Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook, free of charge, from Quatro Publishing via #netgalley, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis:
With Special Effects Lettering and Calligraphy, you’ll learn to master a variety of lettering styles and gorgeous mediums to create amazing lettered art.
This fun, colorful, and inspiring guide for lettering enthusiasts at all levels of experience is written and illustrated by popular lettering artist and Domestika instructor Grace Frosen of @gracecallidesigns, who shares her secrets on how to create vibrant and unique designs.
This fun, colorful, and inspiring guide for lettering enthusiasts at all levels of experience is written and illustrated by popular lettering artist and Domestika instructor Grace Frosen of @gracecallidesigns, who shares her secrets on how to create vibrant and unique designs.
- - Getting Started. Experiment with pens, paper, and other essential art materials.
- - Creative Lettering for Beginners. Warm-up exercises, hand-lettering basics, and alphabet guides.
- - Adding Extra Sparkle. Develop your own style and add various special effects and techniques to make your lettering pop.
- - Colors and Blending. Blend colors and learn to work with metallics and other glittering mediums.
- - Oodles of Doodles. Add illustrations, flourishes, and embellishments to your lettering pieces.
- - Putting It All Together. Create well-composed art pieces that combine different styles in beautiful layouts.
Review:
I have loved calligraphy since high school and it has over time greatly influenced my own handwriting, so I was looking for a book that included it, as well as stylized writing, so da kid, as you know how teens can be about learning 'from mom' when it comes to creative items, and this book is perfect! It evens has tidbits that us older folks can use!
Then it teaches you about how to add flourishes, including keeping them in the same direction for upper and lower characters, something we don't always think about, but our mind sees and looks for that congrueity. Another tidbit that I found really interesting was to use a GREY marker first to lay down your base lettering when making signs/envelopes/illustrations, and THEN add your primary sparkle colors on top, or use brush pens to create gradients. I learned quite a bit on that section about using markers to highlight your writing!
The other section that is REALLY helpful for those new to hand lettering, is the layout section. As you can see above, you get different ideas about how to use shapes to place your lettering, and to help you maintain curves and slants. It's not something I generally use, as I was taught to use the one line concept, but I think this one is much better for keeping your layout much cleaner.
Even the illustration above is a great example of using all the techniques discussed in the book. From layout, to font, to flourishes, to color and design, it shows the reader how it can all come together in a sign you'd be proud to put on your wall, and to give to others! Yes, you can use online graphic makers, but there is nothing like the feel of success when you make it by hand, and see your idea come to life under your own pen and hand!
This is a definite must for anyone interested in learning creative lettering and calligraphy. Pair it with some art paper, markers, and pencils for a great Christmas gift this year, for anyone who loves art of these types of designs- it's a gift that will keep on giving!
About the Author:
Grace Frosen is a lettering artist and illustrator with a popular following on Instagram @gracecallidesigns. In addition to selling her doodle and lettering workbooks on her Etsy site GraceCalliStudios, Grace teaches a creative lettering class on the online teaching platform Domestika. Originally from the Philippines, she lives in Cambridge, UK.
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