Customer Reviews

Modern Mark Making: From Classical Calligraphy to Hip Hand-Lettering

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Calligraphers buy lots of books. Most of us own a copy of Johnston's Writing and Illuminating and Lettering. We look wistfully in our bank accounts and decide we can't really justify the facsimile edition of the St. John's Bible, a unique calligraphic wonder of our time. I have over two shelves just with calligraphy books. Some of them are straightforward how-to manuals (a boon for people who live far away from good personal instruction); others are more exemplars.

Then along comes Mark Making... It has been years since I've been so bowled over by this kind of audacity. Placing graffiti artists somehow on a par with medieval scribes, and exhorting us all to bust out and have more fun (check out the section on fabric!), without ever bypassing the need to get a firm foundation, Engelbrecht gives us the new "must-have" for our shelves. It's a bit like Danny Gregory's Creative License for calligraphers. Bravo to Lisa Engelbrecht, and thanks for the permission. I might just go and roll up my sleeves...

If you're a Letter Geek ( and you know who you are) then this book is for you! Lisa takes you from basic calligraphic lettering to this awesome, modern,funky, fresh and down right liberating lettering! You will not be able to put this book down! She offers sections on Tools:Surfaces and Materials for Lettering, The Basics:Techinques and Getting Started, Old School:Classical Italic and New Variations, Scripty:Vintage Copperplate Writing and Variations Using a Pointed Pen, Raw Brush:Pointed Brush Letters,Scrawly:Rough and Edgy Letters from Everyday Pens and Brushes, Tricky & Funk-tional:Play with Your Letters, Stitched:Lettering with Fabric and Stitchery, Street:Breaking the Rules with Urban Style and Cool Tools, Flourish:Swirls, Twirls and Sparkly Things, Gothic: Basic Blackletter, Mixed Media and Letterforms:Design Techniques Explorations. The book is filled with spectacular samples from a variety of artists and also offers a brief bio about each one and thier work. Included is a Resource section with tons of helpful web addresses and telephone numbers. Lisa also has an instructional DVD ( Hand Lettering on Fabric - A Bali Latern Workshop) from Creative Catayst Productions (www.ccpvideos.com) that is AWESOME! You will learn how to hand letter AND apply it to a wonderfully festive Bali Latern. A true must have for the calligraphy loving fiber artist! Lisa also has a cool blog (www.lisaeletters.blogspot.com)that you can visit as well. I highly recommend this wonderfully written book...you will not regret this purchase!

This is a fresh voice in Calligraphy books, noting what works for todays scribe and showing pictures of tools and suggestions for writing mediums. Loved the examples and I think that teens thru adults will gather inspiration from all the fantastic ideas for taking that next step away from the old letterforms!

I love everything about this book. It is one of the best purchases of a creative book that I have made in many years. Get it! Fast ! You won;t be disappointed !

What a magnificent book! It isn't often I get lost in a book. Call it an occupational hazard, but when you handle hundreds of books a month, you have a tendency to become immune/jaded/whatever, but this book is so rich in color and content and visual stimulation, I actually put it down so I could digest the yumminess taken in thus far, picking it up later to continue. The overload was fabulous, but it overheated my brain, and the poor thing needed time to cool while the images swirled about before I began reading again. I still have not absorbed it all (dare I hope that will happen?) as I see it as a delightful meal or vacation to be savored for as long as possible. It is also a book I will return to again and again and again. It is like sitting in Lisa's classroom or having a conversation with her. Absolutely delightful and totally stimulating! It gives one wings, just as she hoped!

If you have EVER had the pleasure of seeing Lisa's work in person or taken a workshop from this MEGA TALENTED artist you would not walk BUT RUN to purchase this book. Her vision is always fresh and her style is timeless!

The title says it all . . . classical calligraphy to hip hand-lettering. Lisa takes the best of historical calligraphy and brings it up to date in a festive, enthusiastic and beautiful book. Practical with spiral binding inside the hard cover, every spread displays her original approach and true artistic flair. A self-proclaimed "rebel", Lisa is sensitive, organized, and respects the traditional. I've been a professional calligrapher for several decades and it's hard to shake the rules! There's a lot of helpful information on tools, with some modern touches on lettering on fabric and sparkly things. Some great new alphabets and many professional examples from other artists. There's something for every creative soul here!

I love this book. It's easy to read. Simple to do. Beautiful to look at it. I would highly recommend it.

This is one of the most inspirational lettering and calligraphy books on the market! A wide variety of techniques, materials and styles are explored, accompanied by brilliantly executed examples. Although this book contains some basics, it more apt for the intermediate to advanced artist that is looking for new inspiration.

This is really a wonderful book. Makes you want to jump right in and try it.