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Dangerous Curves: Mastering Logotype Design
This book is a new and still wrapped.
369 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 13, 2020
This book is written by a typography professor who worked at the Art Center College of Design: Doyald Young. His typography style is highly focused on elegant curves which he considers a technical drawing skill. Yung swears by the importance of using the pencil in lettering and drawing curves because the process is much quicker and it's easy to redo and fix mistakes. Although I would argue that the iPad provides a similar result.
Yung believes that one should start with smaller logo sketches (the size of a letterhead logo or website title) because they allow us to determine and test proportions, spacing and clarity.
For Yung, rough sketches are critical to explore the art direction with clients before developing a digitized logo. Clients are fascinated by the process, don’t underestimate that!
Drawing outlines tend to fool the eyes. When sketching a typeface or a logo, make sure to gradually fill in the letters as you draw the shapes. This will test the line widths and allow you to adjust mistakes as you draw.
Observation is key when drawing type and curves. Begin to analyze the letters and get familiar with their shapes as well as spacing. Prioritize observing the space around the letters over shapes as our eyes are accustomed to reading negative space and looking at an object as a whole.
The letter A's right leg is usually slimmer than the left.
O is slightly elliptical, it is a semi-circle, not a perfect circle.
S has a slightly smaller upward curve, the bottom half is larger. look at the letter in reverse and and see for yourself.
It was surprising to hear that one musn't draw curves in a continuous stroke rather break the line in small segments to adjust the curves.
Remember, practice makes perfect. No one is born a drawer! A steady hand, good observation, patience, and persistence will get you there.
Don’t expect to learn how to draw curves step by step. The majority of the book has logotype sketches and a tiny summary about the development and process. There are a few pages of random interviews of letter artist. I looked them up and found that they have an outdated portfolio and mediocre work. They are no where near Doyald’s level in lettering expect for James Montalbano, his work looks cleaner and slightly more professional. That was a huge disappointment. Why do we need to hear from amateur designers? Those interview pages were a waste.
When you name a book: "Mastering Logotype Design" and charge $100, people will expect more than random interviews with artists we don't care about. With that being said, I’m keeping the book because Doyald’s sketches are beautiful and inspirational. They are a great reference point. I recommend this book for professional graphic designers and aspiring artists.
Yung believes that one should start with smaller logo sketches (the size of a letterhead logo or website title) because they allow us to determine and test proportions, spacing and clarity.
For Yung, rough sketches are critical to explore the art direction with clients before developing a digitized logo. Clients are fascinated by the process, don’t underestimate that!
Drawing outlines tend to fool the eyes. When sketching a typeface or a logo, make sure to gradually fill in the letters as you draw the shapes. This will test the line widths and allow you to adjust mistakes as you draw.
Observation is key when drawing type and curves. Begin to analyze the letters and get familiar with their shapes as well as spacing. Prioritize observing the space around the letters over shapes as our eyes are accustomed to reading negative space and looking at an object as a whole.
The letter A's right leg is usually slimmer than the left.
O is slightly elliptical, it is a semi-circle, not a perfect circle.
S has a slightly smaller upward curve, the bottom half is larger. look at the letter in reverse and and see for yourself.
It was surprising to hear that one musn't draw curves in a continuous stroke rather break the line in small segments to adjust the curves.
Remember, practice makes perfect. No one is born a drawer! A steady hand, good observation, patience, and persistence will get you there.
Don’t expect to learn how to draw curves step by step. The majority of the book has logotype sketches and a tiny summary about the development and process. There are a few pages of random interviews of letter artist. I looked them up and found that they have an outdated portfolio and mediocre work. They are no where near Doyald’s level in lettering expect for James Montalbano, his work looks cleaner and slightly more professional. That was a huge disappointment. Why do we need to hear from amateur designers? Those interview pages were a waste.
When you name a book: "Mastering Logotype Design" and charge $100, people will expect more than random interviews with artists we don't care about. With that being said, I’m keeping the book because Doyald’s sketches are beautiful and inspirational. They are a great reference point. I recommend this book for professional graphic designers and aspiring artists.
April 26, 2018
The book showcases Mr. Young's work, his drafts, process, ideas and design decisions. It's the best book to learn logotype design.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews