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Typeface Design Winners

Below are the winners from the TDC Typeface Design competition. We will be continually adding content to this page to make sure all of our winners have a place to shine and that their work is featured prominently.

2018

The jury selected eighteen typeface design winners were selected from over 225 entries from 39 countries. These typeface winners are included in the World’s Best Typography, the Annual of the Type Directors Club, Typography 39, and showcased in 8 exhibitions that are touring cities in the United States, Belgium, Canada, China, England, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The Jury

  • Sahar Afshar
  • Verena Gerlach
  • YuJune Park
  • Dyana Weissman
Elizabeth Carey Smith, Competition Chair

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2017

The jury selected fifteen typeface design winners were selected from over 250 entries from 38 countries. These typeface winners are included in the Annual of the Type Directors Club, Typography 38 and showcased in 8 exhibitions that are touring cities in the United States, Canada, China, Dominican Republic, England, France, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The Jury

  • Berton Hasebe
  • Brendán Murphy
  • Ksenya Samarskaya
  • Dr. Alice Savoie
Dan Rhatigan, Competition Chair

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2016

The jury selected thirteen typeface design winners from a total of 189 submitted entries from 36 countries. These typeface winners have been included in the Annual of the Type Directors Club, Typography 37 and showcased in 8 exhibitions touring nearly 40 cities in the United States, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Indonesia, Israel, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam.

The Jury

  • Veronika Burian : typetogether
  • Stéphane Elbaz
  • Petr van Blokland :
    Blokland + Claudia Mens
  • Alexander Tochilovsky : The Lubalin Center, The Cooper Union
Cara DiEdwardo, Competition Chair

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2015

There was a total of only 22 entries selected by the jury from 216 submitted from 37 countries. These winners have been included in the Annual of the Type Directors Club, Typography 36 and also included in seven exhibitions touring 30 cities in the United States, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Poland, Peru, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam.

The Jury

  • Claudia de Almeida : Wired
  • Paul Barnes : Commercial Type
  • Dino Dos Santos : DST
  • Tal Leming : Type Supply
Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich, Competition Chair

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2014

The jury selected 24 entries from nearly 200 typefaces submitted from 29 countries. These winners have been included in the Annual of the Type Directors Club, Typography 35 and in seven exhibitions touring cities in the United States, Canada, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Russia, Spain, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The Jury

  • Andy Clymer, Hoefler & Co.
  • Jesse Ragan, Type@Cooper
  • Ellen Lupton, Cooper-Hewitt
  • Georg Seifert, Glyphs App
Matteo Bologna, Competition Chair

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2013

Over 200 entries were received from 32 countries: AE, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, and United States. The 14 winning typefaces are from nine countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Israel, Norway, United Kingdom and United States. These winners were included in seven exhibitions touring cities in the United States, Canada, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Russia, Spain, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The Jury

  • David Berlow, Font Bureau
  • Stephen Coles, Typographica
  • Abbott Miller, Pentagram
  • James Montalbano, Terminal Design
Graham Clifford, Competition Chair

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2012

A total of 173 entries was received, from 27 countries: Argentina, Austria, Australia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, UK, and US. US entries: 71 (41%), 3 winners (23%); Non-US entries: 102 (59%), 10 winners (77%).

The Jury

  • Roger Black
  • Matthew Carter
  • Paul Shaw
  • Erik Spiekermann
Maxim Zhukov, Competition Chair The Non-Latin Advisory Board (NLAB) reviewed all non-Latin typefaces and advised the jury. The group included: Gayaneh Bagdasaryan, Misha Beletsky, Martin Heijdra, John Hudson, Gerry Leonidas, Ken Lunde, Klimis Mastoridis, Fiona Ross, Hyunguk Ryu, Mamoun Sakkal, Taro Yamamoto, and Vladimir Yefimov (1949–2012). Gary Munch was the coordinator.

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2011

I find my self in the unique position of having been involved with this competition from its beginning. Paul Shaw and I started it, we served as co-chairs for the first two competitions and since then I have been an judge once and a chairman twice more. When I have not been directly involved, I have helped out during the days of judging and I think I have observed or been involved with eleven or twelve of the fourteen TDC2 competitions. What I have seen is a exponential increase in the quality of the submissions. This year we received the most entries ever for a single year of eligibility. The number of non-latin designs continues to grow, and the demands on the expertise of the judges is now greater than ever. The judges were a wonderfully thoughtful and cooperative bunch. Listening to the intense discussion surrounding their choices was an education that anyone involved in type design would value. Besides the expertise of the judges the competition could not have been successfully concluded without the hard work of Maxim Zhukov, who coordinated the examination and commentary of all of the non-latin submissions with our Non-Latin Review Board. I thank everyone for their hard work and good humor.

The Jury

  • Jos Buivenga
  • Jessica Hische
  • Steve Matteson
  • Charles Nix
  • Competition Chair: James Montalbano
Total Entries: 179 (178 last year) USA: 48 Entries, 10 Winners World: 131 Entries, 10 Winners 73% of entries were from outside the US represented by 28 countries 50% of the winners were from outside the US represented by 6 countries

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2010

There was an increase in entries in the typeface design competition this year. We received 9% more entries. Of the 176 typefaces entered from 29 countries, 16 were selected. The winning typefaces came from seven countries. 79% was outside the U.S. Dave Farey, HouseStyle Graphics, London was the chair. Dave stated that it was stimulating to see such a wide range of new styles across al the categories, particularly the non latin alphabets. The panel of judges were very meticulous in their selections – sadly, not all entrants work was chosen, but all of them were carefully considered, and appreciated.

The Jury

  • Gail Anderson (Spotco, New York)
  • Gary Munch (Munchfonts)
  • Daniel Pelavin
  • Doyald Young

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