Creative Characters

This week, host Dan Rhatigan talks with NYC-based identity designer and type researcher Raven Mo. Raven studies cultural essentialism in typography and dives into her research on chop suey fonts—a Latin style of letterform that is meant to visually signal "Chineseness"—and why they are problematic.
Raven and Dan also discuss multilingual typography, the importance of local expertise, and why translation alone doesn't make a design resonate.
Check out Raven's work at ravenmo.info or follow her on Instagram @ravenmodesign. 
You can find blog posts for this and other episodes at monotype.com/resources/podcast.

This week, host Dan Rhatigan catches up with Felipe Casaprima and Álvaro Franca of Barcelona-based Naipe Foundry. Felipe and Álvaro met while studying typography in Rio de Janeiro and launched Naipe in 2018 with a goal of telling Brazilian stories through type.
The two tell the story behind their retail font that's inspired by stone-carved letters at São Paulo's Pacaembu stadium; share how they built the foundry across continents and time zones; and discuss how community and collaboration have helped their foundry grow.
Check out Naipe's work at https://naipefoundry.com
You can find blog posts for this and other episodes at https://www.monotype.com/resources/podcast

This week, host Graham Sturt sits down with Jim Sutherland to talk about London-based Studio Sutherl&—a design practice built on ideas, collaboration, and joy.

Jim explains why he avoids a fixed house style, why discomfort can lead to better outcomes, and how a spontaneous trip to Wales led to his involvement in MTTR, a sustainable denim brand.

Follow Jim's work at https://studio-sutherland.co.uk or on Instagram @studio_sutherland.

In this episode, we enter the world of serial tinkerer, Matt Holmes. A world where printing presses are rebuilt with 3D-printed parts and the finer points of typography are mastered through the trial and error of making physical type.

Tune in for a conversation about curiosity, experimentation, and why learning sometimes works best when we slow down and make things with our hands.
You can find blog posts for this and other episodes at https://www.monotype.com/resources/podcast

This week, Graham Sturt sits down with legendary British designer Ben Kelly to explore the ideas, collaborations, and creative philosophy behind a career that has shaped British design culture.

From the iconic Hacienda nightclub to museums, exhibitions, and public spaces, Ben reflects on designing for longevity rather than fashion, finding inspiration in unexpected places, and why context is the starting point for great design.

You can find blog posts for this and other episodes at https://www.monotype.com/resources/podcast.