PODCAST · arts
Creative Characters
by Monotype
We live in a world awash in typography - whether we realize it or not. From the road signs that lead us home to the phones in our pockets, typography is front and center in nearly every waking moment of our day. Come meet the people and hear the stories behind the letters that shape our world.
Episodes
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Raven Mo on chop suey fonts, multilingual type, and the myth of authenticity.
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…
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From Rio to Barcelona: Naipe Foundry on making Brazilian-inspired type.
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...
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Jim Sutherland on slowing down to make things that matter.
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…
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Matt Holmes on tinkering, type, and the joy of making.
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…
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Ben Kelly on designing spaces that shape culture.
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…
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Typography, AI, and the future of design tools with Typogram.
What if design tools helped you make smarter design decisions? This week, Dan Rhatigan talks with Typogram co-founders Hua Shu and Wenting Zhang about typography, side projects, AI, and the thrill of building tools for other creatives. Hua and Wenting share how New York's visual landscape shaped...
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Crafting thoughtful designs with Hugh Miller of Pentagram.
In this episode, Tom Foley speaks with Pentagram Partner Hugh Miller about creativity, collaboration, and the experiences that shape a design career. From music and typography to sketchbooks, record sleeves, and creative partnerships, Hugh reflects on the importance of self-critique, surrounding...
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Marta Cerdà Alimbau on why design needs time.
What happens to creativity when designers are expected to work faster? In this episode, host Phil Garnham speaks with Barcelona-based designer and typographer Marta Cerdà Alimbau about the growing tension between speed, technology, and creating meaningful design work. Known for blending…
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John Trauscht on what it takes to design at Pixar.
What does it take to bring a Pixar film to life for audiences around the world? In this episode, host Bill Connolly sits down with John Trauscht, Senior Graphic Designer at Pixar Animation Studios, to explore the craft behind adapting films for global audiences and the creative mindset that makes...
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The Stone Twins on craft, conflict, and creative chemistry.
What happens when your creative partner is also your identical twin? In this episode, The Stone Twins—Garech and Declan Stone—share how a lifelong relationship built on trust, honesty, and a bit of friction fuels their work. From their upbringing in Dublin to building a studio in Amsterdam, they...
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Sofie Beier breaks down legibility for designers.
What makes something easy — or frustrating — to read? In this episode, typeface legibility expert Sofie Beier shares an introduction to legibility and readability from a designer's point of view. Sofie and host Terrance Weinzierl discuss common legibility myths, how typeface designers should plan...
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Finding your creative voice with Goodtype.
This week we're joined by the dynamic duo of Ilana Griffo and Katie Johnson. They're creatives, co-owners of Goodtype, and co-authors of a new book, Follow Your Art: Uncover and Unleash Your Creative Voice. With a community of 1 million on Instagram — as well as digital courses and events IRL —...
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How type design changed everything for Magdalena Arasanz.
In this episode, host Kelci Elliott sits down with Magdalena Arasanz, co-founder of W Type Foundry, to talk about falling unexpectedly in love with type, building a creative business from scratch, and what it really takes to turn design obsession into momentum. From quirky experimental fonts and...
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Signal Type: Crafting letters with passion and precision.
New York-born Max Phillips has been drawing letters for money since he was a teenager. But his path to full-time type design was a bit circuitous — and even involves a stint as a novelist. Join us as Max, founder of Dublin-based Signal Type, waxes poetically about designing typefaces. He shares…
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Shaping Thai type and design with Cadson Demak.
This week, we travel to Thailand to hear the story behind Cadson Demak, the Bangkok-based type foundry and design studio that has been shaping the landscape of Thai typography and design for 25 years. Host Dan Rhatigan chats with Founding Partner Anuthin Wongsunkakon and Senior Type Designer…
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Designing the future with Malcolm Garrett.
Step into the world of Malcolm Garrett, an iconic British graphic designer whose career is grounded in punk rock and new technology.In this episode, Malcolm talks about designing record sleeves for bands like Buzzcocks, Duran Duran, and Simple Minds, as well as his enthusiasm for adopting new...
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Tackling climate change with creativity, with Bruce Mau Design.
Toronto-based Bruce Mau Design is known for tackling environmental, social, and economic problems with design. Kar Yan Cheung, Director of Design Strategy at Bruce Mau, and Laura Stein, Bruce Mau's Chief Creative Officer, joined us to talk about optimism, the realistic potential for design to...
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The fun of finding fonts at Adobe MAX 2025.
Tune in for an inside scoop on Adobe Max 2025, a hub for creativity and design. In this episode, hosts Carl Unger, Kadley Gosselin, and Livia Halltari guide participants through an interactive Find the Font game and reveal which font they'd send in their place to a job interview. We also trade...
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Balancing expressiveness and readability with Cyla Costa.
Cyla Costa's work feels alive. Hailing from Curitiba, Brazil, she's an award-winning graphic artist and type designer known for expressive lettering and vibrant color palettes. Feminism, strength, inclusivity, and culture are a few of the themes her work explores. This week, Cyla chats with host...
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Connecting people to places with Joy Nazzari.
In this episode, Joy Nazzari chats about her corner of the design world—place branding—with host Marie Boulanger. Joy is the Founder and Executive Chair of DNCO, an agency that's done branding for neighborhoods in London, New York, and Vancouver as well as the city of San Francisco. From her…
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Type, travel, and togetherness with Veronika Burian.
What does it take to build an international type foundry from scratch — and keep it thriving for nearly two decades? In this episode, host Doug Wilson talks with Veronika Burian, co-founder of the independent type foundry TypeTogether. From her background in industrial design to discovering a…
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Designing community and culture with Cihan Tamti.
Host Livia Halltari chats with Cihan Tamti, a graphic designer based in Bochum, Germany. Cihan designs for clients like Nike, Calvin Klein, and Ms. Lauryn Hill. Yet he's passionate about designing in his community, spending time each year on the identity for a local film festival called DOXS RUHR...
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Reprint: Getting into the 'heavy stuff' with Aaron Draplin.
Aaron Draplin likely needs little introduction. He's one of the most beloved and best-known graphic designers working today. People fill auditoriums for his talks and workshops, wait in long lines to take selfies and buy Draplin Design Company merch, and fill his DMs with requests for advice. In...
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From passion to Pink Pony with Kristy Campbell.
This week we sit down with Kristy Campbell, the founder of Pink Pony Creative, a New Zealand-based design agency known for its bold style: think hot pink, variable fonts, and playful patterns. We originally met Kristy at Adobe Max, where she's spoken about crafting sticky brand identities and the...
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Inside Tipoteca Italiana with Sandro Berra.
Join host Dan Rhatigan as he sits down with Sandro Berra, the Coordinator of Tipoteca Italiana, a world-class type museum, archive, and print shop located in the charming countryside of Cornuda, Italy. Dan has been teaching at TipoItalia — a type residency at Tipoteca — for the past three summers...
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From Tennessee to typography with David Jon Walker.
This week, we sit down with designer David Jon Walker and talk about his journey from Nashville to Yale. We explore how David's roots, family inspirations (his quilting grandmother!), and a persistent drive to learn have shaped his style and career in typography and design. David candidly shares...
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Reprint: Irreverent type design with James Edmondson.
Ohno Type Company is an industry rebel. Equal parts punk and precision, the studio is a direct reflection of founder James' Edmondson love of expression and eccentricity. From globular California hippie text (Chee) to deceptively complex takes on classic geometric forms (Polymath), James and his...
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Designing beyond trends with Alex Swatridge of DutchScot.
Alex Swatridge is the kind of creative you wish you could just sit down and brainstorm with. In this episode, host Graham Sturt talks to Alex about co-founding DutchScot, her London-based design agency that's making waves with bold, award-winning work. Preferring to gain inspiration from physical...
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Bryan Edmondson on crafting simplicity.
Get ready for an honest chat with Bryan Edmondson, the visionary force behind London-based SEA Design. In this episode, Bryan shares his thoughtful approach to design and studio culture and explains why developing a simple design isn't as simple as it looks. From focusing on identities that tell…
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Reprint: Waves of summer inspiration.
We're ready for summer here at Creative Characters, so we decided to dig into the archives and explore the seasonal rhythms that influence art and life. From the ephemeral art of beach calligraphy by South Africa's Andrew van der Merwe, to photographer Tyler Haughey's striking portraits of...
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Sara Soskolne: A life shaped by letters.
From studying 19th-century sans serifs to expanding Gotham for the Obama Foundation, Sara Soskolne's career has helped define how the world reads today. In this episode, Doug Wilson sits down with his longtime friend and brilliant type designer, Sara Soskolne, for an honest, wide-ranging...
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Women of Type: Crafting Community with Jess Goldsmith.
Hold onto your sketchpads! This week, Livia Halltari sits down with Jess Goldsmith, the one-woman-show behind Women of Type. Jess talks about her creative journey — from doodling graffiti-inspired letters as a kid to building a global community that amplifies lettering work from women and...
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Trevor Jackson: How to remix your career and stay independent.
In this week's episode, host Graham Sturt joins British designer and music producer Trevor Jackson in his Shoreditch studio. Surrounded by an impressive collection of music ephemera, they discuss Trevor's creative approach, how he got into designing record sleeves for early house and hip-hop...
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How Kris Andrew Small found his groove: movement, color, and making art that matters.
On this week's episode, Sydney-based artist Kris Andrew Small shares his journey from frustrated graphic designer to global creative powerhouse. He spills on how he transformed personal passion into bold, high-energy artwork that breaks rules and speaks volumes. From collaborating with icons like...
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From Biden to Harris: rebranding at lightning speed with Shar Biggers.
In this episode of Creative Characters, we dive into the whirlwind world of political design with Shar Biggers, the creative mind behind some of the most memorable campaign visuals in recent US politics. Join us as we chat about Shar's unexpected journey into political campaign branding, from...
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Re:Vision 2025: Shaping the future through design.
Typography is more than just choosing cool fonts — it gives designers and brands the power to take action and spark change. This episode of Creative Characters is all about shaking things up in the design world with Monotype's Re:Vision, a transformative approach to our annual Type Trends report....
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Nerding out on 3D type and creativity with Taekyeom Lee.
Ever wondered what happens when you combine ceramics with typography and throw in a DIY 3D printer for good measure? Join us for a delightful chat with Taekyeom Lee, the graphic designer and educator who takes typography off the page and into the third dimension. Host Doug Wilson dives deep into...
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You're going to need a passport: Simon Waterfall on sharpening and expanding your design practice.
Creative Director Simon Waterfall is a creative character in every sense. Simon's built multiple creative agencies and has worked for global brands, like Intel, Airbnb, and Vevo. Now he's about to launch a new product: a sustainable cocktail in a can, developed with James Beard Award-winning…
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Cat How on building a branding agency that stands out.
Cat How launched How&How in May 2020, during the height of the pandemic, with her husband, Roger. Four years later, they're an agency of about 20 people, with studios in London and Los Angeles. In this episode, host Tom Foley chats with Cat about building an ethical branding agency, tackling big...
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Kelli Anderson on the art and power of papercraft.
Kelli Anderson makes objects out of paper that explore design and the world around us. Her popular books — "This Book is a Camera" and "This Book is a Planetarium" — both include pop-up stripped down paper contraptions designed to teach how common objects — like cameras, speakers, and stringed...
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Searching for our inner child at Adobe MAX 2024.
This year, Adobe MAX migrated to Miami Beach, attracting thousands of creatives for three days of inspiring talks, playful brand activations, and a "total creative nerd fest," as one guest told us. Throughout the week, we brought people inside a universe of type, had heartfelt conversations about...
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Exploring the American design story behind Field Notes with Jim Coudal.
Field Notes notebooks are a staple in many creative lives. Aaron Draplin started the brand back in 2000-somethin', inspired by the old, frayed agricultural company memo books he'd find while out junking around Midwestern farm country. These promotional notebooks were giveaways — a throwback to…
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Never snap to guides: Exploring creative freedom with David Carson.
Host Graham Sturt sits down with graphic design icon, David Carson. Known for his revolutionary work with Ray Gun magazine and his unconventional, expressive style, David has continually pushed the boundaries of visual communication. Join us as we explore David's unique approach, creative…
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Embracing Chaos and Stillness: Astrid Stavro's Design Philosophy.
In this week's episode, Monotype's Executive Creative Director, Tom Foley, sits down with renowned graphic designer Astrid Stavro to explore her captivating journey. Astrid grew up amidst the hum of printing presses in her father's print shop in Trieste, Italy. She recounts the profound influence...
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Revisiting Scott Starrett and how to design a visually stunning political campaign.
It's August. Many of us on the podcast team are trying to wring out the last drops of summer. Others are hard at work getting ready for Monotype's visit to Adobe Max. So this week, we're replaying an oldie episode from our first season. Monotype Creative Type Director Charles Nix talks with Scott...
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From Parsons to Type Thursday: a conversation with Thomas Jockin.
This week on Creative Characters, host Charles Nix sits down with Thomas Jockin, the founder of Type Thursday, a global type meetup. The two discuss Thomas's journey from an art-obsessed youth on Long Island to becoming a key figure in the global type design community. Thomas shares pivotal…
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Kyle Read on the art (of the business) of type design.
In this episode, host Doug Wilson sits down with his long-time friend, Kyle Read, a distinguished type designer and graphic designer based in Denver, Colorado. Kyle shares his journey from studying at the Savannah College of Art and Design, working for various design studios and advertising...
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Behind the Font: Font Licensing, demystified (Part 3 of 3).
In the final edition of our new podcast miniseries series, Behind the Font, we answer your questions about font licensing [cue Jeopardy theme]! Once again, Monotype's Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Phil Carey-Bergren wades into the intricacies of font licensing with our host, Carl...
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Behind the Font: Font Licensing, demystified (Part 2 of 3).
In the second edition of our new podcast miniseries series, Behind the Font, we dig into the technical side of font licensing [cue psycho theme]. Our Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Phil Carey-Bergren, and host, Carl Unger, dissect the main parts of a font license and walk us…
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Behind the Font: Font Licensing, demystified (Part 1 of 3).
In the first-ever edition of our new podcast miniseries, Behind the Font, we dive into the often murky and mysterious waters of font licensing [cue Jaws theme]. Our guest for this journey into the depths is Monotype Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Phil Carey-Bergren, and we couldn't...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
We live in a world awash in typography - whether we realize it or not. From the road signs that lead us home to the phones in our pockets, typography is front and center in nearly every waking moment of our day. Come meet the people and hear the stories behind the letters that shape our world.
HOSTED BY
Monotype
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Creative Characters have?
Creative Characters currently has 118 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Creative Characters about?
We live in a world awash in typography - whether we realize it or not. From the road signs that lead us home to the phones in our pockets, typography is front and center in nearly every waking moment of our day. Come meet the people and hear the stories behind the letters that shape our world.
How often does Creative Characters release new episodes?
Creative Characters publishes regularly with 118 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Creative Characters?
You can listen to Creative Characters on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Creative Characters?
Creative Characters is created and hosted by Monotype.
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