From the Desk of Doug Wilson

In Search of a Death Certificate

Tracking down proof of Ottmar Mergenthaler’s life and his early death

Coding with Character

If you spend all day looking at code, letters, and characters—why not make it fun?

Coit Tower Newspaper Mural

In search of a painting of Linotypes on top of a hill in San Francisco, California

The Box at the Museum

Discovering images hidden for over 75 years…

Writing for Tobias Frere-Jones

Helping tell the stories of some very famous typefaces

Announcing the Linotype Book Project

I thought I was finished with the Linotype, but now I’m writing a book about it

Writing Words About Letters

No way around it; writing about fonts is a challenge, but it can still be fun.

Skateboarding as a Path to Creativity

“Skateboarding teaches you your own way to navigate the world.” - Ty Evans

On Opinion, Taste, and Expertise

When having an opinion is more subtle than I thought

“The Linotype Bulletin” Astrological Magazine Covers

Six amazing magazine covers from 1914

Globe Haul ST - Short Term Review

Yet another white guy writing about bikes; this time an awesome e-cargo bike!

Visiting Linotype & Machinery

Touring the British Linotype factory to see what remains

Cracking the Linotype Printing Code

Unlocking the secretive code used for Linotype publications

Denver 76 - Part One: The Story

Politics, environmentalism, athletics, and the will of the people in 1970s Colorado

The ABCs of XYZ

Writing about typography and working with good people

Cataloging My Books

My process of displaying and cataloging my collection

The Printing Films Archive

Preserving the Visual History of the Printed Word

The Beautiful Islands of San Serriffe

The story of the most elaborate April fool’s joke ever printed

“Linotype: The Film” - 10 Years On

Ten years after the premiere of the film, I tell a few stories from behind the scenes

The Story of Metro Nova

The story of how I helped (in a small way) create a new version of Metro with all its original personality

Jim Ford & “The Sounds of Typography”

How the jazz music of Miles Davis and driving in a blizzard inspired a new typeface

Airports, Ambassadors, & the Panic of 1896

The Fascinating History of a 120-Year-Old Stock Certificate

Denver 76 - Part Three: The Design

A visual feast of designs and materials created for the failed Winter Olympics

Denver 76 - Part Two: The Imagined Infrastructure

Hosting the Winter Olympics required the imaginative use and re-use of many locations in Colorado

Typographic Telegraphic Commercial Codes

These mysterious codes were designed to save money and reduce confusion

This Land is Your Land

Recognizing the people and nations that existed long before my own

Divided Highways

Learning about the full history of the U.S. Interstate Highway System

The Designer’s Designer - Part Two

Four years after publication, Bruce Kennett reflects on his book, the process, and what’s next

The Designer’s Designer - Part One

Bruce Kennett has written the definitive monograph about the definitive designer: William Addison Dwiggins

Briar Levit - Graphic Means

Often, the best stories start with an obsession; for Briar Levit, the story begins in a thrift store.

New Work: Delve Fonts

A ground-up redesign to help a type foundry grow

Building a Typographic System

The fun and challenge of font pairing when you’re the client

On the Death of Someone Great

Where I attempt to put into words my feelings from a very dark past four years

Winter Cycling Tips

How my color-coded spreadsheet helps me avoid freezing toes and enjoy winter

Seek and Diverge

Cycling started as a way to get exercise, but it has morphed into something that keeps me sane in these insane times

New Work: Keybase Book

Making a technical app accessible (and fun)