School of Visual Arts

Custom Handlettering, the second installment in The Complete Typographer program, covers unique and beautiful handlettering used across a wide spectrum of design disciplines. The practice involves drawing letterforms already composed into words, rather than creating characters for an entire alphabet and combining them. Generated for specific uses rather than assembled from a kit of parts, handlettering provides infinite variety for type designers. Students will explore ways to build out digital variations on their handlettered characters. Tools, methods, and techniques for creating expressive lettering using traditional tools and media such as ink, pen, paint, and brush will be demonstrated. Digitizing hand drawn type into vector designs, and combining handwork with digital design within projects will be explored.

Lettering artistry

• Technique

• Tools

Session 1: Basic Shapes And Materials In Handlettering Session 2: Developing Your Technique: Lines And Letters Session 3: Developing Your Technique: Sketching And Creating Letters Session 4: From Analog Sketches To Digital Designs