Creating character and atmosphere with the stroke of a pen

Lettering is an art in itself. For those who have been swayed by the graceful elegance of a book cover title or influenced into seeing a film by the look of its logo, this book will be a treasure. The Art of Hand Lettering is not only a fun book, but also practical for the artist who wants to expand their craft. Lettering is another form of characterization. A person can glean a lot from the choice of style, color, and size of the letters that form the words on a page. More and more, letting is becoming part of the essence of a book as authors use it intentionally in the creation of their work.

Perhaps great poets like e.e. cummings were among the first to play with how words can create art by where cummings placed words on a page. Today we see this “word play” in lots of young adult and children’s novels. Not only where words are placed impact the narrative, but the size, font, and even color of the words are used to emphasize emotion and create tension in a book. The Art of Hand Lettering is an exploration into the craft of lettering and how to use it effectively. But it isn’t a dry manual on lettering. Instead it gives the owner of the book a chance to practice, to explore, and to create on their own.

As the official description of the book relates: “A detailed description of the art of hand lettering includes a basic education plus information on the various types of pens and paper. Pages are provided for practice and finished images. Discover English cursive, blackletter, calligram, and cartoon modern as you letter heartwarming quotes from your favorite Disney films. The perfect break from technology, this book will provide hours of entertainment and turn readers into artists in no time.”

Overall, this book is a ton of fun! Highly recommended for artists age 12 and up. It does require some penmanship and skill but the great things is anyone can learn to do it if they are willing to try! A fun book to give as a gift (or for yourself no matter what age).

Title: Art of Hand Lettering
Author: Cosimo Lorenzo Pancini
Cost: $14.99
Age: 12 and up
Publisher: Disney Editions
Genre: Art