Discover how to build a recognizable visual voice through practice, observation and experimentation. If there is one question that comes up time and time again among those who start practicing lettering, it is this: how do I find my own style? The search for a personal visual identity can be exciting, but also frustrating. It is common to admire the work of other artists, save hundreds of references and spend hours trying to reproduce the styles that inspire us the most. However, there comes a time when many people feel that all their pieces look too much like those of other creators. The reality is that one's own style is not suddenly found nor does it appear as a revelation. It is built. It emerges from constant practice, observation, experimentation and conscious repetition of certain visual decisions. In lettering, each stroke communicates something. A letter can convey elegance, energy, humor, nostalgia, rebellion or delicacy. Learning to use these resources in a personal way is precisely what gives rise to a recognizable visual voice.
@jchatzkel
Photographer and Art Director
Phoenix, United States
