Type Tidbits for 2008

Happy new year! Lets start out double-ought-eight with a few nuggets of important news.

• As is their annual routine, the TDC extended the deadline of their annual type design competition to January 4 January 11. The TDC2 is the premier (and currently the only(?), juried contest of type design and always produces some interesting and successful winners, as well as a traveling exhibition. With two of the greatest living type designers (Carter and Unger) on board, the jury is especially strong this time around. This is also the first year in which electronic (PDF) entries will be accepted, removing a hurdle that may have prevented lots of worthy entrants — especially those in Europe and South America. Now if they’d only make the fees more reasonable by dropping the silly “hanging” fees leveraged on winners.


• TypeCon will be held this year in Buffalo, July 15–20. I’ve heard a bit of grumbling about the small-town location, but the region is steeped in design and printing history and as a SOTA board member I can ensure that it will be an excellent conference, as usual. Calls for TypeCon and Education Forum speakers are posted. I encourage anyone who wants to share something interesting with the typographic community to submit their paper or program proposal.


• Typographica’s review of our favorite typefaces of 2007 is in production and we’ll publish it far more promptly than in past years. Keep your refresh fingers pushing and your feed readers running — the article will grace this space very soon.