Correos continues its series dedicated to Leisure and Hobbies by issuing a stamp dedicated to the technique of drawing letters in different fonts, thicknesses, and colors known as lettering.
It's important to differentiate between calligraphy and lettering. Calligraphy basically refers to all the techniques and elements that characterize a person's handwriting. However, lettering is more of an activity characterized by drawing letters rather than writing them. A process, therefore, that is considerably more laborious than calligraphy. Lettering doesn't draw a single letter, but rather complete words or phrases. Furthermore, the letters drawn aren't improvised, but have been previously designed with different fonts, so that when they are put together to form words, they look good and fit together.
When done by hand, lettering is done with brushes, markers of different thicknesses and materials, or special pencils. The letters drawn with this system can have different shapes and colors, and can even be decorated with other small drawings. This makes them even more vibrant. However, lettering designs can also be created using graphic design programs or software tools specifically designed for this purpose.
Given how lettering is done and what it is, its benefits in marketing and advertising are significant, as it allows you to add a personal touch to brands, product names, or slogans.
In addition to professional use, lettering has also recently experienced significant growth as a hobby. Graphic design enthusiasts, and even calligraphy enthusiasts, are taking lettering a step further, creating drawings with letters and compositions of letters to form words and phrases.
The main types of lettering, which is considered almost more of an art than an elegant writing system, are:
Digital Lettering: These are lettering creations created on a computer, which requires the use of a graphic design program. Digital lettering requires a certain level of skill and mastery of both graphic design and the software tool you will be using.
Brush lettering: Perhaps the most similar to calligraphy, it is characterized by drawing letters with predominantly curved lines. It is also characterized by having fairly elongated strokes and is done with brushes, as its name suggests (brush).
Chalk Lettering: This type of lettering is ephemeral and is done on a board, primarily with chalk. Hence its name. It is used primarily in shops, cafes, restaurants, and on blackboards where they want to highlight certain types of information.
The seal is crafted with a three-dimensional effect, with shadows and volume that add depth, characteristic of lettering. In addition, it uses a combination of thick and thin strokes, with decorative elements such as lines and dots, characteristic of ornamental lettering of the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is inspired by the aesthetics of old commercial signs and advertising posters. The colors and the use of a subtle background texture reinforce the appearance of a classic print using traditional techniques (screen printing and letterpress).
The issue is presented on a premium sheet whose illustration is more reminiscent of 21st-century lettering, lettering as a hobby. It explores a variety of calligraphic styles and ornamentation, making it more expressive, creative, flexible, and spontaneous.
