TYPEFACE DESIGN
2025 2024 2023
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
TIFFANY (THE) TAW
IVY
INSTAGRAM
WEBSITE
DOWNLOAD OTFIvy is a contemporary revival of Johnson, a decorative display typeface originally designed by Herman Ihlenburg and issued in 1892 by MacKellar, Smiths & Jordan, just before the foundry became part of American Type Founders. Johnson stands out for its bold contrast, expressive serifs, and quirky details. This revival reimagines the original for digital use, preserving its playful character while refining proportions and rhythm. Designed with large-scale applications in mind, Ivy brings a theatrical, almost storybook quality to headlines and short texts—bridging 19th-century typographic ornament and a contemporary eye for personality.
Ivy type specimen by Tiffany (The) Taw
Johnson type specimen by American Type Founders Company
Johnson type specimen by American Type Founders Company
Ivy type specimen by Tiffany (The) Taw
Ivy type specimen by Tiffany (The) Taw
Ivy type specimen by Tiffany (The) Taw
Ivy type specimen by Tiffany (The) Taw
Ivy type specimen by Tiffany (The) Taw
Ivy type specimen book by Tiffany (The) Taw
Ivy type specimen by Tiffany (The) Taw
Ivy type specimen by Tiffany (The) Taw
TYPEFACE DESIGN
2025
2024
2023
INSTRUCTOR
Christopher Sleboda
TEACHING ASSISTANTS
Amanda Mundy (2025), Ash Wei (2024)
DESIGN
Erica Pritchett · Built with Cargo
ABOUT
This site documents student work from an advanced typeface design course taught by Christopher Sleboda and open to students in the MFA Graphic Design and BFA Graphic Design programs at Boston University, as well as students in the School of Visual Arts—including those in the new Visual Narrative MFA. The course provides a rigorous introduction to the conceptual and technical processes involved in creating original digital typefaces. Students explore the foundations of letterform construction—including structure, proportion, counterform, spacing, and rhythm—while developing their own typefaces.
Through research, sketching, and the use of digital tools like RoboFont, students engage with typographic history and contemporary practice to design functional and expressive typefaces. Each student produces a working font and a printed type specimen. This site showcases the results of that work, reflecting diverse design approaches and a deep engagement with the craft of type design.