5 Inspirational Books for Lettering Artists

Stay up-to-date with lettering trends and expand your reference library with these essential reads

More and more, brands rely on the power of letters to communicate their message. Just as color plays a hugely important part in a brand's visual identity, so does lettering and typography help to set the tone and share your brand's personality.

A graphic designer specializing in lettering and branding, Eduardo Mejía (@eduardograph) has made a living off his passion for applying the art of letters to design. He develops brands and logos, supporting and guiding his clients when building their businesses and brands.

Here, Eduardo shares essential five typography and lettering reference books that he's used throughout his career as a source of inspiration and to learn new techniques. In this list, you'll find guides, examples, and tips for creating different styles.

House Industry: The Process is the Inspiration by Andy Cruz, Rich Roat, and Ken Barber

Seeking to answer the big question: "where do you find inspiration?", this volume from the graphic design studio—renowned for their lettering work and typography—offers a personal perspective on the origin of ideas.

A useful read for creatives in any field, it deals with a diverse range of topics from different fonts to space technology. The extensive collection of lessons and case studies will help you transform your curiosity into successful work.

The best lesson you can take away from this book? Not to wait for inspiration, but to actively look for it—for example, in the pages.

In Progress by Jessica Hische

In her book, American lettering artist Jessica Hische invites you to explore her creative and technical processes in detail, sharing everything from preliminary sketches to final artworks for clients like Wes Anderson or Starbucks. It's a great source of inspiration and information for designers who seek originality in their typography and lettering projects.

A nice extra touch is the use of metallic silver ink on all pages to represent pencil sketches and giving the impression of holding Hische's notebook in your hands.

Graphic de la Rue by Louise Fili

The "City of Light", Paris is a great source of inspiration for celebrated graphic designer, Louise Fili. For four decades, she has scoured its streets and boulevards cataloging its signage.

In Graphique de la Rue, Fili's photographic journal, you'll see find everything from the classic neon cafe signs to the striking facade of the Moulin Rouge. As the blurb reads, this "typographic love letter to Paris sure to inspire designers and armchair travelers alike."

The ABC of Custom Lettering by Ivan Castro

If you're looking for practical resources for your work, graphic designer and typography professor Iván Castro's easy-to-follow guide for hand drawing a variety of letter shapes is a great addition to your bookshelf.

From Modern Roman and Gothic to Latin, Script, and Interlocked, you can find reference materials in its inspiration section or put yourself to the test with the featured exercises.

Type. A Visual History of Typefaces & Graphic Styles by Cees W. De Jong

Type is a journey through the most stylish fonts between 1628 and 1938, showcasing the evolution of the printed letter through different catalogs.

The visual guide features characters in roman, italic, bold, semibold, narrow, and broad fonts. It also looks at borders, ornaments, capital letters, and decorative elements, as well as lithographic examples.

As the The New York Times describes it, Type is a "visual confection devoted to milestones that defined the typographic language of the times."

Have these lettering and typography books inspired you? Share your favorite inspirational resources in the comments below.

If you want to learn more about lettering, you can check out Eduardo's course Animated Lettering for Advertising Using Procreate, in which you learn to create styles that are full of life.

English version by @acesarato.

You may also like:

- Lettering Tutorial: How to Make Letters with a Calligraphy Brush Pen
- Typography Tutorial: How to Choose the Right Font
- What is Fileteado Porteño and What Are its Features?
- Custom Letter Design with Procreate, a course by Jimbo Bernaus
- Introduction to Brush Lettering, a course by James Lewis