RESOURCES
BOOKS
I read a large number of books, so it would be impossible for me to list them all here. Here are the ones that I value the most and to which I constantly return for inspiration.
Young D., Dangerous Curves: Mastering Logotype Design, Delphi Press, 2008
I find Doyald Young to be the best reference for lettering, and especially for logos. This book is a real gold mine in which he shares his sketches, a precious source of information. The book is expensive, but indispensable.
Hughes R., Custom Lettering of the 20s and 30s, Korero Press, 2017
Hughes R., Custom Lettering of the 40s and 50s, Carlton Books, 2014
Hughes R., Custom Lettering of the 60s and 70s, Carlton Books, 2014
This series of three books deals with the use of lettering, mainly in the United States, from the 1920s to the 1970s. If you sometimes need inspiration, these books are good companions!
Barcellona L., Faccio G., Dee Mo Peressoni N., Take Your Pleasure Seriously, Lazy Dog Press, bilingual English-Italian edition, 2016
This book traces the career of Luca Barcellona in the fields of both lettering and calligraphy. A considerable source of inspiration, it does a good job of showing the evolution of his work, which began with graffiti.
Shoe Meulman N., Eeuwens A., Calligraffiti: The Graphic Art of Niels Shoe Meulman, From Here To Fame, 2010
This book could be compared to Luca Barcellona’s—the careers of the two men are tremendously similar, evolving from graffiti to lettering and calligraphy. In the case of Niels Shoe Meulman, the final destination is his very artistic and expressive wall calligraphy. A journey that is not to be missed.
House Industries, Cruz A., Roat R., Barber K., House Industries: The Process Is the Inspiration, Watson-Guptill, 2017
This book is literally a visual punch. Here you will find all of the work of the House Industries studio, where Ken Barber works. This book is not only a very beautiful object, but is also a source of limitless inspiration.
Shaughnessy A., Brook T., Herb Lubalin: Typographer, Unit Editions, 2000
I am a big fan of Herb Lubalin, whose work never ceases to inspire me. This book displays his entire career in a very particular way, since it is in only two colors—yellow and black—and the shapes of the letters are heavily emphasized.
Middendorp J., Hand to Type: Scripts, Hand-Lettering and Calligraphy, Die Gestalten Verlag, 2012
This is a very nice collection of script lettering pieces. The first part of the book consists of essays on the history of handwriting in different cultures. This very thorough book is for all lovers of letters and lettering.
Chazal J., Calligraphy: A Complete Guide, Stackpole Books, 2013
There is no question that in order to understand lettering better, it is an advantage to learn calligraphy. This is the essential book in this field: it will teach you all the basics and a large variety of styles.
E. Winters, Mastering Copperplate Calligraphy: A Step-by-Step Manual, Dover Publications, 2000
This book, as a companion to Julien Chazal’s, will allow you to go further into calligraphy, and to master Copperplate script. Copperplate was mentioned in this book in terms of letter design, but with Eleanor Winters, you will learn to practice it with a pen and in all its forms.
Reaves M., Schulte E., Brush Lettering: An Instructional Manual of Western Brush Calligraphy, Green Editorial, 1993
If you want to learn more about brush lettering, this is the book you need. It goes through all the styles and accompanies you through your apprenticeship.
WEBSITES
DRIBBBLE, BEHANCE, AND INSTAGRAM
In terms of inspiration, social networks are a crucial resource. These three communities will help you find ideas for your work. I suggest following the artists listed in this book and creating accounts on these networks to share your own work.
VERNACULAR TYPOGRAPHY
This site is full of letters found out and about in the streets. This is proof that you can find inspiration anywhere, not just on the Web or in books.
CHROMEOGRAPHY
This is a large gallery dedicated to chrome lettering. Here you will find, in particular, all of the lettering done for the automotive industry in the twentieth century. Script lettering had a strong presence there.
BEAUTIFUL TYPE
I created this site in 2010 with my friend Aurélien Foutoyet. It is much less up-to-date today, but it continues to be a must-see gallery of great work in lettering and typography.
TYPE WORSHIP (FORMERLY BLOG 8 FACES)
This blog regularly features articles related to lettering and typography.
FRIENDS OF TYPE
This site references all the work of the Friends of Type collective, which includes Erik Marinovich. Their pieces are, in general, beautiful explorations and experiments, and are always good sources of inspiration.
SHEAFF: EPHEMERA
Richard D. Sheaff is a collector of graphic archives, especially old lettering pieces. His site is a gold mine of inspiration, especially for Victorian and vintage styles.
LETTERHEAD FONTS
This site pulls together a large number of typefaces, mainly inspired by vintage style. It is both an abundant source of inspiration and a unique resource on the Web if you want to buy quality fonts in this style.
Join “The Lettering Workshops Book Group” on Facebook to share your work and interact with others in the lettering community.