Thanks to a Tumblr glitch, my answer box is not functioning properly, but I feel like this question deserves an answer regardless of faulty technology. Also, please excuse the length and possible illegibility.
Nikography wrote in with the following question:
“hi!
i absolutely love your lettering work and am aspiring to achieve the kind of fluidity you possess.
do you have any suggestions as to practice methods or excersises that could assist in this? (other than traditional calligraphy studies)”
First of all, thank you for using the word “fluidity” when describing my work. Something I battle with every day (and probably most typographers/lettering artists) is the idea that type should flow naturally. When you sit down with the intention of communicating an idea in decorative letters, it can be all too easy to let your artistic tendencies get in the way and destroy the basic concept of legibility.
Besides that small notation, I’d have to say that the best way to exercise your lettering and/or typography abilities is by researching some styles that either A. appeal to you or B. seem like something you could easily see your style falling into. In developing my style, I learned to accomodate the fact that my hands are shaky and my patience wear thin rather easily. After I learned how to deal with those short-comings, I finally started learning where my influences really came from. Learn the history of your taste and why it exists. Where did the style come from? Did it come about due to a lack in technological advances? Learn how and why it was created and adapt those ideas to your own style. You’d be surprised at how quickly you start seeing an improvement in your work.
I could go on and on, but unfortunately my blog layout does not afford such a massive post. If you’d like to hear more on the subject, please email me or ask via the blog!
