The art of typography

One of the best things about working for myself is all the new stuff I've had to learn. From setting files up for print to tackling Adobe illustrator - I love it all. I also enjoy learning for the heck of it, things I don't have to do but will help me become a better designer.

One course that I've recently completed is Faye Brown's Art of typography on Skillshare. I really enjoyed this course from the first mini exercise of matching typefaces to specific words (such fun), right through to the final project of creating our own typographic layout of a quote.

I chose a made up saying 'Me and you, you and me as happy as can be'. I started off doodling some of the words and letters.

I played around with different layouts until I came up with this one below that I created in Photoshop using a selection of different fonts. I liked the fact that it can be read either across or downwards.

I wanted to hand letter the quote so I copied the above free-hand so it had a little wobbliness to it. After a couple of different versions and adding details to the second 'you' and 'happy', I scanned it into Illustrator, live traced it, added a background and illustrated leaves. And ta dah my final piece.

Another course I've done this year was a printing course at the Regional Print Centre in Wrexham. I've since become a member of the centre so I can use their printing facilities. I thought this illustrated quote would make a great screen print so I made up a screen a few weeks ago and had a go at printing.

I need lots more practice at screen printing before I could think about selling them as art prints but was happy I was able to give one of them to my cousin and his wife-to-be for their engagement present. So until I've perfected my screen printing skills I have this quote available as a digital print in my notonthehighstreet shop.

If you'd like to learn more about typography I highly recommend Faye's course which you can find here.