The Art of Lettering
© Seshat
Paper has a long intricate history entwined with lettering. Words on paper can be used to simply convey a very basic message, such as in a memo but I have always thought that if you are going to communicate, why not do so with a bit of beauty. Beautiful lettering can be an added momentum to conveying your message. An elegant calligraphic script can convey sophistication. Bright, flashy letters can make a bold statement even bolder. Embossed lettering can express a sense of refined dignity. Cool pastels can convey calmness. Whatever your choice in lettering, the beauty of the lettering style and technique can add a dimension not previously present to your words, and therefore add impact to any lettering arts project from a simple name tag to an invitation or an illuminated script.
There are many marking tools you can for lettering, each with their own advantages and disadvantages:
- Pens: these are typically ready made writing implements. A fine-point pen can give you very neat and precise lettering, but may lack presence because of the finess of the line. Medium-point pens are a good run of the mill size which is bold enough to get your message across, but no so thick that your letters will look messy. Pens come in a variety of colors from basic writing tools to glitter and gel pens and are an easy way to experiment with lettering by simply using your own handwriting. Pens often come with easy to slip in refills or you can spend the extra money for a set of mechanical pens which have refillable ink barrels for variety in color, these are the kind of pens used by professional designers and architectural draftsmen. You can also get what's called an integrated calligraphy pen which has a permanent nib attached to it and a refillable body for inks. Usually pens contain permanent ink and therefore you cannot easily correct any mistakes in your lettering.
- Pencils: these are ready made implements as well and come in a variety of sizes from very small and fine to incredibly thick. You can obtain basic #2 pencils like you use in school, or even watercolor pencils. Another option is the mechanical pencil which comes in a variety of point sizes for specific projects and has refillable leads. Pencils are a good options for doing a rough imprint of your letters on your project, and then finishing with a more permanent means of marking. However, with all the wonderful watercolor and coloured pencils available on the market today, pencil lettering itself can give a wonderful soft quality to your lettering designs. Also, pencils will give you more versatility in correcting mistakes because they usually can be erased with little damage to your paper.
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