This workshop uses GlyphDrawing.Club (https://glyphdrawing.club/), a versatile online tool created by Aalto alumni Heikki Lotvonen, to teach students about modular design and its applications in various visual disciplines. This approach uses a method of using letters and other typographic symbols, not for writing, but for creating elaborate typographic mosaics that form images.

Theoretical references will include:
— the history of text art, which is deeply interwined with the history of typography
— geometric principles of modular design and type ornament
— the metaphysical impact of digital tools on creative practices

Drawing inspiration from ASCII art and its constraints, students will learn how to create complex images using a limited set of typographic symbols. The workshop will guide students through hands-on exercises, encouraging them to:
— explore different visual styles
— experiment with various fonts and shapes, including the default font Tesserae, which was specifically designed for GlyphDrawing.Club
— develop their own creative approaches

By the end of the workshop, students will be able to create custom type designs, illustrations, patterns, and more, demonstrating:
— a deeper understanding of visual composition
— the creative potential of alternative digital tools
— the creative potential of working within limitations

Past GlyphDrawing.Club workshops at Aalto University have resulted in a variety of student-created works, including zines and calendars printed with a Risograph printer. Results of previous workshops can be found here: https://gdc-workshops.aalto.fi/

Learning objectives are clearly defined through the workshop structure, which includes an outline of basic and advanced features such as:
— combining glyphs
— using area selection tools
— using layers
— glyph offsets and scaling
— incorporating color
— working with other fonts

The GlyphDrawing.Club blog website (https://blog.glyphdrawing.club/usage-tutorial-for-glyph-drawing-club/) also features a tutorial, full reference, and troubleshooting section to help students overcome common challenges.

Day 01:
In the morning:
— Lecture on the history of text art and modular design
— Lecture/demonstration on how to use the GlyphDrawing.Club tool
In the afternoon:
— Small assignment (A1) individually to get to know the tool
A1. Modular Quilt:
Create a 14×14 canvas in Glyph Drawing Club.
Create a pattern that fills the 14×14 area so that each cell has a glyph in it.
When done, export as .gdc file and .png. Upload to a common folder.
Afterwards, the workshop host will assemble these patterns into a grid-like ‘patchwork quilt’. The combination can be printed as a poster.

Day 02:
In the Morning:
— Lecture/Demonstration of some advanced features of the tool
— Going over the workshop assignment (A2)
A2. Collaborative Zine.
Each student gets 2 spreads (4 pages) to fill how they want. This can be adjusted based on required page count and workshop budget.
Each participant needs to include some type design and some illustration. Using any other tool is disallowed.
When done, the files are sent to a common folder in SVG format.
The workshop host will then assemble the spreads into a zine format (in InDesign). Cover and extra pages can be designed by the host or by a volunteer participant(s).
In the afternoon:
— Working, troubleshooting, helping the participants.

Day 03:
— Working, troubleshooting, helping the participants.

Day 04:
— Working, troubleshooting, helping the participants.
— Finalizing the designs, sending them to the common folder.
— EXTRA ASSIGNMENT (A3)
A3. Zine release / Workshop poster
Participants produce an illustration with GlyphDrawingClub in a square aspect ratio (20×20). The workshop host produces a poster template using GlyphDrawingClub, which has the name of the workshop, names of the participants and other meta information, workshop description, and space for the illustration. Produce one poster for each illustration using this template.
— The workshop host will assemble the final spreads into a zine format (in InDesign).

Day 05:
In the morning:
— Printing and producing the zine.
— Print and cut posters.
In the afternoon:
— Hang posters and display zines.
— Celebrate zine release and the results of the workshop!

The workshop is based on hands-on experimentation, so learning goals and assessment criteria should reflect that. Rather than following predetermined outcomes, learning emerges organically as participants use the tool. This allows participants to discover their own creative approaches to type design, illustration, and pattern-making. Through hands-on exploration, participants naturally and intuitively develop insights into visual composition while experiencing the creative potential of working within constraints and alternative tools. Thus, participants pass the workshop if they are present and turn in the assignments on time.

— [Workshop results]: Results of Glyph Drawing Club Workshops at Aalto University: https://gdc-workshops.aalto.fi/

— [Lecture]: Super-Veloz: Modular Modern with Alexander Tochilovsky https://vimeo.com/263153164

— [Monotype recorder]: the grammar of type ornament http://www.metaltype.co.uk/downloads/mr/mr_42_1.pdf

— [GlyphDrawingClub instagram]: visual examples and development updates:
https://www.instagram.com/heikkiveikko/

— [Glyph Drawing Club]: blog with all kinds of articles about modular design and text art in general and Glyph Drawing Club specifically. https://blog.glyphdrawing.club/

— [Text-mode]: Blog about all kinds of text art and ASCII art: http://text-mode.org/

— [Wider Screeb]: Academic texts about text art, both in Finnish and English: https://widerscreen.fi/numerot/2017-1-2/
— [Glyph Drawing Club discord channel]: https://discord.gg/kxHkYy3K68

The workshop was developed by Heikki Lotvonen held at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture of Aalto University in Espoo, Finland.