Module: MGRA501.1
Authorship & Interaction | Ba(Hons) Graphic Communication Design | University of Westminster

Dave Crossland

Graduated from Ravensbourne College,
Studied the BA Interaction Design programme.

Graduated from University of Reading’s
MA Typeface Design programme

Consultant at Google Web Fonts, commisioner for new type face designed for the web

Dave Crossland's workshop based on free software for type design was exactly that, learning about the free software available on the web for designers to use to produce typefaces.
It was interesting to learn about the range of ideas that could come life with available software, as a designer I could initially design my own typeface for free and get commissioned for it's uses, rather than using a software that I would have to pay for, like the Adobe Collection, the free software has the same uses, although some options may vary, enables you to create designs at the same level as you would have them on an Adobe program. And on the plus side, it's free.

In the words of Dave, 'free software' doesn't necessarily mean 'not paid for', but rather having the freedom for each designer would be free to do these four things,

1. Use software without limitations
2. Modify software, all source files being available to use
3. Share/redistribute
4. Deciding the future direction of the software

Also, to help us deteriorate from fatal mistakes whilst designing on the computer, we were asked to draw outlines of the letters n, a and o, this way we could understand the letters surface structures before going ahead on the software.

He then told us about the software FontForge, showed us the basics, so then we were ready to begin. We were first asked to design an N and O, because the alignments and positions are simple for a beginner and by designing these two letters first we were able to determine the space and positions that was needed to design other letters.

The Dave Crossland/FontForge workshop has helped me discover new software which is easy to use, in the end you are left with great results of your own type design. I was a nice experience to have listened to Dave Crossland and his education/work history.