Creative Characters

Latest Episodes:

Exploring the American design story behind Field Notes with Jim Coudal. Oct 23, 2024

Show notes

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.

Aaron quickly partnered with today's guest, Jim Coudal, and together they turned Field Notes into a living, breathing brand that honors this heritage while leaning into all corners of American design. And of course, the blank pages of these pocket-sized notebooks create space for our own stories, from the mundane to the profound. Here's the story of Field Notes, in all of its 3½ × 5½-inch glory, plus an inside look at the latest limited edition, "The Birds and Trees of North America."

You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast.

Never snap to guides: Exploring creative freedom with David Carson. Sep 26, 2024

Show notes

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 all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast.

Embracing Chaos and Stillness: Astrid Stavro's Design Philosophy. Sep 12, 2024

Show notes

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 studies at St. Martins and her discovery of Interview magazine. Astrid opens up about her recent ADHD diagnosis, the delicate dance between chaos and tranquility in her creative process, and her responsibilities as Chair of the International Society of Typographic Designers (ISTD). Throughout the conversation, she reflects on her insatiable curiosity and endless pursuit of knowledge, the value of learning from mistakes, and the wealth of inspiration she finds in everyday experiences.

Learn more about Astrid at https://astridstavro.design.

You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast.

Revisiting Scott Starrett and how to design a visually stunning political campaign. Aug 22, 2024

Show notes

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 serendipitous introduction to a young bartender named Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, which led to Tandem designing the branding for her transformational 2018 Congressional campaign.

To learn more about Scott and the work Tandem is doing, visit: https://www.tandem.nyc/.

To see this episode's blog post and other past episode, head over to https://www.monotype.com/podcast

From Parsons to Type Thursday: a conversation with Thomas Jockin. Aug 07, 2024

Show notes

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 Thursday, and his passion for the open-source type movement. Tune in for an interesting look at the intersection of type design, education, and community-building.

You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast.

Kyle Read on the art (of the business) of type design. Jul 23, 2024

Show notes

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 type design, offering insights into the economic realities of the industry and the importance of creating brand-ready, personality-driven typefaces. Additionally, the episode delves into Kyle's innovative marketing strategies for type foundries and his collaborative project, Proof & Co, which provides valuable data analyzing the independent typography market. Through it all, Kyle emphasizes the significance of community within the type industry, particularly within Denver, a city he and Doug both celebrate for its unique creative spirit and historical ties to typography.

You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast.

Behind the Font: Font Licensing, demystified (Part 3 of 3). Jul 09, 2024

Show notes

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 what to do if you accidentally breach a contract or misuse a font license.

Behind the Font is exactly what it sounds like - a podcast miniseries that looks behind the creative work we love to better understand how creative work gets done. Have a question or topic you'd like us to explore? Email us at podcast@monotype.com and we may cover it!

Behind the Font: Font Licensing, demystified (Part 2 of 3). Jun 25, 2024

Show notes

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: Font Licensing, demystified (Part 1 of 3). Jun 13, 2024

Show notes

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 crash course in recent font history to understand how licenses have evolved and why this matters to today's brands, designers, and agencies.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next week, where we'll dissect the elements of a license and ask the question everyone is thinking - do I really need to read this whole thing?

The power of initiative: Kat Romulo on following your creative passions. Jun 11, 2024

Show notes

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 social media for creatives. The conversation emphasizes the importance of designing for oneself to combat burnout, as well as Kat's philosophy of seeking client work that aligns with her values. Additionally, Kat talks about her evolving creative process, the significance of artistic experimentation, and the impact of building a close-knit community through social media.

You can find blog posts for this and all our past episodes at monotype.com/podcast.

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