Calligraphy and Lettering: A Maker's Guide

by Victoria & Albert Museum

Overview

A fresh, contemporary, and practical guide to calligraphy and lettering, with 15 projects inspired by the V&A collections.

Calligraphy—along with brush lettering, sign writing, and the chalkboard—is undergoing a surge in popularity. Examples of beautiful lettering and penmanship are all around us, and all over Instagram, depicted on book covers, posters, and invitations.

Perfect for anyone wanting to learn more about calligraphy and lettering, this practical introduction showcases many examples from the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection, and will offer a new understanding and appreciation of letterforms. Detailed instructions, complete with sample alphabets, lead you through the essentials of classic styles such as Gothic and Italic lettering, on to vintage- inspired sign writing and chalkboard design and even into the elegant, image-led worlds of illuminated capitals and zoomorphic calligraphy. Projects include a handmade booklet, banner, menu, gift tags, a monogram rubber stamp, greetings cards, and more.

Lettering often has a decorative as well as informative function, and with Calligraphy and Lettering and a bit of practice, it is possible for anyone to elevate their message, whatever it may be, into a personalized piece of art.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780500294307
Publisher:	Thames & Hudson
Publication date:	06/25/2019
Series:	V&A A Maker's Guide
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 10.50(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

The Victoria and Albert Museum is the world’s leading museum of art, design, and performance, housing a permanent collection of over 2.3 million objects that span over 5,000 years of human creativity. The V&A is located in London, England.

Table of Contents

Calligraphy & lettering today Denise Lach 6

Tools & materials 10

Getting started 14

Skeleton letterforms 18

Making a layout 24

Making a finished piece 27

Classic Calligraphy 30

Roman capitals 34

Foundational hand 46

Gothic script 60

Italic script 70

Capitals & Initials 82

Decorated letters 86

Illuminated letters 94

Embossing & debossing 102

Monograms 108

Decorations Display 114

Pen flourishes 118

Chalkboard lettering 124

Vintage sign writing 130

Painted lettering 138

Everyday penmanship 144

Beyond Western Calligraphy 150

Japanese calligraphy 156

Zoomorphic calligraphy 164

Glossary 170

About the makers 171

Index 172

Picture credits & acknowledgments 176

Editorial Reviews

05/06/2019

This arresting compendium, published in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, convincingly and instructively posits precise, artful hand lettering as a viable antidote to the obsession with speed and efficiency that permeates modern life. Calligraphist Lach’s introduction tracks the art of calligraphy through its ancient and modern permutations and in different countries around the world. The book also contains preliminary instructions for embarking on a calligraphy project, including setting up the writing board at the right angle (a steep angle is best for slower ink flow, while a flattened surface lends more speed), choosing a pen tip, and setting line spaces. Fifteen projects then follow, each one conforming to a different tradition within calligraphy and hand-lettering as a whole, including, among others, Roman capitals, Gothic script, illuminations, embossing, vintage sign writing, and Japanese calligraphy. Every project is accompanied by measurements and techniques for creating perfect, beautiful, and symmetrical letters, all requiring patience and focus on the artist’s part. As Lach notes, “learning classic calligraphy is primarily a lesson in precision and humility.” This elegant volume will enable even inexperienced beginners to reclaim a venerable art form. (June)

Publishers Weekly