Introduction to Hand Lettering (Virtual)

What you will learn:

In this workshop, you will learn the basics of hand lettering using everyday writing tools such as pencils and markers. If you’ve never drawn letters before - no worries, as this workshop is tailored for beginners! We will break down the entire process from start to finish - overview of typographic anatomy, ideation, inspiration & research, composition structure, and sketching type, including several warmup exercises. Afterwards, you will apply the process you just learned to a short phrase, learning how to draw inspiration (no pun intended) from various lettering examples. You will also receive a PDF handout with useful tips & tricks that can be applied to future lettering projects.

Required materials:

• Pencils - Standard #2 pencils with a pencil sharpener.

• Markers - for your final piece, black or color sharpies in several different thicknesses can be used to draw anything from fine details to shading large areas. You can buy them in any local art supply store, a local Walgreens/CVS, or online. https://www.amazon.com/Sharpie-Permanent-Markers-Variety-Featuring/dp/B08MBFPFCQ/

• Paper - for initial sketches, standard 8.5x11 inch paper will be perfect.

• Tracing paper - this will be used to refine your sketches. You can buy it in any local art supply store or online. https://www.amazon.com/Strathmore-370-9-Tracing-Bound-Sheets/dp/B0027AAIB2

Optional materials:

• Thicker paper - for your final lettering piece, you may want to use thicker paper. This paper is ideal for pen or marker work. You can buy it in any local art supply store or online. https://www.amazon.com/Strathmore-Bristol-Smooth-Bound-Sheets/dp/B00254AU8Q/

• Mechanical pencil - A mechanical pencil with refillable lead is easier to use and eliminates the need for sharpening. You can buy them in any local art supply store, a local Walgreens/CVS, or online. https://www.amazon.com/BIC-Sparkle-Mechanical-Colorful-15-Count/dp/B015HJGBHE

• Printer - if you have access to a black and white printer, fantastic! If not, that’s perfectly fine - please have a ruler and 8.5x11 inch white paper handy.

About Nikita Prokhorov

Nikita Prokhorov is an award-winning lettering artist, graphic designer, and design teacher residing in NYC. With a strong focus on typography, Nikita has worked for a variety of clients, ranging from small independent businesses to Fortune 500 companies. He has conducted workshops for several universities, AIGA, and Typism Conference, as well as being a featured keynote speaker for the latter. He is an ambigram expert who has written a book about ambigrams, and his design work has been featured in multiple books and has been honored with several industry awards. When Nikita isn't designing or drawing letters, he is writing original puns, reading, traveling, jumping out of planes, scuba diving, playing tennis, and most likely listening to AC/DC.