By Hand: The Art of Modern Lettering

I've been practicing lettering for over two years now and I have NEVER bought a book to teach me cause all the reviews I have read people complain of the book being almost all blank, like you're buying some worksheets and to be honest you can get that type of exercises online (I got most of my practice out of youtube videos) BUT when I saw this book cover on the instagram of a lettering artist I follow I was very excited and eager to take a look, the cover speaks lifestyle and lettering... I was like YEEAH! finally a book worth buying!!! I ordered immediately and when it arrived I couldn't stop READING and PRACTICING! This book speaks to you, its like having Nicole right next to you talking about the little details of modern lettering that no one else has talked before. From the spaces between letters or lettering in oval shape or circle. Even if you are a beginner or a medium advance in lettering you'll find this book helpful.Why I recommend this book:-Opens flat!! that's awesome and clever at the same time, you'll notice that the spine of the book is exposed and that allows the book to open really nice. I think this detail says a lot about the work of putting together a good book for lettering.- You'll find a little project on each lesson so you can put your brush pens to good use and decorate your next party or make something special for your family and friends.- Very detailed and well explain.- I really loved the cover and back cover to be on what I think is cold pressed paper (excuse me if i'm wrong) which gives a really nice texture andfeeling.- You won't find empty pages just to practice a's, b's c's,... (you can get a notebook for that).To finish I'd like to express that I have enjoyed the book so far (I'm about 50% into it). Hope you enjoy it too and this review is helpful.

An awesome book for me as a beginner. Very easy to follow from how to hold the pen to making the first strokes to some really cool, practical project ideas. My favorite part is that it has tons of troubleshooting tips and lessons on how to play with style, both in pictures and with an explanation, to make my lettering look beautiful. Also, the book design is gorgeous.

This is a lovely book full of great information and pictures.I bought the Kindle edition to read on my iPad app, so I could see the color pictures.The formatting puts two pages on the screen at once, leaving the print extremely small and hard to read. And there is apparently no way to increase the font size. Trying to zoom out does nothing.I’ve tried to load it onto my Kindle to see if it is adjustable there, but nothing happens.So, a great book but best used in the physical manifestation.

I follow Nicole Miyuki Santo on Instagram and I love her work; I was super excited to get this book. I have a few books about modern lettering and calligraphy, and this is my favorite.Aesthetically this book is just amazing. There are so many beautiful details and every layout and example is very well thought out and considerate. The lay flat binding is the best, it makes working with the book so easy, I wish all my books were like this.I really appreciate the projects that follow each lesson in this book - it's nice to be able to have a kind of homework assignment to push you to practice what you just learned. I also think it's a nice way to show the reader that all of these wonderful projects we see online are totally doable with the right practice and skillset (and the right teacher).Lastly, I think that this book is great because it feels like you're taking an actual course or workshop with Nicole. There is such a wealth of information and it isn't overwhelming because it is set up so well, she walks you through everything you need. I also really appreciated the life lessons - those bits of advice are always helpful and add to the genuine feel of this book; a lot of care went into this to help people learn and you can feel that.I can't get enough of this beautiful book, it has helped me so much more than other books - you won't find a mostly empty book with drill sheets if you buy this book. It's more like a full course on modern lettering and it's great! Buy it!

I can't sing enough praise about "By Hand"! It is so smartly designed and laid out (physically too—it lays flat!!) and Nicole does a great job of encouraging you to find your own style and offers so many fun and cool ways to practice and refine your technique—even after an hour or two of practicing the exercises I felt like I was able to see progress! Calligraphy is by no means an art form that one can master in a couple hours, but you WILL see progress if you can troubleshoot yourself, try out new techniques, and apply her wisdom to your own artwork. "By Hand" also offers wonderfully helpful, digestible insights that allow you to troubleshoot successfully and figure out the reason WHY things may or may not look right. I would highly recommend anyone (even beginners) to go through this beautifully designed book and playfully experiment with the ideas and exercises! She has it all in here, and has thoughtfully inserted tips and tricks to all the questions going through your head, like where do I find this pen? How do I write on a balloon? Can you do calligraphy on materials other than paper? Why this ink over this one? This book is comprehensive in its content and even gives you some fun projects to immerse yourself in, as well as an invaluable list of resources at the end! Grab yourself a cup of tea, sit down, and relax with this lighthearted, delightful, and beautiful book and all the treasures it has to offer :)

Quello di Nicole è il libro sull’hand lettering che mancava! Chiaro e soprattutto ricchissimo di spunti, è scritto in maniera minuziosa e interessante! Ogni progetto è ben strutturato e al termine della lettura (e della conseguente pratica), state certi che il brush lettering non sarà più un segreto!Ho tanti libri sull’argomento, ma li ho sempre trovati un po’ monotoni e scarni di contenuti, ma da quando ho saputo che Nicole stava per pubblicare il suo, ero certissima sarebbe stato il migliore in assoluto!È in inglese, ma risulterebbe comprensibile anche a chi conosce poco la lingua.Le foto sono meravigliose e adoro persino la carta e la rilegatura scelte da Nicole.Tutti gli strumenti da acquistare, consigliati per iniziare a cimentarsi nel lettering, sono facilmente reperibili (anche di altre marche) su Amazon o presso un negozio di belle arti italiano, quindi è possibile iniziare a cimentarsi sin da subito!Grazie a Nicole per aver raccolto tutto ciò che c’è da sapere per entrare nel mondo dell’hand Lettering, ispirandosi al tuo stile unico!Lo consiglio vivamente anche a chi, come me, conosce già bene il brush lettering... È l’ispirazione che aspettavo!

I started exploring the art of hand lettering a few months ago and couldn't find a resource that I liked until I came across "By Hand: The Art of Modern Lettering" while scrolling through Instagram. Because of this book, I've decided to start a hand lettering challenge for myself, and others are joining me, to create a piece of hand lettering each day for 60 days to finish the year #60daysofhandletteringI wouldn't have found the inspiration to continue exploring hand lettering without this book. Thanks Nicole for your book that clearly explains how to letter, is in a wonderful format, and easy to practice!

This is a gorgeous book. It's got tons of projects and also some tips on watercolour backgrounds and stuff. Packed with information and really makes you feel like you can be good at hand lettering with practice. And I love Nicole's voice. Had to add that.

Got this book yesterday as a birthday gift for myself and I love how detailed the book is! The reason I got this book in the first place is because I’ve wanted to try hand lettering and I’ve read so many positive reviews on it that I couldn’t resist! I can’t wait to see how far my hand lettering design will go, but I know it will go far just by reading and following along with this book! Thanks Nicole!!

Very helpful book