The Life of Letters

Designing for the Page: Book Covers and Beyond

August 4, 2026·33 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

In this episode, Laura is joined by calligraphy and type designer Matthias Hertzberg for a fascinating look at his creative process, influences and projects - including a unique book cover and custom fonts that push the boundaries of letterforms. If you thought you knew what letters could do, this one might just change your mind. Matthijs’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/herzbergdesignco Matthijs’s Website - https://herzbergdesign.com  Sinistral Hand by Phaedra Charles - https://undercase.xyz/media/pages/custom/a-guide-to-sinistral-hand/2af7767931-1658855020/sinistralguide_072622.pdf  FontLab Software - https://fontlab.com If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it - it really helps others discover the podcast - thank you! ☕️ To support the podcast with a small donation, buy us a coffee here. Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes. ✍️ To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauralletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife. ✨ Download Laura's free Calming Calligraphy workbook. Chapters (00:08:42) - Designing Book Covers: A Case Study(00:12:17) - Exploring Favourite Projects and Retail Fonts(00:18:31) - The Creative Process: From Sketch to Digital(00:22:47) - Understanding Monograms and Ligatures(00:29:11) - The Emotional Connection to Seeing Your Work(00:30:15) - Favourite Letters and Cultural Significance(00:32:59) - Exploring Letters Through Books

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