Over the course of the last few years, hand lettering has become extremely popular. The popularity surge in this field was a rather big one and people have shown a lot of interest in not only seeing but also learning it. Even though it is a hot topic these days and a lot of people are into it, a lot don’t still know what exactly it is. This post will introduce you to the basics of hand lettering.
What is Hand Lettering?
Hand lettering, in simple words, is the art of drawing letters. It must not be confused with calligraphy. In calligraphy all the letters are predefined, and the writer uses a preset alphabet to write stuff or in some cases might create an alphabet from scratch. In the case of hand lettering, the writer doesn’t work with a set alphabet and instead creates letters specifically for the job at hand. In hand lettering, every letter is carefully thought to fit the situation and the words are formulated just for one piece of hand-lettered text.
How did hand lettering start?
It is universally accepted that writing was not invented by a specific person at a known place or time. It evolved over time in different places before finally reaching the style we know today. The oldest proof of writing we have is in the form of letters, shapes, and objects scribbled on caves of the pre-historic era.
Let’s get back to the time we invented typing. Typing did make writing easier, but it came with its own limitations, as we did not have a lot of styles and formats to write in. This was the time when hand-lettering artists came to the scene. These people helped write in innovative ways for jobs where the simple printed script was not the best option.
How to learn hand lettering?
Hand lettering is not a fixed thing. There is no hard and fast rule of hand lettering and you just need to create letters that fit the job at hand. Here are some of the basics you need to cover when learning hand lettering.
1. Select a medium of writing
First of all, you need to decide what you will be writing on. You can choose from canvas to whiteboard and paper, anything you like. It is a good practice to select the medium you have worked on. If you have a practice of writing on paper go with it, if it is the canvas you are good at, select canvas.
2. Select your writing instrument
Next is the thing you are going to write with. Again, the choice is all yours. You can write with a pen a lead pencil or a brush, whatever you are good at.
3. Get Inspired
When you embark on the journey of creating letters, you need to have a baseline to start from. Go through a bunch of calligraphy and hand lettering formats and decide what you want to follow.
Hand lettering comes in handy when you have to create something unique, something distinctive. You can create a set of letters and words that match your requirements and convey your message in a way tailored only for you. Learning hand lettering is not a difficult thing to accomplish. You just need to be a bit creative, get some inspiration, and create your own font to make yourself and your brand stand apart in the endless list of competitors.