Lettering: combining styles

Lettering: combining styles

Sans serif and playbill. Script and illustration. Serif and ornate. There are hundreds and hundreds of different combinations of lettering that can make such unique pieces of artwork. For my last blog post, I decided to combine some of my favorite fonts.

Combining styles is when you join serif with script lettering in one piece, such as the examples from the book (McDevitt, 60).

If you were to use combining styles, I would recommend using a longer phrase so that it you have more letters to work with. I chose the quote “Go the extra mile, it’s never crowded”. I was able to use different styles and techniques to get the finish product. For example, one of the first things to think about when sketching your phrase is how you want to stack the words. I chose to stack in a certain way so that the words “mile” and “crowded” were emphasized. This step is crucial because you want your final draft to be pleasing to the eye.

Mary Kate McDevitt describes combining styles as “It’s what will make your piece as distinctive and interesting as possible” (60). So, I decided to base all of the fonts on sans serif because it was a simple design. I also wanted to emphasize “mile” and “crowded”, which I did by using variations of sans serif. On “mile”, I chose to use script to balance out sans serif. And on “crowded”, I thought a Limelight font would be perfect. Limelight is when you add a bold look to words. This font is my go-to font whenever I’m lettering words because it gives any piece a distinctive look.

After adding details and outlining with sharpie, I finished the final piece:

I 100% recommend Hand-Lettering Ledger A Practical Guide to Creating Serif, Script, Illustrated, Ornate, and Other Totally Original Hand-Drawn Styles to anyone who is looking to learn more about hand-lettering. Mary Kate gives such great advice and I can confidently say that my techniques have improved significantly. This book is perfect for practicing both basic and intermediate lettering skills.

Do you have a favorite lettering style that you always use? If so, why do you think you always come back to that style?

Citation - McDevitt, Mary Kate. Hand-Lettering Ledger. Chronicle Books, 2014.

Lettering: script

Lettering: Script

Script, calligraphy, cursive; all three look really similar, it's almost hard to differentiate them. Nonetheless, it's a beautiful font that can be used for anything from birthday cards to wedding invitations.


McDevitt says script is "...often created with fluid strokes using a brush or pen and nib" (32). There are many different variations of script. For example, one type of script is formal script. Formal script is commonly seen in 17th century writing with strokes connecting letters together. Another example is casual script, which is informal and looks as though it was written quickly. The Hand-Lettering Ledger shows a collection of script styles:

After drawing a few sketches and picking the quote I wanted to draw, I moved to the second step named in the book, which is sketch out the phrase while keeping in mind the swashes, composition, and sizing of the words (34).

Here, I chose the quote "no rain...no flowers". I added swashes to letters like "f" and "n", but not too much where it wasn't readable.

Once I chose the sketch above to work on, I followed the next step suggested by McDevitt; "Finalize your drawing with a pen, either with tracing paper or directly on top of your drawing" (35). I didn't have a pen that was thick enough for me to fill in the letters fully, so I used a black permanent marker instead.

I feel like using a dark marker, whether it be black, dark blue, etc., it makes the words a lot more visible and it gives the whole phrase an elegant look. What type of lettering or font do you think best suites your personality?

Citation - McDevitt, Mary Kate. Hand-Lettering Ledger. Chronicle Books, 2014.

Lettering: playbill

Lettering: Playbill

The definition of playbill is "...basically for your 'old-timey' style and includes Western and circus-style lettering" (McDevitt, 40). In other words, playbill is simply a form of illustrative lettering, commonly seen with bright, eye-catching colors (red, orange, yellow,etc.). Typically, you would find playbill being used for advertisements in places like carnivals, circuses, etc. (example from the book below).

Playbill, for some reason, was really hard for me to get right. I've never been more frustrated and had so many drafts before. I kept changing the details of the words so that it would match playbill's style, but I just couldn't achieve the look I was going for. After an afternoon of overwhelming myself, I decided to look through Mary Kate's book to see if there were any techniques I could use to help me. There was one in particular that completely changed the way I designed my artwork: "Use hierarchy to emphasize the important words....Play with different styles for the serifs: they are often exaggerated, so don't be timid" (42). 

After reading that quote, I slightly changed the first word to match playbill's distinctive look, which consists of matching different styles, such as sans serif, script, and serif (40). I added a banner to "of the" so it would add more of a carnival look. Hierarchy is when you stack certain words on top of each other which allows you to work more and use more lettering styles. I used this technique by putting "Best" on the top and bottom with "of the" in the middle. About 6 tries later, I finally got the look right. 

I was really pleased with the finished work, but after completing it, I realized how easy it was for me to get worked up about how my art looks. I've never been so overwhelmed with lettering because drawing words is always so stress-free for me. At what point do you think you start to get frustrated with yourself when you're learning something new? How do you allow yourself to be less stressed?

Citation - McDevitt, Mary Kate. Hand-Lettering Ledger. Chronicle Books, 2014.

Lettering: illustration vs. representational

Lettering: Illustration and lettering vs. Representational

Hand-lettering can be easily distinguished from any other form of lettering art. For example, calligraphy is created with alternating strokes, while lettering is more visually engaging with different colors. However, there are different variations of lettering. The two that are confused most often is illustration and representational.

McDevitt says "...illustration incorporated with lettering is a fun way to add interest to the composition and not rely as heavily on the tone of the lettering (though it is still important)" (McDevitt, 52). She also defined representational as "...a style that takes on the look of an object to create lettering. For example: ribbon, flowers, rope, twigs, pretzels" (56).

Below, I've inserted examples of both from the book:

Illustration
(notice most pictures are not related to the phrase)

Representational
(pictures correspond with the phrases, like salad and zap)

I decided to use representational lettering to draw the phrase "No use crying over spilled milk".

What do you think is your favorite quote? Why is it important to you?

Citation - McDevitt, Mary Kate. Hand-Lettering Ledger. Chronicle Books, 2014.

Lettering: intro and serif

Lettering: Intro and Serif

Ever since I could write, I remember doodling words over and over in empty spaces of worksheets and margins of textbooks. Every school project I had, I made the titles and subtitles bright and colorful. Every card I made, the front cover was extravagant and fancy. I loved the fact that I could take any letter and draw it any way I can think of. I loved that there were so many styles that give words different feels and personalities. So, I decided to improved my techniques in hand lettering by reading Hand-Lettering Ledger: A Practical Guide To Creating Serif, Script, Illustrated, Ornate, and Other Totally Original Hand-Drawn Styles by Mary Kate McDevitt.

What is Hand-Lettering?

The author defined hand-lettering simply as "...the art of drawing letters". McDevitt says that lettering takes communication and changes it into a signifying, expressive form of art (McDevitt, 10). It can be used on various projects to customize hundred and hundreds of phrases. People often confuse lettering with typography or calligraphy and use all three interchangeably. Typography is the technique of arranging type to be legible and appealing, mostly used for press. Calligraphy is visual art relating to the design of lettering that is written smooth strokes (10). There are so many different styles of hand-lettering for different projects, cards, letters, etc. It allows you to be imaginative and free with your phrases.

What is Serif?

For my first post, I decided to go with an easier style: serif. McDevitt defines serif as "a small line, flourish, or embellishment trailing from the main stroke of a letter" (20). Serif can be drawn in a modern or old style, triangular, or transition.

What is your favorite way to express art and why?

Citation - McDevitt, Mary Kate. Hand-Lettering Ledger. Chronicle Books, 2014.