Drawing Letters: Basics, Techniques and Impulses for Individual Lettering
Drawing Letters is an intensive and varied course. You’ll learn the most important lettering basics, key skills and drawing techniques through practical exercises and I will give you creative impulses to design your own lettering.
The next class : fall 2025
I am planning an English version of the online course for fall 2025. If you are interested, send me an email, and I’ll put you on the waiting list. You’ll be among the first people I’ll inform when I am launching the class in English.
Week 1: Calligraphy & Basics
We start with calligraphy exercises. Using a basic font, you will learn the most important principles of font design—basic form, rhythm, proportion.
Week 2: Form & Tools
I will explain how different writing tools influence the shape of letters, introduce you to some milestones in the history of writing and invite you to try out historical forms.
Week 3: Variation & Expression
I will show you how you can systematically modify the basic font to change its look and give it more expression.
Week 4: Form & Content
You will learn how to combine form and content, how to develop your own forms from typeface templates and how to use the look and feel of different font styles as a means of expression.
Week 5: Drawing Technique & Layout
You will develop a lettering in several steps and learn which tricks make it easier to design more complex lettering layouts. You will enter the final week of the course with a final project and a reflection task.
Week 6: Reflection & Outlook
The course ends with an outlook on the next steps - tips for digitizing analogue lettering and a brief insight into type design.
Course Format
Live Sessions Plus Video
This course is a weekly live webinar via Zoom.
I will record the course sessions and send a link to the video so you can watch the sesssions several times.
The videos will be available to you for three weeks after the end of the course.
Exercises as Homework
I encourage participants to practice every day during the course. 20 or 30 minutes is enough—you will be amazed at how much it helps. The exercises from the course help you to keep at it. Please, plan some time for this.
Exchange via Slack
Ask questions directly during the live sessions or later on Slack.
On Slack, you can also upload your homework, read my feedback on the exercises from all participants and exchange ideas with each other. Being part of this group is motivating and inspiring.
What’s Special About This Lettering Course
Yes, I show techniques and explain the basics of lettering. But beyond that, three aspects are central:
- Access I share my way of thinking about lettering and help you to develop your own approach to lettering.
- Exchange I integrate the potential of the group. Most of the participants are experienced creatives, their exchange with each other is an essential part of the course and also inspiring for me.
- Feedback I help the participants with individual feedback. I enjoy thinking my way into the work of the individuals and providing impulses that sharpen their focus the most.
