Type@Cooper Display Type, full title Principles of Typeface Design: Display Type, is a live online workshop from Type@Cooper at The Cooper Union, taught by Zrinka Buljubašić. Over the spring 2027 term you take a display typeface from hand sketches to a digitised font, learning workflow, spacing and how to plan a family along the way. Classes run on Tuesdays from 23 February to 20 April 2027, 6:30 to 9:30 pm Eastern Time, on Zoom with a Slack group. The fee is $1,055 and registration opens on 5 January 2027.

Display type is a good way into type design. Letters meant for headlines and posters can be expressive, and you can design a basic character set without the endless refinement that text faces demand. The workshop uses that freedom while still teaching the habits professionals rely on, such as proofing and drawing with interpolation in mind. It is open to beginners and to people with some experience, which makes it a practical first step before a longer programme.

What You Will Learn

The workshop follows the full journey of a display typeface. Topics include:

Developing letterforms through manual sketches, using broad-nib and pointed-nib tools
Moving from sketches to a digitised typeface
A working design workflow from start to finish
Spacing letters so words read evenly
Planning a type family
Designing a basic Latin character set
Drawing with interpolation and variable fonts in mind
Proofing your typeface and acting on what the proofs show

Who Is Type@Cooper Display Type For?

The workshop is open to beginners and experienced designers alike. It suits graphic designers who want to try type design, lettering artists ready to turn drawn letters into a working font, and designers who have dabbled in font software but want a structured process.

It is less suited to people who cannot attend live evening sessions in Eastern Time, since the classes are taught live. You also need a Mac, so Windows users will need to arrange access to one. If you already design typefaces professionally, the Type@Cooper Advanced Type Design: Open Studio workshop may be a better fit.

Schedule

The workshop meets on Tuesdays, 6:30 to 9:30 pm ET:

Start: Tuesday 23 February 2027
End: Tuesday 20 April 2027
Sessions: the official page lists nine sessions, although its description also calls it a ten-week course, so confirm the exact count when you register
Platform: live classes on Zoom, with Slack for discussion between sessions

Expect the early sessions to focus on sketching and form, and later ones on digitising, spacing and proofing, in line with the topics above.

Price and Access

The Type@Cooper Display Type workshop costs $1,055. Registration opens on 5 January 2027. Places on live workshops can be limited, so it is worth registering soon after that date. RoboFont is available on a free temporary educational licence for the duration of the course.

About the Instructor

Zrinka Buljubašić is a Croatian type and graphic designer based in Mexico. She holds an MA in Typeface Design from TypeMedia at the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK), and is a graduate of the Type@Cooper Condensed programme, so she knows the Cooper approach from the student side.

Things to Consider

Equipment: you need a Mac, Zoom, Slack and InDesign, plus sketching tools.
Pens: have a broad-nib pen (a 3.0 mm parallel pen) and a pointed nib ready for the sketching sessions.
Software: RoboFont is provided on a free temporary educational licence, so you do not need to buy a font editor.
Time zone: sessions are 6:30 to 9:30 pm Eastern Time; check what that means where you live.
Practice: allow time between sessions to draw and digitise; the weekly class is only part of the work.
Next steps: after this, the Type@Cooper Condensed summer programme in New York or a full master's are longer options.

Register for the Workshop

Interested in learning with Type@Cooper?

For the full syllabus and registration, visit the official Type@Cooper website.

Looking for more ways to learn? Browse all courses and learning resources on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: November 12, 2026

Principles of Typeface Design: Display Type at Type@Cooper