This workshop is inspired by lead type — letters engraved in lead, by skilled craftspeople used to visualizing, drawing, and cutting letters “backwards”. Together, we will learn how to see and create letters not from their positive spaces, but from their counterform.
The first part of this workshop will begin with pencil and paper. You will learn how to draw a capital letter using simple shapes (circles, squares, and triangles) and negative spaces.
Next, you’ll begin drawing words up to 6 letters long, using only those 3 shapes. Finally, you’ll work from your drawings to “cut” your letterforms using scissors and paper. Once you’ve mastered this visualization process, serifs and other varying strokes will be introduced so that you can see how they influence letter spacing and typography.
At the end of the workshop, each student will share their work in a friendly show & tell — sharing what they learned. You’ll leave this session with a deeper understanding of both negative spaces and typographic form — perfect for approaching your next lettering or type project in a totally fresh way!
Necessary Materials
- Papers White (sketch) and Dark (cutouts)
- Pencil (Black and white)
- Sharpener
- Scissors or cutter