Daniel McQueen
Founder
In their own words
Most noticeably the circular forms bring warmth, softening the sometimes cold character of a strict grotesque.
At the time, Tumblr was at its peak, and as an editor for their '#Design' section, I had a decent following and great visibility on there.
We try to stand out by focusing on variable fonts.
Anthony Burrill accepted what felt like a moon-shot invitation to collaborate with us on a typeface release.
We were drawn to his unique approach to traditional genres of type design.
We gave David these sizing limitations and then let him design whatever he liked.
The colons breaking up the letters in the logo replicate a (world) clock.
We don't want to exclude anyone from our font collection.
We really wanted to do something different from a regular specimen poster.
Articles & interviews
- "Cards VF Release: 96 Styles in One Variable Font"
The Brand Identity features Cards VF, a new variable typeface designed by Karol Mularczyk for The Designers Foundry. Inspired by Swiss modernism and geometric design, the typeface offers 96 styles within a single variable font file. It balances functional precision with expressive details like engineered ink traps and circular forms, making it versatile across applications.
- Designers Foundry: From Side Project to Global Typeface Leader
Creative Boom profiles The Designers Foundry, a New Zealand-based type foundry founded by Daniel McQueen in 2012. The article traces its evolution from a Tumblr-linked side project to a global type provider working with brands like Apple, Nike, and Disney. It highlights recent variable font releases, collaborations, and reflections on the changing typography market.
- The Designers Foundry and David Einwaller detail the development of their serif typeface Morion
The Brand Identity interviews The Designers Foundry and type designer David Einwaller about the development and re-release of the serif typeface Morion. Originally begun in 2014 and relaunched in 2020, the project expanded into a six-weight family and was accompanied by a vibrant anniversary poster and a conceptual specimen book. The discussion explores the evolution of the design, production challenges, and the collaboration between Einwaller and the New Zealand-based foundry.
- The Designers Foundry
The Brand Identity interviews Daniel McQueen, founder of The Designers Foundry, about the evolution from Ten Dollar Fonts, the foundry’s global identity, and its approach to accessible type design. McQueen discusses the studio’s branding concept, pricing philosophy, and a recent collaboration with Anthony Burrill on a poster for the Averta typeface. The conversation highlights TDF’s focus on community, emotional connection, and innovation in type distribution.