ILLUS-3432

ILLUSTRATIVE TYPOGRAPHY

Faculty: Calef Brown

Course Level: Junior, Senior, 5th Year

3 CREDITS

Illustrated typography and hand lettering are enjoying a wonderfully prominent place in the visual landscape of design, publishing and illustration, and have become an increasingly vital part of many illustrator’s professional portfolios.

What can illustrated type and it’s particular characteristics provide as an alternative to established typefaces? How does an illustrator find the right balace between form and function, expression and readability? This course will provide the opportunity to employ drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, photography, digital tools, and other media in the creation of unique letterforms. Students will be encouraged to experiment with non-traditional materials- including three-dimensional ones. Beginning with an introduction to basic typographic elements, terminology, and font families, students will move including posters, book covers, and packaging. Typography will be the central focus, but students will have leeway as to imagery.

Along with these projects, students will create a complete unique typeface over the course of the semester. Relevant issues related to hand drawn text-type for comics, picture books, and graphic novels - including appropriateness, readability, and voice, will also be covered.