and nurtured our creative inner children . Adobe MAX always leav...

Field Notes notebooks are a staple in many creative lives. Aaron Draplin started the brand back in 2000-somethin', inspired by the old, frayed agricultural company memo books he'd find while out junking around Midwestern farm country. These promotional notebooks were giveaways — a throwback to the days of handshake deals and business relationships forged in a corn field or around a dinner table. A...

Host Graham Sturt sits down with graphic design icon, David Carson . Known for his revolutionary work with Ray Gun magazine and his unconventional, expressive style, David has continually pushed the boundaries of visual communication. Join us as we explore David's unique approach, creative journey, and the philosophies that have shaped his illustrious career. You can find blog posts for this and a...

In this week's episode, Monotype's Executive Creative Director, Tom Foley, sits down with renowned graphic designer Astrid Stavro to explore her captivating journey. Astrid grew up amidst the hum of printing presses in her father's print shop in Trieste, Italy. She recounts the profound influence of her family's publishing heritage, her deep-seated love for books, and pivotal moments such as her s...

It's August. Many of us on the podcast team are trying to wring out the last drops of summer. Others are hard at work getting ready for Monotype's visit to Adobe Max. So this week, we're replaying an oldie episode from our first season. Monotype Creative Type Director Charles Nix talks with Scott Starrett, Co-Founder and Principal of NYC design firm Tandem. Scott shares his story of a serendipitou...

This week on Creative Characters, host Charles Nix sits down with Thomas Jockin, the founder of Type Thursday, a global type meetup. The two discuss Thomas's journey from an art-obsessed youth on Long Island to becoming a key figure in the global type design community. Thomas shares pivotal moments such as his apprenticeship with Joshua Darden, the development and international expansion of Type T...

In this episode, host Doug Wilson sits down with his long-time friend, Kyle Read, a distinguished type designer and graphic designer based in Denver, Colorado. Kyle shares his journey from studying at the Savannah College of Art and Design, working for various design studios and advertising agencies, to founding Badson Type Foundry. The two discuss the balance Kyle maintains between branding and t...

In the final edition of our new podcast miniseries series, Behind the Font, we answer your questions about font licensing  [cue Jeopardy theme ]! Once again, Monotype's Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Phil Carey-Bergren wades into the intricacies of font licensing with our host, Carl Unger. Topics include the implications of breaching font licenses, the significance of copyright, and...

In the second edition of our new podcast miniseries series, Behind the Font, we dig into the technical side of font licensing [cue psycho theme ]. Our Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Phil Carey-Bergren, and host, Carl Unger, dissect the main parts of a font license and walk us through some common font licensing use cases you might see at work.  Behind the Font is exactly what it soun...

In the first-ever edition of our new podcast miniseries, Behind the Font, we dive into the often murky and mysterious waters of font licensing [cue Jaws theme]. Our guest for this journey into the depths is Monotype Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Phil Carey-Bergren, and we couldn't ask for a better person to walk us through the ins and outs of these contracts. In Part 1, we get a cr...

This episode of Creative Characters is hosted by Livia, our Social Media Manager at Monotype. Livia interviews designer Kat Romulo about her unconventional journey into design, beginning with a serendipitous flyer at UC Berkeley. Kat shares her rise from posting personal projects on Instagram to acquiring client work, her experiences with public speaking, and her thoughts on the pros and cons of s...

Host Doug Wilson geeks out about watch design with Lee Yuen-Rapati of Fears Watch Company. They discuss the intricacies of designing numerals for watches and the parallels between watch design and typeface design. And if you're looking for inspiration on a personal project — or just want to drool over some gorgeous sketches — check out Yuen-Rapati's @ onehourwatch project, where he draws bespoke w...

Host Graham Sturt journeys into the life and work of famed graphic designer Lance Wyman . Renowned for his iconic Mexico 1968 Olympics identity, Wyman shares the story of how a one-way flight to Mexico City ultimately landed him a role on this influential design team. Wyman talks about other key moments in his career as well, like working on the Chrysler Pavilion at the '64-'65 New York World's Fa...

Hear Monotype Creative Director Graham Sturt in conversation with Vic Lee, an artist, illustrator, and self-described "ragamuffin." After years of doing graphic design work for agencies, Vic was ready for a change. So, he began sketching a streetscape from a little cafe in his London neighborhood — a practice that evolved into a popular local prints project and launched his career as a working art...

In this week's episode, first-time host Doug Wilson chats with Petra Dočekalová, a designer, educator, calligrapher, and sign painter from Prague, Czech Republic. They explore Petra's involvement in a book about Yaroslav Benda, a notable Czech designer known for his typography and calligraphy. Their conversation covers networking at events like TypeCon, the influence of Benda's style on Czech desi...