Even with some type experience under my belt, starting a new project can still feel daunting. That’s what led me to enroll in Type Electives’ Crash Course in Revival Type Design, taught by Libbie Bischoff. In just five fast-paced weeks, it offered exactly what solo type work often lacks: structure, accountability, and a community of designers eager to share ideas (and occasionally commiserate over Bézier curves).
What is Revival Type?
Revival type is about breathing new life into historical letterforms—typically ones that are out of copyright—while preserving their spirit and adapting them for modern use. As a bit of a history nerd with a background in printmaking and art history, I love digging into these old forms. It’s a practical way to study type fundamentals without starting entirely from scratch, and it’s perfect for working in a limited timeframe.
Why revival type? And why not start with the next general Crash Course in Type Design? A revival doesn’t have to mean a strict recreation. Not everyone sets out to make a 1:1 replica of their source material—and often a designer’s creative liberties allow it to evolve into something new over time. My goal was to modernize a clunky piece of heavy wood type into something more practical for modern use, but still full of the character that initially drew me in.
Getting Started
Before the first class, we gathered reference specimens: Western wood type, classic book serifs, ornate display faces. Having previously worked on a traditional serif revival, I knew I wanted to explore something different. Libbie directed us to zines from past cohorts, where I was drawn to the variety of quirky, oddball revivals.
I eventually landed on a late-1800s Italian reverse-contrast design—eccentric and full of personality. Designed by Vincent Figgins in 1846, it stood out for its long, curved serifs and rounded terminals, a striking contrast to the heavy, geometric Italians of its era. Its slabs provided quick structure, while the unusual forms offered just the right level of challenge for a five-week sprint. I later discovered it was also the first Italian style to include a complete lowercase set.
Learning Glyphs
I’ve dabbled in type design before, even a previous revival project back in college, but I’d always stuck with Robofont (licensed through my school). This class was my long-awaited push to dive into Glyphs, and more importantly, get back into a critique based environment where I could share in-progress work, troubleshoot in real time, and have multiple eyes on my work (well…virtually, but still far better than relying solely on Glyph’s Handbook).
The class drew a surprisingly varied mix: beginners, hobbyists, and experienced designers, logging in from across the world. To my amazement, one classmate even joined at 5 a.m. Each student brought a unique goal—some wanted to refine their logo work, others were continuing their journey from a previous Type Electives course, and a few simply sought a creative outlet and the chance to connect with fellow designers.
The Design Challenge
The course was self-paced, with the minimum requirement to create a full Latin uppercase. My initial plan was to do a faithful revival, filling in missing characters with elements from similar Italian designs. But once I had enough characters to typeset small paragraphs, something felt off. The proportions were beautiful in isolation, but the overall texture was sparkly and distracting at smaller scales.
With guidance from Libbie and our TA (hi, Dashaen 👋), I adjusted the proportions, narrowed the forms, and lightened the slabs while keeping just enough of the funky serifs that gave it character. I’m still curious to revisit it someday and see if I can work out a version with the original curved serifs. Libbie also pointed out that much of the uneasiness came from the reverse contrast in the diagonals, so we flipped them.
Since the revival was meant for display use—logos, headlines, short words—I focused on how it felt at large sizes. If it looked balanced and playful there, it was doing its job. With the initial forms now in place, I’m excited to push the design further, though it’s still very much a work in progress.
Structure and Community
Starting something new can feel like a hurdle. Having deadlines, feedback, and peers cheering you on makes it far easier to stay motivated than working in isolation. By the end of five weeks, I had a complete draft of the basic Latin alphabet—plus the energy, direction, and resources to keep going.
This course was a reminder that the hardest part is simply starting. If you’ve ever been curious about type design or revival projects, this kind of guided sprint is a practical, energizing way to dive in, and walk away with something tangible to build on.
Curious about revival type design? Libbie’s Crash Course in Revival Type Design is a recurring class, so keep an eye out for the next registration period. Let us know what courses you’d love to see next!
We’re nearing the end of our Fall term. 🍂 Thanks for being apart of it! Tag us @typeelectives so we can feature your work.
Kate
This is amazing!! Thanks for sharing your typeface Kate! You were a delight to have in class!