Typography 1:
Heirarchy & Form
Role: Faculty, Teacher of Typography (Graduate & Undergraduate)
Institution: Academy of Art University, San Francisco
Years: 2016–2021
Overview
For five years, I taught Typography I at the Academy of Art University as part of the School of Graphic Design. Working with both undergraduate and graduate students, my goal was to help students not just learn typography, but to build a lifelong relationship with form, space, rhythm, and visual voice.
The course focused on typographic hierarchy, structure, and expressive form—culminating in a comprehensive final project: a professionally printed, bound book that served as both a portfolio of their semester’s work and a personalized typographic reference guide.
Student work: a visual typographic summary one student's work from the Fall 2017 semester.
My Role
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Developed and taught curriculum focused on typographic principles, grid systems, scale, and structure
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Rewrote the course after my first semester to enhance clarity, modernize exercises, and better align with portfolio expectations
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Guided students through the complete design process—from sketch to final print production
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Fostered creative confidence and critique skills in a studio-style learning environment
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Maintained a consistent 4.9/5 average student rating through five years of teaching
Final Project: Typography Reference Book
The semester culminated in the production of a printed book—a personal typographic catalog that demonstrated students’ grasp of type anatomy, layout systems, composition, and hierarchy. The book served as:
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A portfolio piece showcasing their evolution as designers
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A living reference of typographic rules, history, and practical examples
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A celebration of each student’s emerging voice and attention to typographic detail
Impact
Teaching typography deepened my own design philosophy: that clarity, intent, and expression are inseparable in great design. Watching students transform from unsure beginners to confident, articulate designers remains one of the most rewarding parts of my creative career.
