The Art of Lettering: Perfectly Imperfect Hand-Crafted Type Design (Hardcover)

Authors: Brooke Robinson with Ken Barber, Jessica Hische, Lauren Horn, and Gemma O'Brien

Publisher: Rizzoli (2018)

From whimsical to elegant, and old-school influences to the new school—Goodtype’s The Art of Lettering showcases dynamic hand lettering from today’s sought-after typographers and calligraphers, stoking creative inspiration for graphic designers, artists, and type enthusiasts alike.

Hand lettering is making a comeback, bursting out of its graphic design bubble and finding the mainstream through social media sites like Instagram and Pinterest. The avid interest in hand lettering seemingly goes hand in hand with the weariness audiences feel with the constant slick digital presentation of the information they consume. 

The Art of Lettering spotlights myriad new and established graphic designers for whom hand lettering is a time-honored practice that has modern applications. Showcasing more than 100 artists from all over the world, the book displays their typographic takes and illustrates their perfectly imperfect handcrafted art, from beautiful photographs of concept sketches to the end result.

Straying away from traditional pen calligraphy, artists today employ new and creative approaches, including building type with coffee grounds, watercolors, and combinations of different hand tools, resulting in a dynamically fresh approach to creating type.