Type Conference deliberations + revised bio

We live in an image saturated world where pictures are worth more than words, text is read less and less by the generations coming up underneath us. One thing that doesn't change is our desire to communicate. We still have many things to say. Are there other ways to say them and what does the future look like for designers who are using type? ________ is a four day get away in the heart of the Apalacian Mountains. We will explore areas of new technology related to type design, issues of legibility, current perceptions and demographics. Professional typographers, designers and researchers will offer expertise in type education, history, and the use of type as image both now and then. The future of type is in your hands. You are the next communicators. Experiment, play and network with like minded thinkers and designers and inspire yourself to communicate in a whole new way.

As a designer, would you pay money to attend this conference? Why or why not?

Yes. Now that the theme is a little more broad and exciting. I think a catchy name and an explanation in a tag line would help.

Does the theme invite multiple interpretations and an interesting range of possible talks, workshops etc?

Yes, the conference content is broad enough to attract a range of professionals. It is also open enough to allow for many possible outcomes, i.e. there's not a single, final outcome, it feels more like a round table event.

Is the theme suitable for contemporary and forward looking design practice?

Having a place to experiment and 'play' will be a central theme of the conference. With that in mind and the roundtable idea will allow for the forward, future, advancements in typographic design to happen.

What could improve the theme?

We have developed a list of subjects to be covered in the conference which will help us develop the theme: legibility, new technology, type education, current perceptions, type and image, experimentation, and type history.

Theme/Title ideas

Future Typographers

Exploring Typography

Type Matters

Compose

Future Communicators

UpperCase

Future Type - Explorations in Legibility and Perception

Type Design - Beauty and Functionality

Keywords for subtext:

Future, culture, innovate, create, speak, type, breaking tradition, movement, forward, pioneer, perceive.

Possible conference names and tag lines:

TYPE MATTERS

Explorations in Perception and Legibility

UPPERCASE
Pushing Typographic Legibility and Perception

Revised Bio for main speaker - Phil Baines

Phil is a British typographer currently working in England. He began not as a designer but as a catholic priest at Urshaw College in Durham. After his time studying Phil turned unexpectedly to graphic design. He graduated from St. Martin's School of Art in 1985 and two years later from the Royal College of Art in London.

Since completing his studies Phil has been a freelance graphic designer doing everything from print work for small publishers and art organizations to type sequences for TV commercials. Phil's work is characterized by very technical detail. He has completed editorial designs for clients such as Goethe-Institut - London, Matt's Gallery and Phaidon Press. He also teaches typography on the BA Honors graphic design course at St. Martins.

More recently in the late 90s, Phil has been assisted by several alumni from St. Martins to take on larger commissioned projects. One of his better known projects is the design of a type face called You Can Read Me for Fuse, a design magazine by Neville Brody. Phil is the author of two books Type & Typography with Andrew Haslam and Signs: Lettering in the Environment with Catherine Dixon. Phil will bring an extensive amount of typographic knowledge to ________. We are very excited that he is joining us.