Digitizing hand lettering is a delicate balance between artist and designer. The example I want to share is my work on
Ami James' signature sketch. I started by placing the original scan into
Adobe Illustrator. Once placed the art is turned into a Template layer which makes digitizing an easier task.
My first step is to lay down vector lines while being mindful of Ami's creative intent and aesthetic. Very often, hand lettering is skewed and equal weight is not given to each letter.
As designer you need to be mindful of the artist while attempting to improve upon their hand lettering – smoothing the curves and creating pleasant proportions. Once the the lettering is complete inner details are added, then drop shadows, outlines and color.
The final
vector art, much like a logo, is more flexible when creating marketing and advertising materials. The vector format, unlike a bitmap, is infinitely scalable and easily applied to all media.
Digitizing hand lettering is a delicate balance between artist and designer. The example I want to share is my work on Ami James' signature sketch. I started by placing the original scan into Adobe Illustrator. Once placed the art is turned into a Template layer which makes digitizing an easier task.
My first step is to lay down vector lines while being mindful of Ami's creative intent and aesthetic. Very often, hand lettering is skewed and equal weight is not given to each letter.
As designer you need to be mindful of the artist while attempting to improve upon their hand lettering – smoothing the curves and creating pleasant proportions. Once the the lettering is complete inner details are added, then drop shadows, outlines and color.
The final vector art, much like a logo, is more flexible when creating marketing and advertising materials. The vector format, unlike a bitmap, is infinitely scalable and easily applied to all media.
