Hand Drawn Typography – Illustrating letterforms

Hand drawn typography has become a popular art form in recent times, as the use of handmade has become more desirable. Hand drawn letter forms inject a playful and fun personality into our lives and can be used in a variety of design disciplines: editorial illustration, sign making, publishing, online, packaging and even large advertising campaigns.

This style of typography is great for anyone who wants to study letter forms. Hand drawn letter forms aren’t easy to master, but be patient and keep practising. A great way to practice is to trace current letter forms with a pencil, trying out different layouts, adjusting the kerning and leading and adding illustrations or details. Tracing letter forms helps you build up a confidence that will eventually allow you to create your own letter forms free hand. Then you will also be able to move away from just pencil on paper and start experimenting with different tools and materials.

Here is a great example of hand drawn type using a paint brush technique. We think this works really well with the use of photography, and creates a rustic yet fresh style for the brand – delicious!

Another brilliant piece of hand rendered typography, which has subsequently been taken onto screen, is this wonderfully playful type for a Cadbury’s campaign.

We at Fluro have had the pleasure of creating a few hand drawn typography pieces for one of our clients, Brooks. Here is one of our favourites for inspiration.