In an earlier issue, we introduced you to an amazing resource for improving your design skills. Today, we want to give you more behind the story and hints from creator Aura Seltzer.

Type Connection was developed by Aura in 2012 as a Masters of Fine Arts thesis project at Maryland Institute College of Art. The concept stems from the idea that typefaces, like people, have personalities, physiques, and voices.

“While there is a bit of literature out there on how to pair typefaces, there really aren’t any tools to teach the topic. I came up with the dating concept as a way to engage users and impart strategies people could use to create more cohesive designs.” – Aura Seltzer, TypeConnection.com Creator

The tool was created as a game, setting up typefaces on imaginary dates, to make the learning process more fun and less daunting. Anyone can improve their typography skills,which Seltzer notes are quite important to the art of the written word. She believes typography and the written word are so closely connected that it can be difficult to notice one without also noticing the other.

When asked for her advice for booksellers looking to improve their own design projects, she offered that “design is in the details” and that it doesn’t take a large bite out of the budget to read up on the subject.  While it costs nothing to pay more attention, the payoff can be substantial. Seltzer has compiled a worthwhile resources section on TypeConnection.com.

Seltzer says one of the things she loves about type is that you never have to choose favorites. She says context determines the best typeface, so one can never pick a “go-to” typeface. (Even so, I maintain that Futura is all I’ll ever need).

Since the launch of typeconnection.com in 2012, Aura Seltzer has joined the digital design studio Happy Cog.