The Art of Whimsical Lettering

I’m obsessed with words, letters, quotes, etc. You know, inspiration here, inspiration over there. Eventually, my walls will be covered in big letters, little letters, important words, and inspiring quotes. But I’ve never thought to do so in my own handwriting. Until now. Until I found the book, The Art of Whimsical Lettering by Joanne Sharpe. With my love for all things letters and words, the words “whimsical” and “lettering” were combined, and well, let’s just say I was intrigued.

Sharpe’s work is presented beautifully in illustrated color throughout, and within its pages, I found encouragement to take the time to practice and explore ways of using handwriting as my own personal expression, to develop my own “inner font.” Sharpe says, “My artful lettering theory revolves around the concept of designing handmade, stylized writing and expressions that extend from an individual’s knowledge of basic print and cursive writing.”

The first section of the book gives a run-down of Joanne’s favorite tools, including pens, paints, mediums, and paper. The next section shares techniques that Joanne uses in her own art practice and the fundamentals of whimsical lettering. Fifteen “Artistic Alphabets” are included in the third section, with lots of encouragement and instruction from the artist detailing how to practice with them to expand your own personal style. In the last section, Joanne gives insight into how she creates different styles on her pages and discusses how one might go about integrating their lettering into art. An artist gallery and a collection of favorite phrases and quotes are also included to inspire you on your lettering journey. I’m smitten with the idea of creating an alphabet of my very own!