Home / ATypI Tech Talks 2021

On Process(es)

Naïma Ben Ayed likes to define her practice as telling stories with letters. How does that translate in terms of process? Her first step is creating and/or researching a context for type design projects. This may mean designing for a specific location, working in a thoughtful collaboration, or looking at a particular reference.

In this presentation, Ben Ayed will discuss ongoing retail Arabic type design projects—both self-initiated and commissioned—inspired by a specific calligraphic style. She will go through the commonalities of her design process, starting from sketches and letterforms to script grammar and design-specific technicalities.

Speaker

Naïma Ben Ayed

Naïma Ben Ayed is an independent type and graphic designer from France who is currently based in London, UK. In Ben Ayed’s practice, Arabic and Latin type design and visual communication sit at the same desk. Holding a Master’s in type design from Estienne School in Paris, Ben Ayed has designed fonts for Arabic, Tifinagh, and Latin. She is also the designer of the award-winning custom font Intel Clear Arabic. Ben Ayed regularly leads type design and digital lettering workshops and is particularly interested in opening up the discipline to novice audiences.