TYPEFACE DESIGN
2025 2024 2023
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
VINCENT (SHENJIA) LIU
RICHMOND
INSTAGRAM
WEBSITE
Richmond is a revival of Richmond Old Style, a typeface originally issued by the Blackfriars Type Foundry in the 1920s and later adapted for wood type by the DeLittle foundry in York. With its sharp serifs, compact proportions, and dramatic contrast, the typeface was designed for clarity at large sizes, often used in posters and public announcements. This digital reinterpretation retains the strength and elegance of the original while refining its spacing and rhythm for contemporary use. Richmond balances traditional old-style structure with a bold voice suited for headlines and display typography.
Richmond type specimen by Vincent (Shenjia) Liu
Richmond Oldstyle type specimen
Richmond Oldstyle type specimen
Richmond type specimen by Vincent (Shenjia) Liu
Richmond type specimen by Vincent (Shenjia) Liu
Richmond type specimen by Vincent (Shenjia) Liu
Richmond type specimen by Vincent (Shenjia) Liu
Richmond type specimen by Vincent (Shenjia) Liu
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.