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Ryan Kough is an assistant professor of Integrated Media Arts at Juniata College who believes in design as a community-building tool creating partnerships between community members and student designers to create sustainable, long-term design solutions. 

In this conversation, you’ll hear about Ryan’s gallery exhibition called Under Pressure (opening reception happens this week!) and how she uses experimentation in the classroom, specifically revealing the transformative power of the ‘Problems Exercise’.

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This episode features Montréal-based illustrator, artist, and best-selling author, Raymond Biesinger!

In this conversation, you’ll hear about the ways that storytelling is baked into Raymond editorial, commercial and personal projects. We do a deep dive into one of Raymond’s poster projects that took him 20 working days to complete through ‘chasing the density dragon’.

You’ll also hear Raymond’s creative process and the tools he uses, the way imperfections play a vital role in the spirit of his work, and ultimately how layers of narrative make Raymond’s work clever, complex and consistently exciting. 

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In this final episode of 2024 you’ll hear from type designer, Anna Korash and her newest experimental typeface, Invert; why it started, how it got going and where it is now. You’ll learn how variable fonts work and Anna’s unique technical and creative constraints in this project. Anna shares why platforms like Future Fonts are ideal for experimental projects like this, Invert’s future expansion plans into other writing systems, as well as which typeface she’d use for the rest of her life if she had to choose. 

Head over to futurefonts.xyz and download a free trial version of Invert to play along with as you listen. Also, check out the show notes for this episode to see Anna’s generous sharing of her process in designing this typeface at talkpaperscissors.info.

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In this episode you’ll learn how Eleni Beveratou (Creative Director of Dalton Maag) went from hating type in school to realizing its utmost importance, leading her to find her niche and complete a Master’s degree in Typeface Design. Eleni walks us through how experienced readers read and how this informs typeface choice, as well as assessing accessible type through the helpful metrics of legibility, readability, likeability. Eleni explains why choosing simpler characters over more complex shapes are not always better for accessibility, as well as how using type in digital environments must be carefully considered, particularly the differences in light mode versus dark mode. Finally, you’ll learn the ‘basics’ that Eleni wishes she knew early in her career. 

This episode was recorded live at DesignThinkers Toronto 2023 as part of a guest lecture series in GCM 230 - Typography in Fall 2023 at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University.

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In this episode you’ll learn about the Netherlands-based type design company, Typotheque, and you’ll hear from two of its team members (Peter Bil’ak and Kevin King) and the way they work with language and give shape to language. You’ll hear a lot about the North American Indigenous Syllabics Project and the book that Typotheque recently published, celebrating the rich linguistic and typographic diversity of Indigenous languages in North America. You’ll hear a high level overview of the syllabic writing system used by many First Nations and Inuit communities, as well as the way that type is an important part of the visual culture. You’ll better understand the ways that traditional tools influence shapes of letterforms and how Kevin got started drawing syllabic forms for his work with Indigenous type revitalization and perseveration.

Finally, you’ll learn how cognitive psychologists work on the Typotheque team to inform typeface design, including a recent typeface release from Typotheque (called ‘Dash’) and its scientific origins. I gained so much from this conversation and I hope you will too.

This episode was recorded live at DesignThinkers Toronto 2023 as part of a guest lecture series in GCM 230 - Typography in Fall 2023 at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University.

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We are 23 days away from 2024 and with me today are two fantastic Toronto-based makers with calendars for us to enjoy all 366 days of the year ahead. In this episode, you'll hear from Phoebe Todd-Parrish and Ana Rita Morais about their calendar projects, yes, but the conversation is so much more than that. You'll better understand Ana Rita and Phoebe's unique creative processes and sources of inspiration, when they know when they've reached the finish line in their creative work, and you'll hear really great advice for creatives who look back on their old work with dread (aka most everyone). Links to six other incredible calendar projects can be found in the show notes at talkpaperscissors.info. 

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The final stop on our journey hearing from those in industry who make space for others through community-building, we have the Association of Registered Graphic Designers! In this episode, you’ll hear from RGD’s Executive Director, Hilary Ashworth, and RGD’s President, Nicola Hamilton about the organization, including what it is and why to get involved. You'll learn about different membership levels, different professional opportunities and more about the amazing community of design folks from coast-to-coast who make the organization such a valuable one to be part of. Finally, you'll hear some exciting new initiatives for 2024 and beyond!

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This is the fifth of 6 episodes where you’ll hear from movers and shakers in the printing, typography and design spaces who make space for others through their creation of national and global communities. In this episode, you’ll hear from Katie Johnson and Ilana Griffo, the duo behind Goodtype, what it’s all about and the often overlooked world of 'art licensing'. You'll learn about their take on group work and the key ingredients they believe are necessary to engage in a successful partnership. Katie and Ilana also give advice to students about careers in graphic design, as well as specific and actionable advice for portfolio-building and curating. Finally, the duo discuss their new book project with info they’re sharing here first!

This episode was recorded as part of a guest lecture series in GCM 230 - Typography in fall 2023 at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University. 

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This is the fourth of 6 episodes where you’ll hear from movers and shakers in the printing, typography and design spaces who make space for others through their creation of national and global communities. In this episode, we have living print legend, Amos Paul Kennedy Jr.! 

Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. is an American printer, book artist and papermaker who has been puttin’ ink on paper since 1949. You’ll hear how Amos describes himself and his work, his entry point into printing and his counter-cultural (wise!) advice of setting low-expectations. You’ll also hear Amos’ experimental approach to making multiples, the way in which his signature printing process was born, and how systemic injustices can negatively impact creative living and making. Finally, you’ll hear about Amos’ labour-of-love community printing space in Detroit, Michigan: The Pile of Bricks.

I'm all about interesting projects with interesting people!
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This is the third of 6 episodes where you’ll hear from movers and shakers in the printing, typography and design spaces who make space for others through their creation of national and global communities. In this episode, you’ll hear from board member, Sam Archibald, about the newly-launched Canadian Typography Archives, the impetus that lead to the project, as well as the driving force behind it. You'll hear about the uniquely Canadian perspective missing from type history books and how the archive plans to fill in the gaps now and in the future, including the goal to include diverse representation. You can find lots of links in the show notes at talkpaperscissors.info. 

This episode was recorded as part of a guest lecture series in GCM 230 - Typography in fall 2023 at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University. 

I'm all about interesting projects with interesting people!
Let's Connect on the web or via Instagram. :)