“The computer is an invaluable tool in type design, offering precision and flexibility. However, the designer's eye and experience are irreplaceable; technology can only assist, not create.”
— Gerard Unger

Abstract

This thesis is an exploration for new tools for typography that investigates how emerging (AI) technologies can contribute to the type design practice in a meaningful way. I created computational design experiments focusing on three areas: (A) design automation, (B) interfacing, and (C) creative exploration. A lot of care has been put in understanding the current scene through expert interviews, workshops, talks and surveys. With pose estimation, generative visual AI, and large language models that operate on text, I explore whether typographic shapes can be created and manipulated with different modes of expression, in a playful, intuitive and collaborative way.