ABC of Lettering
Carl Holmes
Walter Foster Books
Nonfiction, Art
***
DESCRIPTION: Since the development of written language, the creation of letters has been as much about art as about clear communication. In modern times, the demand for unique, artistic, yet readable fonts is as high as ever. This book describes how to create various versions of the English alphabet to convey various emotions and ideas, for the hobbyist or jobbing artist.
REVIEW: I've long had a peculiar fascination with fonts, as my bulging Windows Font folder attests, and though I've never had the time or guts to attempt designing any myself, I still enjoy browsing them. This book, which was free to me, seemed to fit in with that interest. To a certain degree, I found it interesting. Holmes touches on the four basic font families and their origins, then goes on to discuss some basic tools and design considerations. Unfortunately, that's about it so far as instructions go. Only a few fonts had anything resembling a how-to when it came to layouts and inking/brushing. Though the pages are packed with examples of various fonts - literally, beyond the point of crowding out the text - only a handful are actually identified, which seemed like a bit of an oversight. While the information - what there is of it - still seems valid, despite the publication date (I couldn't find a specific year, though it was before household computers were anything but a science fiction prop), I felt like there were reams of useful information that were cut to make room for the overwhelming clutter of advertising typeface examples. Less visual clutter and more clear instructions would've been nice. Considering the price, and the overall age of the book, I don't feel inclined to judge it too harshly... and, though most of the examples were distracting, I admit I kinda liked seeing the many different moods fonts could express.
You might also enjoy:
Just My Type (Simon Garfield, Nonfiction - The history, controversies, and ongoing art of font design)
Paint Your Own Illuminated Letters (Stephan Oliver, Art - Includes a history of illuminated letters, plus projects to try at home)
The Art of Lettering with Pen and Brush (Larry Ottino, Art - An introduction to lettering, with many exercises and fonts to copy)
The Technical Pen (Gary Simmons, Art - How to use technical pens to create a wide variety of looks and moods)
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