Many of my previous posts revolved around me, and I've recently come to the conclusion, "what am I offering you? What are you able to take away from what I have shared with you in my previous posts?" I decided to go back to the very beginning by practicing a new style of font. I must admit, that I am well aware that I am not known as a hand lettering artist, and I realize that people may feel that I don’t have enough credibility. Even though I am working to build that; often times I do wonder what to share, what it is you want to know, and if what I am sharing is helpful. So, why should people listen to me if I'm just a beginner? Well I believe that going back to the beginning puts me in a prime position where I can ask some of the same questions that you may be having as you start out practicing hand-lettering. It has helped me to go back and put myself in the right mindset asking myself the right questions. What kind of questions am I asking as I start to learn hand lettering?…... -What type face should I study? -After choosing a type face, how do I know where the thick and thin lines will fall in a particular letter? -Should I practice my letters in any particular order?
Sharing our journeys, our stories from the very beginning, as students allow for honesty, growth in education and also allows us to record our growth. I’m learning that even as a beginner there are problems I CAN solve, like helping someone who is also getting started. Everyone doesn't have the funds to start with higher priced courses, and all free resources don't offer the minor details that may be missed. Everyone doesn't learn the same way, people speak different languages and consume information differently.
I am compelled to say however, that although there is a lot you CAN do even as a beginner to help others, you don’t want to act like an expert when you are not. This is where your honesty comes in. Before jumping ahead and attempting to do client work you want to know the basics and be sure that you are approaching your work with professionalism. I will be sure to elaborate on the case of professionalism in more detail in a later blog post.
Today, here's what you need to know. Terminologies.
- Kerning - the adjusted space between two letter pairs.
- Cap Height - the height of a letter from the base line.
- X-Height - sometimes referred as median line, the line lower case letters are based upon the height of lower case "x".
- Baseline - the (invisible) line your letters rest upon.
- Negative Space - the space that is not your subject. (the space surrounding your letters).
- Contrast - light and dark, or thick and thin in reference to letters.
As I continue to chronicle my journey, you will gain knowledge on how to become a better hand-lettering artist and designer. But before I leave, I encourage you to start your journey to hand-lettering also, and if you have any questions be sure to ask!
As you start your hand-lettering journey, what are you struggling with as as a beginner?What specific things would you like to learn?