Who are you, and what do you do? What do you like to do outside of work?

Hi! My name is Stuart (he/him), and I’m a self-taught typeface designer based in the picturesque landscapes of Northern Ireland. For the past eight years, I’ve dedicated myself to releasing my typefaces under my independent foundry. It’s been an incredibly fulfilling journey, blending creativity, technical precision, and my passion for design. Before venturing out on my own, I worked at Apple and Monotype/MyFonts, gaining valuable experience in the industry.

Outside of work, I’ve recently fallen into the immersive world of Warhammer 40K, which has been a blast. I’m learning to paint my army of Adepta Sororitas (Sisters of Battle). It’s challenging but incredibly satisfying to see my miniatures come to life!

When I’m not diving into Warhammer, I enjoy unwinding with a good book or connecting with friends through online gaming sessions. Lately, I’ve been playing a lot of Call of Duty: Warzone. Let’s just say my performance is more “entertaining” than “impressive” (translation: I’m pretty rubbish!).

I also enjoy buying and building LEGO sets, but I’ve had to check myself as that can become an expensive hobby—especially since my Warhammer obsession already takes up that slot!

What hardware do you use?

My hardware setup has remained largely consistent over the years, centred around my M1 Pro MacBook Pro 14-inch. With 32 GB of RAM and one TB of storage, it’s more than capable of handling the demanding tasks of type design and other creative work.

I extend my workspace using a CalDigit TS3 Plus Dock connected to an Apple Studio Display. While the display’s visuals are stunning, the built-in webcam is surprisingly subpar—especially considering the price tag! To compensate, I use a Sony ZV-E10 for crisp, professional-quality video. Admittedly, the Sony is overkill as a webcam, but it gets the job done beautifully.

For peripherals, I rely on an MX Master 3S mouse and a ZSA Voyager keyboard. The Voyager replaced my ErgoDox EZ, which served me faithfully for nearly four years. My audio setup includes a RODE PodMic, paired with an Audient iD4 MKII USB Audio Interface and a Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter CL-1 for that extra gain.

I also use an 11-inch iPad Pro (4th generation) with an Apple Pencil. While I originally bought it for type sketching and digital proofing, it’s become my go-to device for streaming Twitch while I cook. I’m especially hooked on the Software Development category, where I enjoy watching streamers work on indie video games.

To top it all off, protecting my hardware is The Ronin from Star Wars: Visions—because why not?

And what software?

My work revolves around a combination of type design, creative tools, and utilities to stay organized. Here’s a quick rundown of my most-used apps.

GlyphsApp is the backbone of my type design work. Several other specialized programs help out: Typeface, my trusted font manager; FontGoggles, which is perfect for font proofing; Font Proofer, as the name suggests, also used for font proofing; Eagle, excellent for organizing design files; and DTL OTMaster, great for quality control of typefaces.

These programs may not make most people think of fonts, but it’s true: I use VMWare Fusion to run Windows to test typefaces, and iTerm is useful for working with font tools. VSCode is essential for coding tasks, and Fork’s a handy Git client.

Affinity Suite is my go-to for creating visual assets for my foundry, and Sketch is a newer addition for designing materials for my typefaces. Ivory makes my time in Mastodon look beautiful. I use Final Cut Pro for editing Instagram videos and helping my daughter create Minecraft videos—a fun collaboration!

Then there are the apps of the kinds every business needs. 1Password keeps passwords secure and accessible, iA Writer keeps my documents neat and organized, and eM Client helps keep my business email tidy and separate. Fantastical is my trusted app for managing life and work schedules. For personal and business spreadsheet management, I use Numbers.

The software I hope to explore further in 2025 includes RoboFont, which serves as an alternative to GlyphsApp; and NeoVim, a substitute for VSCode, suited for the adventurous! (Just joking!)

What’s your keyboard setup like? Do you use a custom layout or custom keycaps?

My ZSA ErgoDox EZ featured Brown switches and the default layout—a solid choice for years. However, my newer Voyager keyboard uses White switches, which are slightly louder but not an issue since I work from home (no coworkers to annoy!). I’ve also opted for blank keycaps on the Voyager, adding a fun challenge.

At first, I stuck to the default layout for an easier transition, but I’m planning to tweak it soon to incorporate the home row mod. I think it’ll make a practical upgrade and further improve my efficiency.

What would be your dream setup?

As a Mac user since 2002 (my first was an eMac), I’ve appreciated both desktop and laptop setups over the years. However, I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of switching to Linux. A System76 or Framework laptop is especially tempting, but sadly, GlyphsApp—the cornerstone of my work—lacks a comparable Linux alternative. For now, this remains just a dream.

A more realistic goal is upgrading to the M4 MacBook Pro 14-inch or possibly an updated Mac Studio. Another item on my wish list is the Moonlander keyboard. Completing the ZSA split keyboard trilogy would be cool, and I occasionally miss the larger thumb cluster from the ErgoDox when using the Voyager.

I hope you enjoyed this read! You can connect with me at Mastodon, Instagram, and my website.