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:

• 5 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

• 30 Exercises that gradually develop from beginner through intermediate and advanced levels

• 16 Analyses of lettering samples to understand what makes good lettering

• 52 Inspirational contributions in featured galleries from international letterers and brands

• 160 Pages for all skill levels

• 26 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

As far back as he can remember, Francis Chouquet has always drawn. After many years as a graphic designer, his attraction to lettering led him to begin drawing and creating his first letters in 2010. Since then, he has not stopped exploring all the different ways to draw letters. In 2015, he went to the United States to learn from a master in the field, Ken Barber, and has since decided to make lettering his full-time job.

Find Francis online at his blog beautifultype.net and on Instagram @fran6.