In recent years the art of lettering has taken the Internet and the art and design industry by storm. The all-but-extinct profession of sign painter is suddenly enjoying a renaissance, as decorative writing again appears on shop signs and just about everywhere else, including on: packaging, menus, book covers, advertising, apparel, invitations, prints, motion graphics and every other form of visual media.
Lettering has a special kind of appeal. It harks back to old times when computers did not exist and artwork was painstakingly created by hand, with the artist relying solely on their professional skill and talent.
Today, the popularity of lettering is in some ways a protest against the machine-generated aesthetic. Though most modern artists draw and then create the final art on the computer, in lettering, the end result always retains the hand-made fluidity, as originally intended
by the artist.
In my time perusing the net for ‘research’, I have come across works by many talented lettering artists and designers such as: Jessica Hische, Mary Kate McDevitt, Gemma O’Brien, Alex Trochut, Luke Lucas, Louise Fili, and Julia Brodskaya to name a few. I was in awe of their work and wanted to understand the secrets of their craft. I did not know anything about lettering and did not how to go about learning this new skill. While some of the above-mentioned artists do offer classes on online platforms such as Skillshare, I decided that I needed a more thorough resource, preferably in a book format.
I have always liked books. Their physical presence is somehow both reassuring and reliable, always at your fingertips when needed. However, it took some time for me to find the perfect book on the subject, as most of the books that I found on lettering in bookshops were either sparse on tips and information or they were nothing more than pretty coffee table books with beautiful lettering samples, which I could otherwise find on Pinterest. As I wanted to learn, neither satisfied my needs.
After searching far and wide, I eventually have found ‘The One’, the only and the book of books on lettering!
Lo and behold! The Golden Secrets of Lettering: Letter Design from First Sketch to Final Artwork by Martina Flor, published in 2017 by Thames & Hudson. The book is hardcover and spans across 160 pages, all chockfull of valuable information on lettering. Not only that, but It also covers topics such as type design and calligraphy, making the book just as attractive to graphic designers and typographers as it is to lettering artists.
The first thing that is immediately noticeable about the book is that it is unbelievably user-friendly. It has little text but is highly effective in explaining different concepts through the use of illustrations, detailed diagrams and annotations. The format of the book is straightforward enough for any lettering newbie to understand and simple enough for anyone to learn at their own pace. Some of the things you will learn are things like observational and analytical skills, which you will achieve by ‘training your typographic eye’ through the study of photos of real life signage and lettering samples. You will also learn about the right ways to use a pen and brush; anatomy of letters; composition and flourishes; digitizing and adding texture to letters. If that isn’t enough, the author, Martina Flor takes you through her professional process step-by-step, from start to finish. Then in the final chapter, Flor explains how all of these skills can come together and be put into practice, thereby showing you how to realistically make a career as a lettering artist.
The Golden Secrets of Lettering is a highly practical and comprehensive lettering resource. Information is not intimidating and easy to absorb and the book’s tone is warm and friendly. Handsomely illustrated, it is also easy on the eye. For anyone that is interested in type and lettering, this is the book for you.
You will never want to put it down!
This book is available at all major book retailers and Amazon:
http://amzn.to/2DPUVDb
