The Type Pod

Copperplate Gothic is probably already on your computer. It comes pre-loaded on many. It has been there this whole time, quietly convincing people it's elegant. It is not elegant. In this episode, we examine why Copperplate has become the go-to typeface for business cards, law firms, and anyone who wants to seem serious — and why designers have described it as a "hodgepodge," a &quo...

You’ve seen Mrs Eaves everywhere—even if you’ve never known her name. In this episode, we uncover the story behind one of the most familiar typefaces around, and its designer, Suzanna Licko —a woman who gets credit for her work (well, mostly… it’s complicated). Anitra dives into the research with plenty of side-eye and a healthy distrust of design history, informed in part by having gone to design...

An emergency podcast.  Ripped straight from the headlines of a couple weeks ago. When Calibri was unceremoniously replaced by Times New Roman under the Trump administration, we chose to process our feelings—potential travel ban be damned. Yes, this episode is about fonts. And no, it’s really not. In a looser, more unscripted conversation than usual, we turn rage into humour while exposing how typo...

This episode we talk about Transport, which is not a typeface. We know this for sure because designer Margaret Calvert said so in an email to us.  If you have ever driven anywhere you will know the (not a) typeface Transport, as it was purposefully designed for roads. What you may not know is that the typeface is just one part of an extensive information system designed to help us all get where we...

Originally Anitra thought this typeface was designed by a woman, and because she is the only person authorized to speak about typefaces designed by a woman Anitra did the research for this episode. Sure, Jason is in touch with his feminine side, but not enough to be brave enough to speak (and he is too young and pretty to be canceled).  Turns out Anitra was almost completely wrong, this typeface w...

Our book Back to Font is finally out! You can buy it in bookstores and everything! If you are in the UK you can get a 20% discount by going to laurenceking.com and entering the code TYPEPOD20. In the grand tradition of this podcast we messed up the original "producer produced" version of this into, so we did it again using finger puppets and bits of string, without the ThesisWhisperer. (...

Inger gathered the team for an emergency pod about Balto the 2013 typeface chosen for the Harris Waltz campaign.  After one failed attempt – which tested Inger’s patience about kerning — we nailed it (although we may inadvertently start some new political conspiracy theories by talking about the adventures of a plucky Disney dog also named Balto, not to mention the problematic choice of Perpetua f...

After a long delay (we blame the state of the world, frankly - exhausting) it's finally the end of season one of The Type Pod!  In this episode we finally tackle our least favourite typeface: Goudy. We learn about the designer, Frederic (no K) Goudy and speculate on his rumoured penchant for women and fast cars. We dive into his improbably large output... of typefaces and publications. We won...

In this episode we talk about Baskerville, which is the most trustworthy typeface (as proven by Science.)  Anitra has Feminist Thoughts about designer John Baskerville and thought it would be inappropriate for Jason to mansplain this particular typeface to her… but she found out some things about JB and, well, this episode takes a turn.  We learn about how designer John Baskerville pissed off the...

In this episode, David joins us again as we examine the history of that most  ubiquitous of typefaces, Times New Roman, which is much more interesting than Times New Roman itself -  honest. Anitra volunteered to do the typeface history for this episode so she can then bore for Australia on printing technology. Jason and David  will try to stay awake. Follow David on Instagram You can find the show...

After a longer than intended - “we’re out of lockdown and we have a social life again!” - pause The Type Pod is back. In this episode we deep dive into Bodoni, that typeface most beloved by designers of fashion magazines. Ace designer, type teacher David joins Jason and Anitra all the way from Washington D.C. to discuss why designers have, for more than two centuries, stuck with Bodoni… through th...

Content warning: this pod contains details of historical sexual abuse. Due to technical issues during recording, we skip our advertised feature on Times New Roman; although fear not, we will return to Times New Roman in the future. Instead we focus on Gill Sans, and Eric Gill, type designer and religious artist... with a sideline in erotic woodcuts. Jason warns that luxuriant facial hair combined...

In this first episode, Anitra and Jason talk about Futura, that most versatile of modernist typefaces and its designer Paul Renner, OG Anti-fa.  Anitra tells Jason why the Nazis hated Latin typefaces. We argue about the merits of mathematical proportions and discuss why Futura is probably not classified as a “fun” typeface. Jason unfairly compares Type Designer Mathew Carter to a character from Ga...

Catch up with your favourite typography nerds, Anitra and Jason, as they unravel the mysteriously wonderful world of typefaces - and the people who make them. Each episode is a deep dive into one type face (not a font!), who designed it, what it's good for and how we feel about it.  "Back to Font" is out now in English, German, and Spanish! Buy it on Amazon.  It's got 5 stars!...