Typography Toolkit: Five Design Principles for Better Type-Based Projects

Course code: 25FTY002I

This in-person workshop takes place at CBA on Thursdays, October 16th - 23rd from 6PM to 9PM ET.

  • Thursday, October 16th, 6PM to 9PM ET
  • Thursday, October 23rd, 6PM to 9PM ET

Please note that registration for this workshop will close October 2nd, at 11:59pm.


About this Workshop

Is your typography falling flat or just not quite saying what you want it to? This two-day, beginner-friendly workshop is for anyone working on a type-based project that needs constructive critique paired with tools you can apply to future work. No prior experience is required—just bring a printed work-in-progress to refine, whether it’s a book, poster, zine, or set of prints—something you’re stuck on, revisiting, or ready to improve. On the first day, we’ll explore five key design principles—Style, Spacing, Contrast, Color, and Proportion—through visual examples, collaborative discussion, and guided feedback. In the second session, we’ll reconvene to share progress and reflect on how your typography has evolved—and where it can go next. You’ll walk away with a refined project, a sharper eye, a deeper understanding of how to shape type with purpose, and a practical method you can return to in future projects. Whether you're looking to get unstuck, polish a design, or build confidence in your visual voice, this workshop offers a supportive space to think and design through type.


Required Materials

  • Bring a typographic project where text drives the communication. This could be a book, poster, series of prints, or even a digital banner—anything where typography takes center stage. Choose a project where you have full control over the final appearance of the type. (For example, websites are not ideal since rendering can vary.)

All other materials will be provided by Center for Book Arts.


About the Instructor

Ana Sofia Mariz is a multi-cultural designer, educator, and visual artist specializing in typography. She creates books, fonts, and prints, with work recognized in exhibitions in both Brazil and the US. Born in St. Petersburg, raised in Rio de Janeiro, and based in the US since 2012, Ana’s practice is shaped by migration and cultural exchange. These experiences inform her inclusive, empathic approach to design and teaching. Passionate about sharing knowledge, she has taught at institutions in Brazil and the US, creating learning environments that empower creatives to explore and develop their own visual-graphic language. She is currently expanding her typographic work into a publishing venture dedicated to tools for creatives and visual thinkers.


All images courtesy of the instructor.

Class size is limited to 8 participants to ensure an optimal participant to Instructor ratio. Register now before spots fill up! Registration for this workshop closes on October 2nd at 11:59pm. Tuition for this course is $210 + a $25 materials fee.If you cannot comfortably pay tuition but are interested in taking this class, please consider filling out ourfinancial assistance application here. We will notify you if you are selected to receive a scholarship before the start date of the class. To view more information about our current scholarship opportunities, please visitthis link.

8 Remaining

$235