Celebrating Women in Typography: Nicky Laatz
March is Women’s History Month, so we’re taking the opportunity to celebrate some amazing women working in the type design industry.
This week, we’re talking with Nicky Laatz about her journey as a type designer and her insights for new designers.
MyFonts: Tell us about your journey as a type designer and any challenges you had to overcome. What would be one tip that you would give women who are considering becoming a type designer?
Nicky Laatz: The hardest part for me, right at the beginning of this journey, was learning how to use font making software. I started off with Fontforge, and there was very little online help like there is now to get started. There were no Skillshare classes, help forums, or even manuals. I kind of had to learn by trial and error, which took very long to do and was incredibly frustrating. But that also meant, in the end, that I learned much more than I would have by reading it from a book.
I would tell any other women considering being a type designer that while the initial learning process is quite bumpy, with steep learning curves, the final outcome is being able to have the freedom of transforming your static typography in a live usable font form. Your artwork literally comes to life! And there is no better feeling on earth.
MF: Can you share some insights on what more can be done to bring more variety to typography?
NL: I think type designers shouldn’t be scared to experiment with new ideas - no matter how whacky. I have trouble with this myself - but know that without that risk - we would all still be sitting with only Arial and Times New roman to choose from :)
MF: Did you go to school for design? If so which one?
NL: No, I am entirely self taught. I started as a web designer and learned to use Photoshop the same way I did Fontforge.
MF: When did you start your career and with what? When did you get into type design?
NL: My design career started around the end of the 90’s, and as a designer, I was a bit of a font-a-holic slash font-hoarder. I loved the variety of type and eventually set a challenge to make my own. I made my very first typeface called ‘Thistle Creek’ in May, 2014.
MF: What do you do besides type? A fun fact about you.
NL: I am a bit of a UFO nutcase. Yes I do believe in aliens! I am obsessed with what could be out there. I studied Astrophysics for a year (and got a distinction ) before changing course, as continuing on would mean having to be away from my husband for months at a time, which I didn’t fancy. Lucky man.
