Deep Dive Course:
Building Type Systems
with Benoît Bodhuin
A six-week live course on how to design a modular type system.
Starting in October 2026.
Why draw letters when you can build systems? Join world-renowned type designer Benoît Bodhuin for a deep dive into his striking architectures of modular typography. This workshop is a masterclass in visual systems. Whether you’re a seasoned typographer or a graphic designer looking for a fresh edge, Benoît will inspire you to see and build type systems in a whole new way.
Over six sessions, you will learn to “knead” type like a sculptor, turning strict grids into playful playgrounds. You’ll start by defining your own set of rules, push through the “ugly” accidents where the system breaks, and ultimately produce a functional, atypical typeface. We’ll wrap up by designing a bold, narrative specimen that tells the story of your font’s unique DNA.
Session 1:
Defining the Game
Students will establish a strict set of mathematical or geometric “rules” to act as the DNA for their typeface. By treating design as a game with specific protocols, you will learn to generate forms that intuition alone might never discover.
Session 2:
Building the Foundation
Using your established constraints, you will architect the “DNA glyphs”—core characters like n, o, and h—to test if your system holds up. The focus here is on “building” letters as modular structures rather than drawing them with traditional calligraphic strokes.
Session 3:
Embracing the “Wrong”
This session tackles “difficult” characters like s and g, where the system often breaks down or produces strange, “ugly” shapes. You will learn Bodhuin’s secret: embracing these typographic accidents and deciding when a mistake actually becomes a defining design detail.
Session 4:
Kneading the Volume
We will explore “kneading” the font by pushing the extremes of weight and density to see how your system reacts to pressure. You’ll experiment with how your logic translates across a spectrum, from a delicate hairline to an aggressively dense, “noisy” black weight.
Session 5:
The Narrative Specimen
Move away from traditional pangrams to design a specimen that visually explains the “story” and logic of your font. You will treat the specimen as an abstract playground, using posters or non-linear layouts to showcase the font’s unique personality.
Session 6:
The Final Show
The course concludes with a live-streamed exhibition where you will present your finished font file and specimen to the group. We will critique the work based on its internal consistency and how successfully you balanced mathematical rigor with a sense of play.
Who will be your teacher?
After studying mathematics at university, enrolling in a graphic design school, and spending a short time working in several agencies, Benoît Bodhuin has been working as an independent graphic designer in Lille, France. He works freely, alternating between personal projects and client commissions, with a focus on image-driven work—mainly visual identity, publishing, typography, and web design. His personal projects allow for more experimentation and research, leading most recently to typefaces such as Pipo, ZIGZAG, Marianne, and Mineral.
More about Benoît’s work: www.bb-bureau.fr
Is this a course for you?
For whom is the course:
This workshop is open to students, professionals, and curious creative minds of all ages and experience levels.
What is required:
Laptop and a vector software like Adobe Illustrator, Affinity, or Glyphs. No prior knowledge of type design is necessary, but appreciated.
What will you learn:
You will get an exclusive insight into Benoît’s workflow and develop a concept for your own type system.
Course Details
6 weeks
Weekly live sessions
2,5 hours each week, online, live & interactive, not pre-recorded
Small cohort
(10-15 participants) for real dialogue and feedback
Language:
English
Tools:
Glyphs, Adobe Illustrator or Affinity and Google Meet
Assignments
between sessions
Recordings are generally not available.
We believe learning happens through presence and interaction, not passive watching.
Join the Deep Dive
799 € + VAT
Includes all live sessions, exercises, and digital course materials.
Save 150€!
Have you previously attended one of Ricardo’s workshops? If so, you are eligible for a 150€ discount on the Deep Dive course.
To claim your discount, please send us an email and ask for your personal discount code before booking.
Important: Discount codes cannot be applied retroactively. Please make sure to enter your code during checkout, as we cannot offer refunds for the discount amount after the booking is completed.
6 Oct – 10 Nov 2026
Dates
Tuesday, 6 October 2026
Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Tuesday, 29 October 2026
Tuesday, 27 October 2026
Friday, 3 November 2026
Friday, 10 November 2026
Time
10:00–14:00 CEST
If you have any questions about the course, feel free to email us at franziska@schoolofsystems.org.
»It is all about constraints you have! Requirements that tie your hands, very hard to translate into a typographic language — because of their strictness. And such a constraint is more of an idea, than a drawing. It is some sort of game.«
Benoît
