Kostas Bartsokas

Releasing the tension: The dance of type across sizes

November 2, Saturday 16:30 – Salt Galata

The visual qualities of typefaces influence how we experience text, whether in the controlled environment of small sizes or the expansive freedom of display typography. This talk explores how texture shifts as type moves from text to display, where the rules of readability give way to creativity. We’ll dive into examples from various scripts and highlight the challenges and opportunities in balancing control with creative expression when designing typefaces for different contexts. Whether adapting existing type or crafting new forms, this session offers insights into navigating the textural dance between size, script, and design.

Biography

Kostas Bartsokas is a Greek typeface designer and typographer. During his freelance career he specialised in graphic design, illustration, web design, packaging, and animation; he finally chose to pursue his passion with typography. Kostas holds an MA in Typeface Design from the University of Reading and enjoys innovative explorations in Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic type design. He spends his time designing original typefaces, expanding script support of existing ones, and offering consultation for designers and type foundries. He has received numerous awards including a Certificate in Typographic Excellence by TDC, Gold as well as a third place at Granshan, and Award of Excellence and Merit from Communication Arts Typography Annual. He is one proud part of Foundry5.