Ebook: The Lettering Workshops: 30 Exercises for Improving Your Hand Lettering Skills

In The Lettering Workshops, you’ll learn all about the art and practice of drawing letters using hands-on techniques in 30 lessons across five workshops. Whether you’re a beginner or a professional graphic designer, you'll quickly learn how to develop and advance your lettering skills.

In this richly illustrated book of lessons and exercises, you’ll find:

• Workshops to learn the art of drawing letters—from an introduction to brush lettering and lettering script to the decoration of letters; from the secrets of good composition to the process of digitization and vectorization of your type
• Exercises that gradually develop from beginner through intermediate and advanced levels
• Analyses of lettering samples to understand what makes good lettering
• Inspirational contributions in featured galleries from international letterers and brands
• Pages for all skill levels
• Letters to learn and explore

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What Is Lettering
• Why This Book?
• First Lesson
• Lettering, Calligraphy, or Typography?
• Basics and Technical Vocabulary
• WORKSHOP 1: DISCOVERING BRUSH LETTERING
• Exercise 1: Finding the Right Position
• Exercise 2: Setting Up a Grid
• Exercise 3: Carrying Out the First Motions
• Exercise 4: Drawing the Letters
• Exercise 5: Connecting the Letters
• Exercise 6: Reworking Your Drafts
• Analysis of Lettering Samples
• Gallery
• WORKSHOP 2: INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPT LETTERING
• Exercise 1: Discovering the Skeleton Technique
• Exercise 2: Drawing an Alphabet
• Exercise 3: Drawing a Complete Word
• Exercise 4: Lettering in a Classic Script
• Exercise 5: Leaving Your Comfort Zone!
• Analysis of Lettering Samples
• Gallery
• WORKSHOP 3: USING TYPOGRAPHIC CHARACTERS
• Exercise 1: Embellishing a Letter
• Exercise 2: Practicing on a Complete Word
• Exercise 3: Going Further with Vintage Style
• Exercise 4: Discovering Interlock
• Exercise 5: Practicing Interlock with Serifs
• Exercise 6: Producing a Complete Interlock Lettering Project
• Analysis of Lettering Samples
• Gallery
• WORKSHOP 4: THE SECRETS OF GOOD COMPOSITION
• Exercise 1: Thinking in Terms of the Block
• Exercise 2: Completing the First Sketches
• Exercise 3: Choosing the Styles for Each Word
• Exercise 4: Drawing the Skeleton
• Exercise 5: Developing and Finalizing Your Path
• Analysis of Lettering Samples
• Gallery
• WORKSHOP 5: DIGITIZATION AND VECTORIZATION
• Exercise 1: Digitizing and Preparing Your Lettering
• Exercise 2: First Steps in Vectorization
• Exercise 3: Testing the Vertex Theory
• Exercise 4: Vectorizing the Entire Lettering Project
• Exercise 5: Critiquing Your Vectorized Lettering Project
• Exercise 6: Preparing Your Lettering Project without Vectorization
• Exercise 7: Isolating the Lettering
• Exercise 8: Adding Texture to the Lettering Project
• Exercise 9: Finalizing the Composition
• Gallery
• Artists Represented in this Book
• Resources