Creative Lettering
Creative lettering is an expressive art form that encompasses a variety of techniques and styles, allowing individuals to personalize their written communication through artistic embellishment. This practice has deep historical roots, with origins tracing back to ancient Chinese calligraphy, which is considered one of the earliest forms of creative lettering. Over the centuries, various styles have emerged, including Gothic and Carolingian scripts, as well as techniques like italic writing and copperplate.
In contemporary settings, creative lettering finds applications in crafting projects such as scrapbooking, card making, and personalized gifts, appealing to hobbyists of all ages and skill levels. While modern technology offers tools like computer-generated fonts, many still appreciate the unique charm of hand-lettered art. This authenticity is highly sought after in professional contexts, including custom invitations and awards. The current trend emphasizes self-expression, with many creators developing their own alphabets and styles, often incorporating vibrant colors and diverse materials to enhance their designs. Overall, creative lettering serves as both a personal and artistic outlet, bridging tradition with modern expression.
Creative Lettering
History
From elegant calligraphy to alphabet stickers and rubber stamps, creative lettering offers a fun and rewarding means of self-expression. Lettering can be used as an embellishment for scrapbooks, jewelry, card making, and other crafts, or it can form a work of art by itself. There are creative lettering techniques suitable for almost all ages and abilities.
It is unknown when the artistic possibilities of lettering were first discovered, but Chinese calligraphy is generally considered the earliest example. For the past 3,000 years, calligraphers have been forming graceful characters with brush and ink, and the art continues to inspire creative letterers today.
In Western cultures, the earliest examples of creative lettering may be found on jewelry and in manuscripts from the seventh century, in which animals and other symbols were combined with letters to form abstract designs. The best-known examples of decorative writing are the illuminated manuscripts from the Middle Ages, in which scribes formed elaborate capital letters and colorful text.
The history of writing itself shows a progression of creative transformations. Carolingian script, a system using lower-case letters and spaces between words, was introduced in Europe around 800 CE, during the reign of Charlemagne. Germanic monks devised gothic lettering in the twelfth century; italic writing was introduced during the Italian Renaissance; and copperplate, which used a metal quill tip to create delicate flourishes, became popular during the seventeenth century.
The first writing instrument was a stylus, which was used to scratch papyrus. This was followed by reed pens and brushes, goose quills, graphite pencils, and during the Industrial Revolution, machine-made pens. The twentieth century saw the introduction of ballpoint pens, markers, gel pens, and more.
Penmanship books began to appear in the sixteenth century, after reading and writing had become more widespread thanks to the invention of the printing press decades earlier. Thereafter, through the twentieth century, schoolchildren were graded on their ability to achieve perfect cursive handwriting.
In the twenty-first century, cursive handwriting is losing its importance. Computers are capable of generating perfect cursive text in addition to hundreds of other interesting fonts, and can be used for many creative lettering projects. Some modern hobbyists print out their desired text and then embellish it with paint, markers, or embossing ink.
Besides rubber stamps and stickers, other quick and easy-to-use lettering materials include rub-offs, stencils, clip art, and punch-outs.
Calligraphy continues to represent the fine art aspect of creative lettering. It reached a peak of popularity during the last few decades of the twentieth century.
Calligraphy supplies
- Calligraphy pens or pen holders and nibs
- Lettering handbook
- Pad of paper
- Ruler or t-square if paper is unlined
- Portable drawing board or student sketch board
- Ink
- Masking tape
- Pencil
- Art gum eraser
Optional supplies for calligraphy
- Finish papers (vellum, cardstock, handmade paper, imitation parchment, and more)
- Brushes
- Split nibs
- Transparent underliners (ruled guide sheets)
- Paint (acrylics, gouache, watercolors)
- Ink (carbon-based, liquid acrylic, colored)
- Embossing or gilding supplies
- Framing materials
Supplies for other lettering projects
- Stencils
- Templates
- Punch-out letters
- Letter or word stickers
- Rub-off letters or words
- Rubber stamps
- Clip art and tracing paper
- Color brushes
- Colored pencils
- Crayons
- Sponges
- Markers
- Computer and printer
- Glue
- Ruler
- Tape (masking, removable, correction)
- Scissors
- Quills, reeds, or anything else that can be used to make lines and circles
- Old magazines, newspapers, greeting cards, junk mail, etc.
Techniques
Although there are many creative lettering techniques, the following hints may apply to each:
- Think of lettering as drawing. A letterer should have a loose hand and an open mind.
- To achieve a straight line of text, use a ruler or t-square and lightly pencil in a base line, or if the paper is thin enough, use a ruled guide sheet positioned underneath. When the ink is completely dry, the line may be erased with an art gum eraser or other non-abrasive eraser.
- A guide may also be used to space letters in proportion to each other and to the rest of the text and page.
- Aim for a uniform slant throughout the page, unless another effect is desired.
- Although text may be embellished or skewed, it should also be legible.
- Layout, text, graphics, colors, and textures should all reflect a similar mood or style.
- When creating an archival work, remember to use both archival paper and carbon-based ink or other archival lettering materials.
Trends
Contemporary lettering is all about self-expression. Journals, scrapbooks, and altered books may all be lettered in a style that reflects each individual's personality. Many letterers design their own alphabet. In addition, software is available that turns handwriting into various unique fonts.
While some hobbyists print out their fonts using a computer, colorful fills may be added with markers, paint, or embossing ink to personalize the text.
Creative Lettering for Fun vs. Profit
Although computer-generated lettering has impacted the world of calligraphy, the authentic beauty of hand-lettered artwork is still appreciated. Companies frequently hire calligraphers to letter certificates, awards, menus, and other documents. Individuals hire calligraphers to complete scrapbooks, design wedding invitations, and more. Also, sign companies often hire experienced craftspeople to hand-letter text.
Interesting and original lettering designs combined with paper crafts, rubber-stamping projects, handmade cards, and other artwork is popular in the arts and crafts market.
Learning More
Organizations
American Institute of Graphic Arts <http://www.aiga.org/>
Association for the Calligraphic Arts <http://www.calligraphicarts.org/>
Society of Scribes and Illuminators <http://www.calligraphyonline.org/>
Books
Browning, Marie. Creative Craft Lettering Made Easy. Cincinnati: North Light Books, 2005.
Harris, David. The Art of Calligraphy: A Practical Guide to the Skills and Techniques. London: DK, 2005.
Shepherd, Margaret. Learn Calligraphy: The Complete Book of Lettering and Design. New York: Broadway, 2001.