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herzberg.bsky.social
Herzberg Design Co
@herzberg.bsky.social
970 followers 88 following 88 posts
The Type Foundry & Design Studio of Matthijs Herzberg.
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Reposted by Herzberg Design Co
letterformarchive.org
Our final batch of 100 Tens features contributions from this brilliant bundle of designers:⁠
⁠
Lucas Sharp⁠
Matthijs Herzberg⁠ @herzberg.bsky.social
Nolan Pelletier⁠ @nolanpelletier.bsky.social
Craig Frazier⁠
Oded Ezer⁠
Christoph Niemann⁠ @christophniemann.bsky.social
Petra Dočekalová
Susan Kare⁠…
October 28, 2025 at 5:44 AM
herzberg.bsky.social
Here’s every typeface that I’m currently working on (to some degree or another). Hopeful that they’ll all see the finish line before I start drawing 2 dozen new ones. Which one are you most excited about?
October 7, 2025 at 6:13 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
The most minimalist “1” I could manage drawing, in honor of @letterformarchive.org’s 10th anniversary. I think that everyone in the typosphere has, at some point or another, benefitted from the Archive and its tireless efforts to preserve, showcase, and honor the mighty letterform.
A highly decorative number “1”, colored in red and gold and blue on a black background. As most of my illustration work, this was drawn in procreate on the same rusty trusty iPad that I’ve owned since 2020. The lettering is inspired by classicist Baroque ornament of acanthus and garland and cherubs, but this isn’t here applied to decorate any object: it *is* the object. I opted for mono-width lines with a bit of texture to them (using the default “narinder pencil” procreate brush), which makes it look more like a seventies children’s book than a seventeenth century bible. A highly decorative number “1”, colored in tan and gold on a black background. As most of my illustration work, this was drawn in procreate on the same rusty trusty iPad that I’ve owned since 2020. The lettering is inspired by classicist Baroque ornament of acanthus and garland and cherubs, but this isn’t here applied to decorate any object: it *is* the object. I opted for mono-width lines with a bit of texture to them (using the default “narinder pencil” procreate brush), which makes it look more like a seventies children’s book than a seventeenth century bible. A highly decorative number “1” in black and white. As most of my illustration work, this was drawn in procreate on the same rusty trusty iPad that I’ve owned since 2020. The lettering is inspired by classicist Baroque ornament of acanthus and garland and cherubs, but this isn’t here applied to decorate any object: it *is* the object. I opted for mono-width lines with a bit of texture to them (using the default “narinder pencil” procreate brush), which makes it look more like a seventies children’s book than a seventeenth century bible.
October 6, 2025 at 5:39 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
In use: Ubique, the new & custom house typeface for Foreign Affairs magazine. Here it is seeing the light of day for the first time in the July/August issue. #typedesign #caslon
The cover and a front page spread of the latest edition of Foreign Affairs Magazine, meant to showcase the custom typeface within in its natural environment. A photo of an open spread of Foreign Affairs Magazine, somewhere outside with a pond in the background. Clouds reflect in the pond. The small caption reads “read in public to look smarter”. Several stacked pages of Foreign Affairs’ July/August edition, showcasing Ubique in headline and text sizes. An illustration of a bookshelf shaped like a globe.
August 29, 2025 at 3:41 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
Font WIP: Better Böcklin (better name yet to be workshopped).
A waterfall specimen showcasing 5 weights of a new version of Böcklin, a jugendstil typeface originally from 1904. Creme letters on a dark green background. A waterfall specimen showcasing 5 weights of a new version of Böcklin, a jugendstil typeface originally from 1904. Dark green letters on a creme background. “Better Bocklin”, full alphabet uppercase, thin weight (image erroneously states “light”). “Better Bocklin” full alphabet, lowercase
August 27, 2025 at 4:34 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
Wordmark redesign for Lore.
August 19, 2025 at 2:18 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
Crisp italics, drawn in procreate.
July 23, 2025 at 4:14 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
Lettering in 3 weights.
July 13, 2025 at 5:21 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
“When in doubt, use Caslon”

Ubique is the new house typeface for Foreign Affairs Magazine, used in print and on their website for everything from headlines to paragraphs to footnotes.
July 8, 2025 at 5:36 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
Two rounds of RS/RGS monograms + the final thing.
A collection of 8 “RS” and “RGS” monograms in various styles, creme color on a black background. A second collection of 6 “RS” and “RGS” monograms, evolved from the prior collection, creme color on a black background. A finished “RS” monogram executed in a streamline moderne style, creme, red, gold on a dark teal background, with ornate flourishing.
May 18, 2025 at 3:45 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
I drew this handy guide for folks who, like me, keep forgetting the order of the alphabet
Hand drawn lower-case Roman alphabet, tasteful, stylish, exceptionally well lettered. Cream on black background.
May 13, 2025 at 4:03 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
Goofballs shall inherit the earth!
A flourished piece of Italic calligraphy/lettering, stating: “The Herzberg Design Co: Fortune Favors the Goofy”
May 6, 2025 at 3:31 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
“Drew an uppercase to this psychedelic blackletter” hmmm that’s not gonna take off.
“It’s the way I drew an uppercase to this psychedelic blackletter for me”
May 5, 2025 at 3:27 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
Southern Gothic, WIP blackletter with Width and Weight axes.
A waterfall type specimen displaying a work in progress blackletter typeface, black type on yellow background. A specimen of an in-progress blackletter typeface, using the text: “If you do something too good, then, after a while, if you don’t watch it, you start showing off. And then you’re not as good anymore.” The text is a quote by J.D. Sallinger from “the catcher in the rye”. A waterfall type specimen displaying a work in progress blackletter typeface, creme type on a red background. A type specimen displaying a work in progress blackletter typeface, reading “The Herzberg Design Co New Orleans And Beyond”. The black type is interspersed with pink typographer’s ornament.
April 16, 2025 at 3:02 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
Obviously the most pressing and urgent part of the website redesign I’m grinding on: drawing a 404 page.
Highly ornamental lettering in an art nouveau style, stating “Error 404 Page not Found”.
March 29, 2025 at 7:31 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
Mardi Gras rain break
March 7, 2025 at 7:46 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
A slide from tomorrow’s presentation on earning a living drawing shapes: last year’s shape-drawing income distribution.
Pie chart of 2024 income source distribution. From the smallest, barely visible slice to the largest slice, which takes up just over half the chart, it reads: - Teaching/Talks - Misc Lettering - Logo Design - Retail Type Sales - Illustration - Font Engineering - Custom Type Design
February 19, 2025 at 1:10 AM
herzberg.bsky.social
I’m presenting a lecture about my work and career as a shape-drawer at Loyola university here in New Orleans. Free entry, all are welcome. Nunemaker Auditorium, Wednesday February 19, 2025 from 4:55-6:10. See ya there!
February 13, 2025 at 4:29 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
Oops! All ornament
January 19, 2025 at 5:57 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
Last day of my last sale ever. Get it while you can. Herzbergdesign.com/fonts
Image of the text “Black Friday Sale, 30% off all fonts”, creme on a black background, set in my typeface Mancine. Image of the text “Black Friday Sale, 30% off all fonts”, creme on a black background, set in my typeface Cloisterfuch. Image of the text “Black Friday Sale, 30% off all fonts”, creme on a black background, set in my typeface Thanatos. Image of the text “Black Friday Sale, 30% off all fonts”, creme on a black background, set in my typeface Schmaltzy.
December 2, 2024 at 2:59 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
30 percent off all my fonts on herzberg design dot com, applied automatically.
This is the last time I’m doing a black Friday sale, or any sale for that matter, so have at it!
A piece of calligraphy, shaped as a rombus, using swashy italics. It reads “Black Friday Sale, Fri-Mon”.
November 29, 2024 at 3:13 PM
Reposted by Herzberg Design Co
herzberg.bsky.social
Here’s 16 European towns, letter’ed by hand in Procreate in various Art Nouveau inspired styles. Goal here was not to imitate any existing lettering work from the period, but instead find new forms that still fit the style.
September 2, 2023 at 3:39 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
White on black just looks better. Miscellaneous lettering pieces from the archive, all drawn in Procreate.
“Pensacola Florida”, lettered in a swashy reverse contrast script. “Happy Mardi Gras 2022” in an italic-inspired script with very fine hairlines. “The loathsome dung eater”, lettered in a chunky blackletter with a glowy effect. “Flora’s Coffee” lettered in an art nouveau reminiscent broad nib script, surrounded by stylized flowers.
November 25, 2024 at 9:31 PM
herzberg.bsky.social
KD & AZ monogram sketches
KD monogram sketches in 4 different styles, white on black background. AZC monogram sketches in 4 different styles, white on black background.
November 22, 2024 at 5:19 AM
herzberg.bsky.social
Two recently designed JTF monograms for a client’s personal use. She liked the concepts so much, she couldn’t pick just one.
A “JTF” monogram, with creme beveled letters on a burgundy backdrop, surrounded by golden swirls. A second “JTF” monogram in a different lockup, with creme and golden brown letters on a dark blue backdrop, with stylized acanthus decorations surrounding it. A collection of 8 “JTF” monogram sketches.
November 19, 2024 at 5:09 PM