8 Typography Tutorials to Help Improve Your Skill Set

by Redbubble, February 20, 2015

Welcome to Typography Week on the Redbubble Blog. This week, we’re paying tribute to all things letters with roundups, tips, interviews, and more to give both lovers and makers of typography a super dose of text-based awesomeness.

You really can learn just about anything on the Internet. The only problem is finding it. To help cut down on the search time and amp up the learning time, we’ve put together a list of some the best free typography tutorials we could could track down. Instructions calling for Photoshop, Illustrator, Wacom Tablet, and Scanner or Camera are included. If you know of any other methods or tutorials please let us know in the comments. We love to learn.

1. The Postman’s Knock: “Cheating Calligraphy Tutorial“

Artist Lindsey Bugbee, has so many amazing tutorials on her blog that it was hard to pick just one. This one in particular goes over how to create calligraphy style lettering using just a ball point pen and paper. Since I really couldn’t decide, you must check out this other tutorial she has on “How to Make Your Own Font” using just a pen, paper, and scanner.

2. Daily Dishonesty: “From Start to Finish”

Designer Lauren Hom’s tutorial gives simple, clear instructions that show how to take a hand drawn, typographic sketch and turn it into a finished digital design using Photoshop.

3. WeGraphics: “Creating a Vintage Typography Layout in Adobe Illustrator”

This detailed tutorial shows how to create a unified, vintage style typography layout. Banner and stylized element steps included.

4. The Vector Lab: “How to Create Custom Typography”

This video tutorial goes through customizing typography in Illustrator. Specifically showing how to translate a hand drawn logo into a digital format, adding a three dimensional effect, and adjusting the color and texture.

5. A Beautiful Mess: “Learn to Add Handwriting to Your Photos!”

Steps with helpful tips about adding typography to photographs using a Wacom tablet and Photoshop Elements.

6. Tronix Designs: “Design a Premium Quality Logo in Photoshop”

Tronix Design’s Youtube channel has numerous tutorials teaching how to create specific word graphics. An easy way for beginners to learn by example to then transform steps into original designs.

7. Spoon Graphics: “How To Make a Letterpress Texture Effect in Photoshop”

Chris Spooner, the man behind Spoon Graphics, posts wonderful tutorials giving away his best design secrets. This fairly easy-to-follow post shows how to make a unique ink stamp style using a free font and a free texture.