Shaqa Bovand is a type designer who works at F37 Foundry. Born and raised in Iran, she grew up surrounded by calligraphy – from traditional wall signs to the use of calligraphy in architecture and the beautiful Qur-ans and Hafez books found in most Iranian homes.
While training as a graphic designer, she began experimenting with letterforms, and discovered a love for Arabic calligraphy. She then decided to go the University of Reading to study a Master's in type design, before joining F37 Foundry.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
Arabic calligraphy is an incredibly rich world, every time I look at historical scripts, I find endless inspiration. Over time, as I’ve been part of the design community and explored other languages alongside Arabic, I’ve started noticing creative techniques across different scripts.
Whenever I see something interesting, I ask myself: 'Could this approach work in Arabic too?' I feel that my perspective has broadened, allowing me to draw inspiration from a wider and more diverse visual world.
What does it mean to you personally to showcase the beauty and diversity of the Arabic language, calligraphy, and type design to a global audience?
It fills me with joy and pride. I’m genuinely happy that the world is paying more attention to different languages and cultures. As an Arabic type designer, I feel a deep sense of responsibility to represent my heritage with care and excellence.
How do you see your work contributing to greater cultural understanding of Arabic script and design?
I believe my main effort is to present these beautiful letters in the way they truly deserve to be seen. With accuracy, respect, and emotion. Through my work, I hope people can perceive the sophistication and harmony that lie within the Arabic script.
Beyond language and meaning, how does the craft of typography differ between Arabic and English?
The main difference lies in structure and rhythm. Arabic is a connected script, written from right to left, with letters that change form depending on their position within a word – initial, medial, final, or isolated.
It is deeply rooted in calligraphic traditions, where form and flow carry as much significance as the words themselves.
English typography, by contrast, was largely shaped by the printing press in the West, while Arabic letterforms evolved through lithography and scribal practices. The complexity and fluidity of Arabic’s cascading characters made it challenging to adapt to the rigid mechanics of metal type, resulting in distinct paths of typographic development.
How do you balance artistic expression with the responsibility of representing such a rich cultural heritage?
This is the hardest part. Sometimes you create a beautifully expressive letter that stands out, everyone loves it, but when you design the full typeface, you realise that one letter is showing off too much. You have to tone it down to achieve overall harmony.
In calligraphy, beauty often takes precedence over legibility, while in type design, readability comes first
Type design isn’t a direct reproduction of calligraphy; it’s an interpretation inspired by it. In calligraphy, beauty often takes precedence over legibility, while in type design, readability comes first. Balancing those two worlds is both challenging and deeply rewarding.
In what ways do you hope your work inspires other designers to engage with calligraphy or typography?
I’ve always been drawn to art as a form of protest. As a designer I believe I can be a kind of civic activist through visual expression. I hope my work encourages others to use design, especially typography, as a way to express their beliefs, question norms, and inspire change.
How do you think calligraphy and type design can play a role in shaping contemporary cultural identity?
Type design and calligraphy are powerful carriers of identity. They preserve cultural memory while allowing space for evolution. When we reinterpret traditional scripts in a modern context, we can remind people where we come from, but are also able to show how culture is alive and adaptable. Through type design specifically, I hope we can shape how future generations see and use their language in a digital world.
Beyond aesthetics, what deeper message or emotion do you hope people take away from your work?
I want people to see that every curve and shape is a choice, not decoration. Type carries history, culture, and responsibility. My goal is to design with awareness, balancing authenticity, contemporaneity, and usability; so the work speaks with intention, not just style.
What has been the most rewarding creative project you’ve worked on, and why?
During the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, I created a piece of typography and shared it online. It quickly spread around the world – people printed it on T-shirts, posters, and walls; others used it as their profile pictures.
I still see it on social media today, often used by people who don’t even know I was the designer. Every time I come across it, I feel a pang of joy. I’m deeply moved that my work could become part of such a meaningful expression of solidarity and hope.
Find out more about F37 Type Foundry.
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