Hello Font Fans!
I casually announced the Font Fan Club in December 2023, and the number of people signing up quickly outnumbered those I personally know. It's both a bit scary and very exciting, so thanks for sticking around while I figure things out. In this newsletter, I want to give you a little introduction and an overdue update, because things are getting real!
So what exactly is the Font Fan Club?
The Font Fan Club is a year-long type design project. Once a month you'll get a new and exclusive font delivered straight to your inbox. Expect experimental display faces, fun symbol collections, and whatever else I can come up with. With language inclusivity in mind, the character sets will vary depending on what I can complete within the deadline – it’s a work in progress.
You'll be able to download each design for 30 days after its release and choose your preferred licensing option on the spot.
Bauble, the first FFC release, will remain permanently available as a free download.
What about licensing??
I want my fonts to be accessible and used, so I'm offering them for free (for non-commercial use). A free licence allows you to use the fonts in educational settings – teachers are encouraged to use the fonts in exercises or course materials, and students can use them in their assignments and portfolio projects. It's your sister's birthday and you want to use a FFC design to create an invitation? – any personal use is also covered under the free licence.
If you are a business or professional and want to use a FFC font in a client project or to create products, you can support my work by purchasing a commercial licence. The Font Club price starts at 5€ per design and is available for the 30 days each font is online.
Life is expensive, now more than ever. If buying a full-price licence isn't currently an option, but you really want to use one of the fonts in a project that isn't covered by a free licence, please get in touch. Discounted licences are available.
Sounds great, how do I join the club?
If you're a subscriber to the Font Fan Club newsletter, you're considered a club member and will receive all the information as the project develops. For live updates and sneak previews, follow along on Instagram.
A little heads-up at this point. There is no guarantee that back issues will be available, so make sure you get the fonts while they are live.
Who are you and why are you starting a project like this?
Finally, a little introduction about myself might be in order. My name is Tamara and I am writing to you from my co-working studio in Vienna, right in the middle of Europe. I have a formal education in typeface design, so rest assured that I take my letters seriously ;). Still, type design takes a lot of practice.
This Font Club is about working on new to me styles, refining my process from sketch to release, and sharing my work frequently. You'll get to look over my shoulder and add new and fun designs to your font collection as I publish them.
It's worth noting that I'm not the first person to take on a project like this. Two designers who have been a great inspiration to me are David J. Ross (Font of the Month Club) and Libbie Bischoff (Type du Nord). They both have a lot of experience in running font clubs and were very encouraging and supportive when I approached them about my own version. It means a lot.
Stay tuned for the first FFC release in two weeks!
Tamara