(*1978) studied visual communication at the design faculty of Hochschule Wismar as well as type design at Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst HGB Leipzig (with Fred Smeijers and Stephan Müller). His thesis work, an antiqua with an italic cut called Tilia, won the state prize for upcoming designers in 2011; a bold weight of Tilia is currently in development. From 2012, Tobias-David taught at Wismar, and since 2016 he has been at Burg Giebichenstein, Halle.

Working at the intersections between calligraphy, sign-writing, lettering and type design, Tobias-David’s work includes many customised letterforms for labels, posters, store signs, glassware, and tombstones. He applies a wide range of lettering techniques such as drawing, painting, etching, carving, and moulding.

Among the designs that he produced digitally are a poster with a Gerrit Noordzij quote for Museum für Druckkunst, Leipzig (2013), and various brush letterings for commercial magazines such as Shape, Men’s Fitness,and MusikExpress (2014–17). Tobias-David was also commissioned to create adornments and lettering for bell founding, such as the new church bells at Hohendorf (2014) and at St. Nikolai, Leipzig (2019), the result of very elaborate technical production processes which he enjoys engaging with.