Book 23: The Joy of Lettering

Title: The Joy of Lettering: A Creative Exploration of Contemporary Hand Lettering, Typograph & Illustrated Typeface
Author: Gabri Joy Kirkendall and Jaclyn Escalera
Started: July 4, 2018
Finished: July 5, 2018
Pages: 144
Genre: Handwriting

First Sentence: There is something for everyone in The Joy of Lettering!

Summary: [From BN] With more than 50 tips, techniques, and lessons for creating beautiful illuminated letters and sophisticated lettering projects, The Joy of Lettering takes hand lettering to a whole new level. Gabri Joy Kirkendall (Creative Lettering & Beyond) and Jaclyn Escalera guide readers through a dynamic exploration of the craft, focusing on typography and illuminated letters and numbers using pencil, ink, and marker in a variety of styles and themes. From there, artists will learn how to create letters using a variety of alternative materials and media, such as watercolor, gouache, and wood. Easily customized DIY projects invite artists to finesse their skills as they learn to letter on different types of surfaces while creating lettered murals, stationery, and signage. Packed with creative techniques and easy-to-follow lessons, this all-inclusive resource is a must-have for anyone who wants to learn or grow their expertise in the art of hand lettering.

Thoughts: I've read so many hand-letting books lately that they're all starting to blend together. That said, what I liked most about this book was that it not only reviewed different fonts and gave examples, but it included a little bit of history for each font presented. This book also did a particularly good job showing different ways to play with letters (adding shadows, embellishments, etc.) As with all these kinds of texts, the authors included several project ideas, but this book included alternate media like flowers and other tactile material.

What I didn't like about this book was the page formatting. It was scattered and kind of an eyesore due to the harsh use of many colors on one page. It felt like images of lettering were dragged and dropped randomly throughout the book. I'm all for color and fun but this was just a bit much.

Rating: 6/10 [Good]

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