The Life of Letters

In this episode, Laura is joined by calligraphy and type designer Matthias Hertzberg for a fascinating look at his creative process, influences and projects - including a unique book cover and custom fonts that push the boundaries of letterforms. If you thought you knew what letters could do, this one might just change your mind.

Matthijs’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/herzbergdesignco

Matthijs’s Website - https://herzbergdesign.com 

Sinistral Hand by Phaedra Charles - https://undercase.xyz/media/pages/custom/a-guide-to-sinistral-hand/2af7767931-1658855020/sinistralguide_072622.pdf 

FontLab Software - https://fontlab.com

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it - it really helps others discover the podcast - thank you!

☕️ To support the podcast with a small donation, buy us a coffee here.

Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes.

✍️ To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauralletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife. ✨ Download Laura's free Calming Calligraphy workbook.

Chapters

(00:08:42) - Designing Book Covers: A Case Study
(00:12:17) - Exploring Favourite Projects and Retail Fonts
(00:18:31) - The Creative Process: From Sketch to Digital
(00:22:47) - Understanding Monograms and Ligatures
(00:29:11) - The Emotional Connection to Seeing Your Work
(00:30:15) - Favourite Letters and Cultural Significance
(00:32:59) - Exploring Letters Through Books

In this episode, Laura sits down with Alison Hitchcock who shares her remarkable journey from a city career to founding a letter writing charity, and the extraordinary power that heartfelt letters can have in healing and transforming lives. A beautiful conversation about what can happen when we slow down, pick up a pen and truly connect with another person. 

From Me To You - Charity Website - https://www.frommetoyouletters.co.uk/about 

A Diagnosis and an Unbreakable Friendship - Book - https://www.frommetoyouletters.co.uk/the-book/p/from-me-to-you-the-book 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/frommetoyouletters/ 

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it - it really helps others discover the podcast - thank you!

☕️ To support the podcast with a small donation, buy us a coffee here.

Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes.

✍️ To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauralletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife. ✨ Download Laura's free Calming Calligraphy workbook.

Chapters

(00:02:04) - From Personal Connection to Charitable Mission
(00:09:30) - Creating Community Through Letters
(00:15:02) - The Logistics of Letter Writing
(00:18:18) - Heartfelt Stories from the Letters
(00:21:40) - The Therapeutic Power of Letter Writing
(00:29:10) - From Me To You: A Journey of Friendship
(00:34:36) - Connecting Through Community Events

In this episode, Laura is joined by Pooja Saxena who shares her wonderful journey into the world of calligraphy, typography and Indian scripts. Together they explore the rich history and extraordinary diversity of letter forms, and what the future might hold - with an emphasis on cultural context and why accessibility in design matters so much. A rich and inspiring conversation that reminds us just how wide and wonderful the world of letters really is.

Matra Type - Pooja Saxena's Practice - https://matratype.com / Instagram - https://instagram.com/matratype 

Alphabet Soup - Book by Women Typeface Designers - https://example.com/alphabet-soup 

My Typographical Eye, Issue № 12 / Pixel Type & Needlework: https://us12.campaign-archive.com/?u=00db3d2423772a3f86d6e22a1&id=4fa7cefeef 

FontStruct - Modular Typeface Tool - https://fontstruct.com

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it - it really helps others discover the podcast - thank you!

☕️ To support the podcast with a small donation, buy us a coffee here.

Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes.

✍️ To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauralletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife. ✨ Download Laura's free Calming Calligraphy workbook.

Chapters

(00:02:20) - Pooja's Journey into Typography
(00:04:26) - Understanding Indian Scripts
(00:08:45) - The Technical Aspects of Scripts
(00:10:54) - Pooja's Favourite Scripts and Design Preferences
(00:12:38) - The Motivation Behind India Street Lettering
(00:14:55) - Collecting Visual References
(00:16:25) - The Intersection of Needlework and Typography
(00:23:09) - Hopes for the Future of Indian Scripts
(00:25:25) - Pooja's Favourite Letters and Closing Thoughts
(00:30:52) - Exploring Letters Through Books

Ever wondered how the alphabet actually came to be? In this episode, Laura is joined by linguist and author Danny Bate for a fascinating conversation about the alphabet - where it came from, how it’s evolved and what the future might hold for written language. If you’ve ever been curious about the letters you love to write, this one’s for you. 

Find out more and connect with Danny:

Website: https://dannybate.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannylbate

X - https://x.com/DannyBate4

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it - it really helps others discover the podcast - thank you!

☕️ To support the podcast with a small donation, buy us a coffee here.

Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes.

✍️ To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauralletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife. ✨ Download Laura's free Calming Calligraphy workbook.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Introduction
(00:03:34) - The Journey into Linguistics and Writing
(00:06:40) - Making Linguistics Accessible to the General Public
(00:09:18) - Evolution of Letters and Their Visual Forms
(00:12:02) - The Development of Uppercase and Lowercase Letters
(00:17:24) - The Evolution of Language and Writing
(00:20:12) - The Relationship Between Speech and Writing
(00:23:18) - The Diversity of English Speech
(00:26:10) - Fascinating Facts About Letters
(00:29:34) - The Impact of Social Circumstances on Writing Systems
(00:32:44) - The Future of Language and the Alphabet
(00:35:32) - The Ongoing Journey of Alphabetic History
(00:38:09) - The Role of Technology in Writing
(00:41:09) - The Importance of Teaching Spelling
(00:44:22) - The Legacy of the English Alphabet

In this episode, Laura sits down with Carl Rohrs, the editor of the 26th edition of the Speedball Textbook, for an exploration into the history of calligraphy, the evolution of one of the most iconic books in the craft, and the lettering styles and artists who’ve shaped it. If you’ve ever picked up a Speedball pen and wondered about the story behind it, this one’s for you. 

Resources

Here's a folder of images to accompany the episode.

Speedball Art - https://www.speedballart.com 

The Life of Letters Podcast - https://www.lauraletterslife.com/the-life-of-letters-podcast 

Rick Griffin's Artwork - https://www.rickgriffindesigns.com/ 

Sheila Waters' Calligraphy - https://www.calligraphersguild.org/sheila-waters 

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it - it really helps others discover the podcast - thank you!

☕️ To support the podcast with a small donation, buy us a coffee here.

Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes.

✍️ To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauralletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife. ✨ Download Laura's free Calming Calligraphy workbook.