The Type Studio / Typeface Development

The Type Studio specializes in typeface development — it’s as simple as that! With over two decades of experience in typeface design and production, we are uniquely qualified to meet any ‘type’ needs.

What is typeface development?
Typeface development consists of a number of stages in the process of designing a typeface. It ranges from conceptualizing a design to the final productization, and can include:
• development of a design concept
• digitization
• building standard character set
• spacing and kerning
• hinting
• productization

Why is it important?
Typeface design is both an art and a craft. A high quality, professional strength typeface begins with a strong concept followed by the artistic and technical skill to execute it. Many potentially successful designs miss their mark due to inconsistent proportions, uneven color, poor letterfit, and improper kerning.

Why us?
Our strength and expertise lies in typeface development as an art and craft. Ilene has worked with type designers all over the world to help develop their concepts into high-quality, professional fonts. She is recognized for her keen eye, high standards and extreme attention to detail. Her in-depth knowledge of typography and all aspects of typeface design and development have earned her the respect of the top designers in the industry.

What do type designers say about working with Ilene Strizver?
“She’s the font doctor...an invisible angel...” Dave Farey

What do we do?
Our services include but are not limited to:
• art direction of type design concepts, both text and display
• digitization and outline editing
• expert spacing and custom, character-by-character kern tables (we do not auto space or auto kern)
• custom font modifications
• custom character sets including fractions, symbols, foreign characters, and logos
• custom typeface design
• training in any of the above

Who might benefit from our services?
We work with a wide variety of clients, from large corporations to individuals. Our clients include:
• type foundries
• corporations
• publishers
• publications
• design studios
• agencies
• type designers

NEW! Professional Typeface Review
The Type Studio is now offering highly professional, detailed typeface critiques to any type designer, from the neophyte to the highly experienced. Once only accessible to a select few, this extremely informative and beneficial review is now available to everyone. Get more details.

ATTENTION:
Hand letterers, calligraphers and illustrator!
The Type Studio works closely with artists to develop and expand hand lettering, calligraphy, logos and handwriting into full-blown typefaces. Some of the most exciting and gratifying projects are working with artists to convert their work into high quality, full-strength typefaces. The successful translation of a concept that works for one situation into a typeface that works for many requires a different sensibility and approach. We have an in-depth understanding of this process and find this kind of collaboration to be extremely rewarding.


	Ilene Strizver of The Type Studio has directed the development of more than 300 text and display typefaces including such award-winning and best-selling type designs as: TDC2 2002 Type Design Competition Award for Typographic Excellence ITC Jeepers & Woodley Park — Nick Curtis, designer TDC2 2001 Type Design Competition Award for Typographic Excellence ITC Aspera— Olivera Stojadinovic, designer TDC2 2000 Type Design Competition Judge’s Choice ITC Silvermoon — Akira Kobayashi, designer TDC2 1999 Type Design Competition Judge’s Choice ITC Humana — Tim Donaldson, designer Award for Typographic Excellence ITC Bailey Sans — Kevin Bailey, designer ITC Bodoni Seventy-two — design team led by Sumner Stone ITC Braganza — Phill Grimshaw, designer ITC Cancione — Brenda Walton, designer ITC Golden Cockerel — Dave Farey, designer ITC Vintage — Ilene Strizver & Holly Goldsmith, designers ITC Woodland — Akira Kobayashi, designer bukva:raz! ATypI Type Design Competition Winner ITC Biblon — Frantisek Storm, designer Best-selling fonts design-directed by Ilene Strizver: ITC Conduit — Mark van Bronkhorst, designer ITC Edwardian Script — Ed Benguiat, designer ITC Franklin Gothic Condensed Series — modified from the original by David Berlow / Font Bureau ITC Officina Family — Erik Spiekermann, designer ITC Stone Family — Sumner Stone, designer


	What do type designers say about working with Ilene? “ILENE STRIZVER is an extremely knowledgeable and experienced designer, a competent, efficient and dependable business person, and a very talented artist. Because she is intelligent, insightful and humorous, working with her has always been an enlightening experience as well as a total joy.” — Jill Bell (USA), designer of ITC Caribbean, ITC Clover “WORKING TOGETHER with you on the ITC Dyadis series has been one of those collaborations that I have enjoyed very much indeed. I believe that working over distances needs a good basis of trust, particularly a collaboration on a text family where every single character requires attention. Therefore, in retrospect I have enjoyed the discussions and reviews on details with you the most, as you have been always very supportive and sincere, which made me feel not only very comfortable, but also refined the series in a constructive way.” — Yvonne Diedrich (Austria), designer of ITC Dyadis “BRINGING TYPEFONTS to market over the last 15 years has become more simplified by steady technical improvements and increments, but it can still be a harrowing experience. My own fledgling digital flights, dating from the late 1980's with ITC, were developed on a learning curve with Ilene Strizver, who I would go so far as to describe as an invisible angel. I’m as unsure and in need of re-assurance as the next type designer (don’t let any of them with an ego fool you) and positive feedback and co-operation are Ilene’s style. I wish she had been around on some other projects, where other commercial foundries or in-house IT managers just didn’t have the feel, or understand the nuances of a collaborative exercise. Ilene’s work may not be brain surgery, but typographically it's as near as it can be. If you want your fonts to live and breathe, space and kern, she’s the font doctor.” — Dave Farey (UK), designer of ITC Johnston, ITC Golden Cockerel, ITC Highlander, ITC Ozwald, ITC Beesknees “WORKING WITH ILENE was instructive as well as pleasant. She instills a high level of trust. It was a privilege to have access to Ilene’s expertise; she truly made my work better.” — Joe Stitzlein (USA), designer of ITC Tactile