Jay Roeder - Lettering Alphabets & Artwork: Inspiring Ideas & Techniques for 60 Hand-Lettering Styles

While most kids wanted to be firefighters or astronauts, I knew at a young age that Id pursue a career in the arts. I created some of my earliest hand-lettering at age five: I would draw the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and G.I. Joe logos on any piece of paper I could get my hands on, including homework from school. However, it wasnt until the late 2000s that I started to focus on hand-lettering as an isolated form of art. It started with lettering headlines for design concepts I worked on at various ad agencies. After a number of years at these agencies, I decided to go out on my own to focus on my hand-lettering passionit is one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Even after all these years, Ive never really stopped to think about why I am such an avid fan of hand-lettering. Maybe its because lettering has the ability to reveal the hand of its creator. Each piece of artwork is one-of-a-kind, made for a specific project or application. Maybe its because hand-lettering breaks the rules and is imperfect. Maybe its the seemingly endless ways a single alphabet can be drawn. Or maybe its the feeling I get when I finish a piece. Whatever the reasons, I love lettering and my passion for it has only grown over the years.

When I first started to take an interest in hand-lettering, there was little information about this art form readily available. I had to establish my own workflow based on trial and errorand use lots of sketchbook paper along the way! This led to the release of my first book 100 Days of Lettering, which focused on teaching beginners how to letter over the course of 100 days. In this book, I push that idea even further and share some of my favorite alphabets and artwork to inspire lettering artists of all skill levels.

Throughout these pages, youll find sixty hand-lettered alphabets broken down into four major categories: sans serif, serif, script, and decorative. Each section has a mixture of alphabet styles to fit any skill level. You will learn how letterforms are created and how an alphabetic style is used to inspire a lettering composition. Along the way, I share step-by-step guides to demonstrate how a finished piece comes to life. Each section also features a gallery of artwork from some of the most talented hand-lettering artists around the world.

I hope this book will help ignite your passion for lettering and inspire you to draw your own alphabets and artwork. With a little inspiration and practice, we all can create our own unique lettering. So grab a pencil and paper or a tablet and stylus, and start lettering today!

There are many different types of alphabets, but most can be classified into four basic styles: serif, sans serif, script, and decorative. From each of these categories, typographers, calligraphers, and hand-letterers have created many different subcategories. The classifications below will help you establish a basic understanding of how alphabets differ and what truly distinguishes them visually. Its essential to use this foundation when creating your own alphabets.

Serif alphabets are characterized by the small lines or flourishes at the end of each stroke in a letterform. Serif text is often considered easier to read, especially at smaller sizes, and is typically preferred when used in print.

SERIF STYLE EXAMPLES

COMMON SERIF STYLES