Marian Bantjes

Instructor

Marian Bantjes is a self-described Typographic Artist. After working as a book typesetter for ten years and a designer for nine, she gave everything up in 2003 to pursue her artistic and typographic obsessions. Her work is complex, structured, sometimes funny and always obsessive. Despite living and working from a small island near Vancouver, Canada, in the past years she has worked with Stefan Sagmeister, Michael Bierut, Saks Fifth Avenue, Young & Rubicam, The Guardian (UK), Wallpaper, Wired, New York Times Books, Print (“The vivid word” cover from July/Aug 06), and her work has appeared in magazines such as Eye, STEP and Communication Arts. She has been an author on the design weblog Speak Up since 2004, where she writes posts which vary from quirky musings to profane rants. The verdict is not yet in, but she may be living proof of what happens when you follow the love instead of the money.

food

Before I'm executed, my last meal will include salmon sushi from Koko's in Vancouver, a small piece of steak marinated in teriaki sauce, and Angel food cake. No greens.

book

There is nothing quite so nice as getting completely absorbed in a book and not being able to put it down. This seems to be a rare occurrence lately. I am accepting recommendations for ripping good reads.

drink

Coke, not Pepsi. Regular, not diet.

film/tv

I like to watch my TV in binge-watching. I rent or buy or steal full seasons and watch them 3, 4, 6 hours at a sitting. The Wire, Deadwood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Nurse Jackie, The Hour, Game of Thrones.

travel

I have been lucky enough a few times to be flown business class overseas. Now I'm totally spoiled and I whine like a princess when I have to fly coach.

collection

I have a strong urge to collect, but I do not. I do not collect. I will not collect. I refuse to collect. Collection is the slippery slope to hoarding. I will not be a hoarder. I will not be eaten by cats.

invention

I invented call display years before it came out. I have a multi-million-dollar-making invention in my head, and one day someone will do it and I will say "I invented that 15 years ago."

plant

Plants are like spiders; they're great, so long as they're outside.

sound

I'm a budding audiophile. After listening to shitty iPods and downsampled music through iTunes for years, I recently re-ripped all my CDs to lossless sampling, bought a DAC, set up my stereo system and bought a monster pair of Zu speakers which deliver both deliciously light clarity and rocking-down-the house sound.

blog

Blogging is dead, which is why I'm thinking of starting a blog again.

animal

If I weren't allergic to cats or dogs I would have a dog or a cat. But I am allergic to them, so I will not be eaten by cats. Or dogs.

expert

Type: I'm an expert at fiddling with tiny details almost no one else will ever notice.
Personal: Clearly nothing.

when not at type camp

Coming Soon!