On June 4, 2015, the typographic world lost an iconic figure. Hermann Zapf died in Darmstadt, Germany, aged 96. As a type designer, calligrapher, author and teacher, Zapf was unique. His eye for harmony and detail was uncanny; his flexibility in designing for changing technologies exemplary. In a career spanning over seven decades, Zapf designed dozens of timeless classics, including the Palatino, Optima, and Zapfino typeface families — types that were modern yet true to tradition, and always elegant. He is survived by his widow, fellow type designer, calligrapher and bookbinder Gudrun Zapf-von Hesse , now 97. These past few weeks, we interviewed some of the people who knew him well — type designers who worked in close collaboration with a man they admired and loved. Akira Kobayashi began his career as a type designer at Sha-Ken Co., Ltd. in Japan. In 1989, he traveled to London to study calligraphy and typography. On his return, he worked at Jiyu...
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