Handwritten: Expressive Lettering in the Digital Age [Paperback]

Steven Heller (Author), Mirko Ilic (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0500285950 | ISBN-13: 978-0500285954 | Publication Date: May 15, 2006 | Edition: 1

"A fun and varied collection of recent posters, books, ads, and other designed pieces that all employ type that is scrawled, scratched, stitched, or otherwise noodled."—Communication Arts

Hand-drawn graphics mark a return to the creator's immediacy and craft. Increasingly, advertising campaigns, CD covers, and branding are adopting the rough-hewn style of manually created typography. This is the first publication to offer a complete overview of handwritten typographics, drawing on an extensive array of letterforms from around the world.

At the heart of the book are hundreds of examples, presented in creative themes: "Scrawl" (letterforms that are raw, splotchy, untidy); "Scratch" (scraped, cut, and gouged fonts); "Script" (type that is sinuous and ornate); "Simulate" (faces that have been redrawn or copied); "Shadow" (dimensional, voluminous, and monumental letterforms); "Suggestive" (forms that imply the metaphorical, surreal, and symbolic); and "Sarcastic" (the ironic, comic, and satiric in lettering).

In an age of digital typography, Handwritten returns to the values of craft. This outstanding collection of unusual, meticulously wrought, and often breathtaking pieces is a must for students and practitioners of design. 500+ illustrations, most in color

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steven Heller is the co-chair of the MFA Designer as Author program and co-founder of the MFA in Design Criticism and MFA in Interaction Design programs at the School of Visual Arts, New York. For thirty- three years he was an art director at the New York Times, and currently writes the “Visuals” column for the New York Times Book Review. He is editor of the AIGA VOICE: Online Journal of Design and contributing editor to Print, EYE, Baseline, and ID magazines. He contributes to Design Observer and writes the DAILY HELLER blog for Print magazine. He is the author or editor of over 130 books on design and popular culture, including Design Literacy, Design Disasters, Born Modern: The Life and Design of Alvin Lustig, and Vintage Type and Graphics. He is the recipient of the 1999 AIGA Medal for Lifetime Achievement. Heller lives in New York.

Mirko Ilic, the New York-based graphic designer, has won numerous awards for his hand-drawn design work.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson; 1 edition (May 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500285950
• ISBN-13: 978-0500285954
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 9.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #661,177 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a diverse and complete collection of graphic design that merges the handwritten with the computer, May 4, 2006

By 

StandBack (Brown University) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Handwritten: Expressive Lettering in the Digital Age (Hardcover)

Handwritten is a collection of exemplary work in the world of graphic design in which the "handwritten" has been implemented as a creative element. Examples range from magazine covers, traditional one-page advertisements, film festival posters, album covers, book covers & other eccentric media/art. While this book lacks a lot of text, streamlined descriptions are insightful (as to how the authors believe...) each examples "works" as graphic art. In response to a poster in which the artist implemented a "childish" scrawl, they note: "Scrawl is most effective when located with a generous helping of negative space, as is portrayed elegantly in this poster...etc." Rad.

Though you might not agree with the author's observations, you will become aware of your own critical eye while also gaining a better sense of your own vision, style, and likes/dislikes in the graphic world.

All in all, this book is worth the money. It is bound to inspired you to break out a pencil and your sketchbook again.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring and informative, September 21, 2006

By 

Kevin M. Scarbrough (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Handwritten: Expressive Lettering in the Digital Age (Hardcover)

Handwritten is a history lesson and an inspiration piece, breaking into a series of successive styles from polished to grunge. The exploration is seemingly complete, and as the above commentor wrote, will inspire you to pick up a pencil and sketchbook, and have at it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally!, February 14, 2009

By 

Nancy V. Burns "Grammy Nan" (St Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Handwritten: Expressive Lettering in the Digital Age (Paperback)

We have been trying to get the hard cover copy of this book for quite awhile, and so it was great to see it available in paperback. It's definitely worth the wait.