“The increase in the publication of new quality fonts over the past few years, did make it harder to be a one-man/woman foundry if you expect to make a living out of selling your typefaces. We think it is more viable to join forces and create a kind of type cooperative.”—Veronica Burain
Veronika Burian + José Scaglione: Founders, Type Together / Spain + Argentina
type-together.com
“the increase in the publication of new quality fonts over the past few years, did make it harder to be a one-man/woman foundry if you expect to make a living out of selling your typefaces. we think it is more viable to join forces and create a kind of type cooperative.”—veronica burain
Interview with Veronica Burain:
Do you each have studios in Spain and Argentina?
Yes, we both have a studio in our respective houses. Our employees are in Germany, England, Greece, and Argentina; and we have more collaborators spread out around the globe. We collaborate remotely through Skype and email, and we use an online project management software to keep track of our projects. We try to talk every day, and we are both involved in every decision.
The company is registered in Prague, but we do not have a representative studio there.
Type Sample Poster
courtesy of type together
How often do you meet?
I meet with José about 2 or 3 times a year, and we see the rest of the team once a year at AtypI.
Does proximity impact your collaborative process?
The actual process does not really change, but it can be more intense in person. However, we mainly talk about other parts of the business and about new font ideas. We do not do heavy design or font production work, which is so time consuming that it would be a waste of our time together. It is helpful to be in the same place when developing ideas for a new design, and to give feedback on drawings to our team. One of the first things that we did when starting TypeTogether, was to set up our standards of quality, which is something we take very seriously. We also make a conscious effort to plan our projects with a good understanding of where our font-library is heading long-term.
Bree Serif Type Specimen
designed by henrique nardi
courtesy of type together
Are type design studios trending towards smaller, interdisciplinary collaboratives?
Yes. The democratization of tools and the commercialization of typography via the internet allow small operations to exist. The indie foundries are a relatively new development, and they bring a breath of fresh air to the industry. The increase in the publication of new quality fonts over the past few years, did make it harder to be a one-man/woman foundry if you expect to make a living out of selling your typefaces. We think it is more viable to join forces and create a kind of type cooperative, which we have seen happening.
Abril Fatface used in Logotype for the Magazine The Journal
courtesy of type together
Do you both work on a single aspect simultaneously?
We can work on any aspect of a font, and the rule of thumb is that we both have to look at everything at least once. We try to keep several projects open simultaneously, so we can mix it up a bit. Also, we like to step away from projects and leave them for a little while in a drawer, so we can come back to them with fresher eyes. We trust each other, both professionally and personally, and we do not feel over-protective of our “type curves.” It is essential for both of us to have the other person’s opinion and eye. It is also important that we share a similar view on our profession, and that we are both quite critical of our own work. It allows us to keep working on doing stuff better and more efficiently.
Maiola used in the Book Vzkazy Domu (Stories by Czech Immigrants)
designed by filip blazek
courtesy of type together
What is your collaborative process with clients?
Most of our clients are spread around the globe, so we don’t actually get to meet them in-person. Depending on the nature of the project, we discuss the brief with them via Skype, email, or phone; then we send them our presentation and discuss it again. This feedback loop can happen several times over.