Instructor(s): Ken Barber

2 In-Person Sessions (Important: please read policies below) 

Wednesday, June 15 & Thursday, June 16, 2022

10:00 am–5:00 pm

LOCATION: Cooper Union Campus

REGISTER ONLINE

IMPORTANT: to participate in classes on campus

• Please be prepared to arrive up to 30 minutes early on the first class to present proof of vaccination, booster and a state issued picture ID in the lobby of 41 Cooper Square.
• You must wear a mask at all times inside the school.
• A school ID will be issued so you can enter all subsequent weeks by showing it to the guards. A photo will be taken on the first evening of your class for the ID card.
• Unvaccinated individuals will not be allowed access to campus buildings. 
• If you are not able to arrive up to 30 minutes before class on the first session or within 1 hour of the start of the first class session, please request to withdraw from class by email. Policies apply. 

Typographics “in-person” attendees can receive a 10% discount on this workshop. Look for the discount code on the ticket confirmation from Eventbrite.

There’s no better way to create captivating logos and wordmarks than by capturing the charm of freely-made letters. Freestyle is a variety of hand-drawn script that has been popularly used to express the spontaneity and personality of handwritten cursive. The familiar tone and alluring rhythm of casual connecting script adds a distinctive touch to all types of visual communication.

In this detailed two-day workshop, you’ll learn the foundations of freestyle script lettering, with an emphasis on its use in branding, advertising, and editorial design. Practical skill-building exercises —highlighting assorted tools and techniques— will provide further guidance as you transform pen-written studies into one-of-a-kind hand-lettered wordmarks.

You’ll gain a practical understanding of free-form script through explanatory presentations, informative drawing demonstrations, and handy reference material. Individual one-on-one critiques will also help you acquire the fundamentals for producing and implementing freestyle script lettering in different design applications.

In this workshop, you’ll learn:
• the origins of freestyle script lettering
• how to create a framework for casual script letters
• techniques for enhancing freestyle script using common writing and drawing tools
• how to properly proportion and position script letters
• methods for customizing hand-lettered freestyle script
• how to pair casual script with complementary letter styles
• effective tactics for creating attention-getting compositions
• how to utilize freestyle to create unique personal and professional work

You’ll need the following materials for the workshop:
• No.2 pencils (conventional or mechanical)
• pencil sharpener, if applicable
• eraser
• pad of tracing paper, at least 8.5″ x 11″
• ruler
• Sharpie® Fine and Extra Fine markers
• adhesive tape for posting sketches
• a copy of House Industries Lettering Manual is not required, but it’s highly recommended

Additional lettering tools will be supplied for a materials fee of $10, payable to the instructor at the beginning of the workshop.

This workshop was previously offered under the title, Freehand Lettering. Please note that this class focuses on manual exercises intended to underscore concepts that are fundamental to freestyle script lettering. Although students will not be using any electronic tablets or software, the principles and practices introduced in this workshop are applicable to digital environments.

Cooper Union requires all students and visitors to present their Covid 19 vaccination and booster card as proof of vaccination along with a government issued picture ID. Everyone must wear masks indoors.