Maryam shares her story of growing up in Tehran, Iran, and the complexities of balancing her deep love and pride for her country with the political challenges it faces. Despite these difficulties, her positivity and ambition remain unwavering. Since discovering type design years ago, Maryam has relentlessly pursued her dream of becoming a full-time type designer. 

Maryam Golpayegani is a graphic designer and type designer from Iran. While studying Graphic Design at the University of Tehran, her interest in Arabic calligraphy deepened, particularly in the Nastaliq style, which she practiced with the help of her university professor Sedaghat Jabbari. After graduating, she secured an internship in type design with Bahman Eslami, where she gained technical skills and learned about the process of designing typefaces. She now assists Eslamion in various type design projects and is working towards making type design her full-time profession, with a focus on Arabic type design.

We are so proud to recognize someone with Maryam’s talent and drive to preserve her culture’s typographic history. Her story and her mission are equally inspiring, and we have no doubt she will go far in her pursuits in type design. We are delighted to present her as our next Malee Scholarship recipient.

Malee Scholarship: When did you first get interested in letterforms? 

Maryam Golpayegani: My interest in letterforms began in high school. I would often find myself trying to pay extra attention to my handwriting and layouting my notebooks during classes, It wasn’t just idle doodling; it was a creative escape. Even while making cheat sheets for exams, I tried to make them look appealing. That’s where my fascination with letters started, though I didn’t realize it would lead me to a career in type design.

I also remember that I found some bowls with arabic Inscriptions from Neishabur, Iran. The letterforms of Kufic calligraphy looked insane to me. I remember finding calligraphy in Iran in every shape was very interesting to me

M.S.: Tell us a bit about your upbringing in Tehran. How does your background and upbringing shape who you are?

M.G.: I grew up in Tehran in a family that loved to travel. My father is an architect, so any time we traveled around Iran, we always ended up visiting mosques. He taught me to spend time observing the details—the tiles, the colors, the ornaments, and, of course, the scripts. My upbringing was filled with exposure to Persian art and culture. I had the chance to visit many museums and witness firsthand the Persian heritage that’s found in every corner of Iran. All these experiences deeply shaped my visual understanding and sensitivity toward form, which naturally influenced my love for letters.

M.S.: How does your background and upbringing shape who you are and inform your approach to type design?

M.G.: I was always projected of diffrences and diversity of Arabic script. I believe Iranians, as people who use arabic script, but have a diffrent language, are always trying to break the isolation that is caused by their government and the world. We have our culture, we are proud of it, we love it, and we want to show it to people. I think there is still not enough weight for Persian approach to type desin in arabic script that needs to be filled. One of the ways I love the persian calligraphy is Nastaliq style. It’s full of round forms with a lot of variations for the letterforms. It is amazing how rich the amount of manuscript we have in Persian Nastaliq. It is found in museum stuff such as folios, calligraphies, Siah Mashq (meaning “black practice.” it is a calligraphic practice sheet often covered completely with letters.) and also daily life such as newspaper ads, shop signs, a verse of a poetry. It is everywhere but at the same time, it isn’t developed enough.

I was always aware of Nastaliq calligraphy seeing it everyday in my life, it wasn't until university that I had the chance to study it more seriously. Sedaghat Jabbari helped me to have a better understanding of Nataliq. His mentorship refined my understanding of letterforms and craft, shaping my process and approach to type design. I’m driven to highlight the Persian style of viewing and using letters within the broader Arabic script landscape, exploring and sharing the untapped calligraphic heritage found in Persian manuscripts and architecture.

M.S.: What has been a transformative experience for you in your creative path that led you to type design?

M.G.: Studying graphic design and Nastaliq calligraphy in the university of Tehran with Professor Sedaghat Jabbari was a transformative experience for me. It marked my first serious exploration of my culture's letterforms. Through this study, I learned to appreciate and learn about the letters, which ultimately guided me toward type design. After developing an interest in letterforms, I began experimenting with them, and with the help of the type design community, I was able to explore further.

Additionally, my internship with Bahman Eslami greatly contributed to my growth in this field, refining both my visual and technical understanding. Throughout my time working with him, I gained valuable insights that deepened my comprehension of type design.

M.S.: What have been the benefits and challenges of growing up in Iran, and how has that impacted your career path? How do you feel that type design can positively impact your community?

M.G.: Growing up in Iran has been a source of inspiration, filled with the richness of Persian culture. The beauty and diversity of Arabic script is something I take pride in, seeing it as an artistic treasure to preserve and innovate through type design. However, Iran’s isolation, particularly in international communication, has posed challenges in accessing the global design community. Despite these, I believe type design can positively impact my community by serving as a cultural tool. Through my work, I aim to create designs that reflect our heritage while making them relevant in the modern world. I hope to inspire more designers in Iran to explore type and build stronger connections with the global design community.

M.S.: Tell us more about your master's project categorizing and documenting the Kufic script inspired by historic coins of Iran.

M.G.: As part of my Master’s degree, I completed a project where I collected a substantial archive of nearly 500 coins from the Buyid dynasty, which ruled parts of Iran and Iraq from 934 to 1062 AD. My goal was to identify common lettering styles on these coins using the Typecooker method. I chose the Buyid dynasty because it marked a period when Islam entered Iran, during which Iranians faced the challenge of integrating a new culture while preserving their own. This era represented the first attempts by Iranians to reclaim their visual identity after three centuries.

This period fascinated me because it showcased how Iranians adapted the new script and culture while incorporating their own visual heritage. I examined each coin, gathering details of various styles for further investigation. Ultimately, I categorized them into 15 main groups based on the inscription styles. I selected a few styles that resonated with me and began experimenting with their letters. This project allowed me to explore the historical and aesthetic dimensions of the Kufic script while developing my type design skills.

M.S.: What are your dreams and aspirations in type design? Where do you want to go from here?

M.G.: One of the aspects I find necessary for me to learn, is how extensive Latin type design is in documentation and the systematic way everything is organized. For every letter, there’s a precise description detailing how it has developed to its current form. I’m inspired by this clarity and structure, and I aspire to gather a comprehensive archive of letterforms. I want to explore how these forms can differ in perso-arabic letteforms based on various calligraphy styles. Currently, this area feels a bit elusive to me, as I haven’t yet studied this approach in detail. However, one of my primary goals is to deepen my understanding of Latin type design. I believe that acquiring this knowledge will open up new approaches for my work based on historical letterforms.

Moreover, I am passionate about giving back to my community. I want to support anyone interested in type design by helping them navigate the learning process. Sharing the knowledge I have acquired so far is something I am always ready for. I was helped during my process by so many people and now I am willing to do the same for anyone interested in perso-arabic type design.

Ultimately, my dream is to become a full-time type designer, where I can design fonts, learn about font engineering, and researching within the field. I want to explore the intersection of Persian and Arabic scripts while also raising awareness of their richness and diversity on a global scale. By doing so, I hope to contribute to a more inclusive understanding of typography and inspire others to appreciate the beauty in our diverse scripts. I want to create typefaces that not only celebrate our heritage but also connect with contemporary design. I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead and I am curious to see how I can grow and contribute to this vibrant community.

M.S.: Who are some of your favorite type designers in Iran, and beyond?

M.G.: Sahar Afshar is incredibly inspiring, not just for her beautiful work but also for her generosity in helping others. Bahman Eslami, with whom I work, has a structured approach to design and a deep knowledge of type that I truly admire. I also admire Borna Izadpanah for his work on some of my favorite fonts, and Amirmehdi Moslehi’s dedication to studying historical scripts inspires me.

I would also like to highlight designers who work with letters, such as Homa Delvarai. Although she is not a type designer, her posters, which are heavily based on typography, are absolutely fascinating. Studio Melli, a graphic design studio in Iran, stands out for its focus on typography-based posters. Additionally, Hamid Ghodsi is inspiring to me for designing a typeface inspired by Iranian newspaper ads.

Beyond Iran, Luc Devroye is a key figure who, although not a designer, has created an invaluable archive of type resources that I constantly reference. His dedication to documenting typography inspires me to one day create an archive focused on Arabic type designers. Kris Sowersby is another designer I admire for his elegant and refined work, which consistently balances beauty with functionality. I also love OH no Type Foundry for its bold, creative approach to type design and its unique, cool vibe that pushes boundaries while remaining accessible.

Lastly, the Alphabettes community has been incredibly warm and supportive, especially toward women. They have helped me a lot on my journey.Moreover, I am passionate about giving back to my community. I want to support anyone interested in type design by helping them navigate the learning process. Sharing the knowledge I have acquired so far is something I am always ready for. I was helped during my process by so many people and now I am willing to do the same for anyone interested in perso-arabic type design.

Ultimately, my dream is to become a full-time type designer, where I can design fonts, learn about font engineering, and researching within the field. I want to explore the intersection of Persian and Arabic scripts while also raising awareness of their richness and diversity on a global scale. By doing so, I hope to contribute to a more inclusive understanding of typography and inspire others to appreciate the beauty in our diverse scripts. I want to create typefaces that not only celebrate our heritage but also connect with contemporary design. I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead and I am curious to see how I can grow and contribute to this vibrant community.