Variable fonts have been a topic of growing curiosity in the type world — but how do we use them? Have you ever thought about building your own variable type tester, or wondered how they’re brought to life on the web?

Over two afternoons, this class will explore how to utilize variable fonts to create new digital experiences, opening new doors and finding fresh avenues for experimentation...and fun!

This is an intermediate level course, and students are expected to have a basic knowledge of programming concepts and the fundamentals of HTML, CSS, and Javascript. P5.js will be the main programming library for the course, a beginner-friendly Javascript framework.

Prerequisite Skills:

• Basic knowledge of programming concepts
• Familiarity with basics of HTML, CSS, and Javascript

Required Materials:

• Access to a laptop computer (or equivalent)
• Reliable internet connection

Techniques covered in this course will include time and interaction-based CSS manipulation and animation on the web using variable font features.

Lynne Yun is a NYC-based type designer and educator who specializes in typography, hand lettering, and calligraphy. She is a board member of AIGA NY and was previously a full time type designer at Monotype. During her tenure, she created custom typefaces for clients and a number of retail typefaces, including the Trade Gothic Display and Inline families. Prior to working at Monotype, Lynne held positions as a graphic designer at companies such as Apple Inc. and served on the board of Society of Scribes, a non-profit organization dedicated to calligraphy in NYC. She holds a BFA from the School of Visual Arts and a postgraduate certificate in typeface design from the Type@Cooper Extended Program. In pursuit of technology in relation to letterforms, she attended the School for Poetic Computation residency program and is now working on a masters degree at ITP in New York University. Her work has been recognized by organizations such as AIGA, Type Directors Club and Art Directors Club, notably the Ascenders award which honors designers under the age of 35 who show remarkable achievement in typography, type design, and lettering.

Kevin Yeh is an NYC-based developer with a background in computer vision, graphics and robotic learning. He holds an MS in computer science and film studies from the University of Texas at Austin, and currently holds a full-time position at Nava PBC, where he works with government partners to build simple and reliable public digital services. Prior to Nava, he supported artists and creatives as an engineer at Kickstarter, acted as director of innovation for HackTX, and participated in the hackNY residential fellowship as student and mentor.

As a technologist, his work reflects broad and varied interests to imagine, reconstruct, and relate to the natural world through the lenses of augmented reality, computer animation, and mobile hardware. By wrangling complex machinations and building open and accessible tools, he hopes to empower others to experiment with and leverage technology within their own communities to create something new.