By Bernard E. Richardson | Master Teacher & Art Educator | 2022
© Bernard E. Richardson | 2022
What is Lettering?
LETTERING STYLE is also called Typeface (Type).
• It is a set of characters of the same design or family.
These characters include letters, numbers, punctuation
marks, and symbols.
Courier New
Lettering style/Typeface
Century
Lettering style/Typeface
Brief History
• In ancient history the Egyptians used picture words to
communicate with each other.
• It was called hieroglyphics.
• Hieroglyphics is a very old form of writing that the ancient
Egyptians started using as early as 3000 B.C.
• It was a very complicated way of writing and involved about
1000 different symbols.
• Examples of Egyptian Hieroglyphics
There are two (2) major families of Lettering types:
1. SERIF
2. SANS SERIF
Lettering Styles/Typeface
SERIF letters:
• They are made up of curved strokes or hooks at the end of
the letters (called extensions). They are also called tails.
• They have thick and thin strokes.
This is a serif letter
AThick stroke
Thin stroke
Hook
SANS SERIF letters:
• The word “sans” means “without” which means that these
letters do not have any hooks or extensions.
• They appear bigger and bolder.
This is a Sans serif letter
Lettering Styles/Typeface
From these two (2) major families all other lettering
styles/typefaces are created.
There are five (5) basic lettering styles
• Italic
• Script
• Roman
• Gothic
• Block
1. ITALIC LETTERS
• Originated in Italy.
• It was designed by Aldus Manutius in Venice in 1500. Hence the name
‘Italic’.
• Its marked characteristic is that it is constructed on a slant to the right
usually at an angle of 45˚.
• It can be created or drawn as serif or sans serif.
Italic letters XYZ
Italic letters XYZ
2. SCRIPT OR CURSIVE LETTERS
• This lettering style was created from handwriting.
• ‘Script’ comes from the Latin word “Scriptum” which means ‘writing’.
• It is sometimes called “Cursive”. Cursive comes from the Latin word
“Cursus” which means ‘running’. This describes the flowing manner in
which the letters run from one another into the other.
Script letters XYZ
Cursive letters XYZ
• The difference between Script and Cursive is that Script letters are
joined together while Cursive letters are slightly separated (they
appear to be joining).
3. ROMAN LETTERS
• The regular lettering style where the vertical lines of the letters are straight
up and not at an angle.
• It was created by a french man, Nicholas Jenson in 1470.
• Roman letters are serif letters with the curves and hooks at the top and
bottom part of the letters (serifs).
• The letters have thick and thin strokes; the vertical strokes are usually thick
and the horizontal strokes are usually thin.
ROMAN LETTERS
Roman letters
4. GOTHIC LETTERS
• Is one of the oldest forms of lettering styles.
• Also known as ‘Old English’ or ‘Blackletter style’.
• It resembles illuminated manuscripts type writing.
• Used in formal situations –
• Is weak for legibility, readability and casual messages.
GOTHIC LETTERS XYZ
Gothic letters
XYZ
5. BLOCK LETTERS
• A sans-serif lettering style
• Simple uppercase and lowercase letters composed of strokes of uniform
thickness.
• Can be written as Serif and Sans serif as well as Italic.
BLOCK LETTERS
block letters
Lettering style/Typeface
LETTER CASE is the distinction between the letters.
There are TWO types:
1. UPPERCASE:
• Are capital letters.
• Bigger and taller.
• Letters that represents
the beginning of a
sentence or proper
noun.
1. LOWERCASE:
• All other letters which are not
in uppercase.
• Smaller and shorter.
Uppercase
Lowercase
Lettering styles: Typography
TYPOGRAPHY is the arrangement and presentation of
printed lettering styles/typeface to make a written
language legible, readable and appealing when it is
displayed.
• It involves arranging a lettering style/typeface in various
combinations of font, size, and spacing as well as colour.
The Essentials of Good Lettering / Typography
The Essentials of good lettering are:
1. Legibility 2. Spacing 3. Colour
1. LEGIBILITY
For words to be readable:-
• the letters must be equally spaced so that each letter is identifiable.
• Usually letters should be of the same size and family.
2. SPACING
• There should be enough space between each letter to make identifiable.
• There should be enough space between each word.
• There should be enough space between each line of text.
KERNING is the space between a
pair of letters.
LEADING is the space between
lines of text, commonly called
line spacing.
TRACKING is the space between
letters in a line.
3. COLOUR
• Choose a colour which fits or suits the operation which
will make the words legible, readable and appealing.
• Attention should be paid to the background colour on
which the words will be placed.
Lettering styles can be designed in varying weights:
• Light
• Regular
• Bold
• Black
• Light is the thinner or ‘lighter’ version of
the regular typeface. Also called thin.
• Regular is the standard size or weight of
the typeface. Also called normal.
• Bold is a thicker or heavier version of the
regular typeface.
• Black is an extra heavy version of the
regular typeface.
Lettering styles can also be designed in varying sizes: •
•
•
•
References & Image Courtesies
• Saikat Basu (2022 ). How to choose the best font for powerpoint presentation.
Go Skills https://www.goskills.com/Microsoft-Office/Resources/Best-font-for-
PowerPoint-presentation
• De Leon, Mye. (2009-2022). The difference between kerning leading and
tracking. https://myedeleon.com/kerning-leading-tracking/
• Fairchild Art Studios. (2022). Art of typography.
https://fairchildartstudios.com/art-of-typography/
• The Los Angeles Film School. How to make your typography stand out.
https://www.lafilm.edu/blog/make-your-typography-stand-out/
• https://creativepro.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/C.-Legibility.png

LETTERING STYLES.pptx

  • 1.
    By Bernard E.Richardson | Master Teacher & Art Educator | 2022 © Bernard E. Richardson | 2022
  • 2.
    What is Lettering? LETTERINGSTYLE is also called Typeface (Type). • It is a set of characters of the same design or family. These characters include letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and symbols. Courier New Lettering style/Typeface Century Lettering style/Typeface
  • 3.
    Brief History • Inancient history the Egyptians used picture words to communicate with each other. • It was called hieroglyphics. • Hieroglyphics is a very old form of writing that the ancient Egyptians started using as early as 3000 B.C. • It was a very complicated way of writing and involved about 1000 different symbols.
  • 4.
    • Examples ofEgyptian Hieroglyphics
  • 5.
    There are two(2) major families of Lettering types: 1. SERIF 2. SANS SERIF Lettering Styles/Typeface
  • 6.
    SERIF letters: • Theyare made up of curved strokes or hooks at the end of the letters (called extensions). They are also called tails. • They have thick and thin strokes. This is a serif letter AThick stroke Thin stroke Hook
  • 7.
    SANS SERIF letters: •The word “sans” means “without” which means that these letters do not have any hooks or extensions. • They appear bigger and bolder. This is a Sans serif letter
  • 8.
    Lettering Styles/Typeface From thesetwo (2) major families all other lettering styles/typefaces are created. There are five (5) basic lettering styles • Italic • Script • Roman • Gothic • Block
  • 9.
    1. ITALIC LETTERS •Originated in Italy. • It was designed by Aldus Manutius in Venice in 1500. Hence the name ‘Italic’. • Its marked characteristic is that it is constructed on a slant to the right usually at an angle of 45˚. • It can be created or drawn as serif or sans serif. Italic letters XYZ Italic letters XYZ
  • 11.
    2. SCRIPT ORCURSIVE LETTERS • This lettering style was created from handwriting. • ‘Script’ comes from the Latin word “Scriptum” which means ‘writing’. • It is sometimes called “Cursive”. Cursive comes from the Latin word “Cursus” which means ‘running’. This describes the flowing manner in which the letters run from one another into the other. Script letters XYZ Cursive letters XYZ
  • 12.
    • The differencebetween Script and Cursive is that Script letters are joined together while Cursive letters are slightly separated (they appear to be joining).
  • 13.
    3. ROMAN LETTERS •The regular lettering style where the vertical lines of the letters are straight up and not at an angle. • It was created by a french man, Nicholas Jenson in 1470. • Roman letters are serif letters with the curves and hooks at the top and bottom part of the letters (serifs). • The letters have thick and thin strokes; the vertical strokes are usually thick and the horizontal strokes are usually thin. ROMAN LETTERS Roman letters
  • 15.
    4. GOTHIC LETTERS •Is one of the oldest forms of lettering styles. • Also known as ‘Old English’ or ‘Blackletter style’. • It resembles illuminated manuscripts type writing. • Used in formal situations – • Is weak for legibility, readability and casual messages. GOTHIC LETTERS XYZ Gothic letters XYZ
  • 17.
    5. BLOCK LETTERS •A sans-serif lettering style • Simple uppercase and lowercase letters composed of strokes of uniform thickness. • Can be written as Serif and Sans serif as well as Italic. BLOCK LETTERS block letters
  • 19.
    Lettering style/Typeface LETTER CASEis the distinction between the letters. There are TWO types: 1. UPPERCASE: • Are capital letters. • Bigger and taller. • Letters that represents the beginning of a sentence or proper noun. 1. LOWERCASE: • All other letters which are not in uppercase. • Smaller and shorter. Uppercase Lowercase
  • 20.
    Lettering styles: Typography TYPOGRAPHYis the arrangement and presentation of printed lettering styles/typeface to make a written language legible, readable and appealing when it is displayed. • It involves arranging a lettering style/typeface in various combinations of font, size, and spacing as well as colour.
  • 21.
    The Essentials ofGood Lettering / Typography The Essentials of good lettering are: 1. Legibility 2. Spacing 3. Colour 1. LEGIBILITY For words to be readable:- • the letters must be equally spaced so that each letter is identifiable. • Usually letters should be of the same size and family.
  • 22.
    2. SPACING • Thereshould be enough space between each letter to make identifiable. • There should be enough space between each word. • There should be enough space between each line of text. KERNING is the space between a pair of letters. LEADING is the space between lines of text, commonly called line spacing. TRACKING is the space between letters in a line.
  • 23.
    3. COLOUR • Choosea colour which fits or suits the operation which will make the words legible, readable and appealing. • Attention should be paid to the background colour on which the words will be placed.
  • 24.
    Lettering styles canbe designed in varying weights: • Light • Regular • Bold • Black • Light is the thinner or ‘lighter’ version of the regular typeface. Also called thin. • Regular is the standard size or weight of the typeface. Also called normal. • Bold is a thicker or heavier version of the regular typeface. • Black is an extra heavy version of the regular typeface.
  • 25.
    Lettering styles canalso be designed in varying sizes: • • • •
  • 26.
    References & ImageCourtesies • Saikat Basu (2022 ). How to choose the best font for powerpoint presentation. Go Skills https://www.goskills.com/Microsoft-Office/Resources/Best-font-for- PowerPoint-presentation • De Leon, Mye. (2009-2022). The difference between kerning leading and tracking. https://myedeleon.com/kerning-leading-tracking/ • Fairchild Art Studios. (2022). Art of typography. https://fairchildartstudios.com/art-of-typography/ • The Los Angeles Film School. How to make your typography stand out. https://www.lafilm.edu/blog/make-your-typography-stand-out/ • https://creativepro.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/C.-Legibility.png