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Fall 2026 priority deadline for transfer and graduate studies is January 5.

Program

Our vision

Curriculum →

Mission →

Community

Who we celebrate

Faculty →

Chair →

Staff →

Students →

Work

We strive for

Recent Work →

Ventures →

News →

FAQs →

Apply Now →

Search

A photo of a piece of paper with typographic sample fonts that is held by a person.

Day Eleven (1): Learning to Inscribe

Day Eleven (1): Learning to Inscribe

Credits

Photos by Jonathan Ro-Scofield

Date

By Nigel Sielegar

Our resident inscriptions demonstrator, James Clough, outlined the history of lettering and type from epigraphy to typesetting, answering such questions as "what does ligature mean?" and "who invented the semi-colon" along the way. In the afternoon he surveyed the vernacular lettering of Italy, especially the signs, awnings and manhole covers. Then a hands-on demonstration and workshop on how to epigraphically and calligraphically draw letterforms.

The workshoppers also declared their respective final projects. Watch this space for a report on the Saturday crit.

A photo of a letter being drawn by a student on a piece of paper.A photo of a letter being drawn by a student on a piece of paper.A photo of agroup of students learning to draw letters.A photo of a student using a crayon and ruler on a piece of paper.A photo of a teacher that shows the typographical letters on a piece of papers.A photo of two hands drawing calligraphic letters on a piece of paper.A teacher showing the students how to draw letters by hand.A teacher explaining to the students how to draw letters.

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310 East 22nd St - 5th Floor

New York, NY 10010

310 East 22nd St - 5th Floor

New York, NY 10010

310 East 22nd St - 5th Floor

New York, NY 10010

(212) 592-2600

mfadesign@sva.edu

(212) 592-2600

mfadesign@sva.edu

(212) 592-2600

mfadesign@sva.edu