Not to be confused with the handwriting of the 1800s, Spencerian Lettering is a unique style of hand-drawn script innovated during the latter half of the 20th century. Its lively forms, embellished strokes, and distinctive styling make Spencerian Lettering especially well-suited for posters, labels, book jackets, editorial work, and advertisements. In this workshop, students will learn how to create and implement Spencerian Lettering for various design applications.

By means of a series of introductory skill-building exercises, students will acquire the basics for drawing upper- and lowercase letterforms, along with the flourishing methods that are particular to the style. In addition to typical Spencerian models, slide presentations and drawing demonstrations will also cover the extravagant Italian Hand, a related style that features voluptuous stroke-endings, unusual contrast, and exceptionally lavish forms. Further instruction and examples will illustrate how Spencerian and related styles can be utilized in modern design settings.