Type Electives Lecture Series:

Extending Latin Language Support with David Jonathan Ross

Join us for a series of insightful conversations exploring the challenges of language support, diacritic design, and the role of type design in language revitalization. Our guests will share their experiences designing for diverse languages and scripts, offering both practical insights and critical perspectives.

In this session we’ll be speaking with David Jonathan Ross about Extending Latin Language Support, exploring both the technical challenges and cultural considerations involved in expanding type design beyond basic Latin. From crafting diacritics to drawing localized forms, we’ll discuss key aspects of multilingual type development. We'll also dive into broader questions: How do we navigate the complexities of language support? Whose standards are we following? Is there even a standard?

Expect an engaging discussion filled with practical takeaways, historical context, and a deeper understanding of the responsibility that comes with designing for global audiences.

This session will feature a short presentation, followed by a conversation moderated by Juan and Lynne, and an open Q&A for the attendees.

Send us your questions through our Instagram @typeelectives

The event will be hosted online via Zoom.

We look forward to having you with us!

David Jonathan Ross

David Jonathan Ross draws letters of all shapes and sizes for custom and retail typeface designs from his studio in the woods of Western Massachusetts. A native of Los Angeles, he began drawing typefaces at Hampshire College and joined The Font Bureau in 2007 where he honed his bézier-wrangling skills. Now he publishes his typeface designs at his own foundry, DJR, as well as developing unusual display faces for his Font of the Month Club.

Instagram: @djrrb