How To Create Branded Lettering

Tips for using bespoke lettering in your branding portfolios, websites (including shops), marketing collateral, logos, and more!

Nothing resonates like your own well chosen lettering to craft a visual message for your ideal clients. Recently, we’ve seen a resurgence of brands adopting a crafty, handmade aesthetic, and an increased focus on tactile and analogue elements.

This type of attention to detail can make or break your brand's aesthetic. So I'm sharing with you, today, some tips on how you can embrace bespoke lettering in your branding work.

1. Use script fonts wisely. This means not over-using the script font, as well, within the overall graphic you're creating. The script part of the graphic should be highlighted by curving or layering it with another more standard type font or perhaps over a sub-mark or illustration/image. Generally speaking, it's not a good idea to mix two or more different script fonts. In thinking "handmade" for your look, you also want to maintain a professional, polished feel in the end.

2. Keep it legible. Logos, especially with bespoke lettering, need to look beautiful. But they also need to be legible. Once immersed in these gorgeous fonts, it's so tempting to keep adding and adding on the swirls. Believe me, they're addicting! However, reign yourself in and keep your total composition in mind. Don't get overly carried away with loops and curly Q's to the point of losing the point of your graphic - to highlight your product's name within the overall scheme of your look and feel. As fun as it is, less is usually more...even in bespoke lettering! Layers upon layers may have been all the rage in the Victorian era but not so much today.

3. Be careful with color. Adding some other color to certain bespoke scripts can be an elegant touch that really takes your lettering to the next level. It can also be that perfect added element to differentiate between other products you have in your line up. Once again, "touch" is the key word and a little goes a long way. Try just using color on the first letter that's capitalized, or perhaps the middle letter of a monogram, or just as an outline (depending on the thickness of the script font you've chosen). I suggest scouring Pinterest to see how other brands have incorporated color into their branded script or packaging to give you some inspiration on how it can potentially work for your product(s) or logo.

4. Know your stuff and what your goals are for your end product. What is the overall purpose and goal for creating the type of bespoke lettering you're choosing? It's really important to know your target audience and what they love, what catches their eye and looks amazing to them. It's also important to keep logistics and budget firmly in mind. For instance, if this is for retail packaging, what are the print costs involved and how will retailers be stocking your product? If it's for digital products, how is your font showing up in other browsers or in the scheme of your website design?

I hope these tips have helped you get started on your quest to introduce some bespoke lettering into your brand mix. There are so many clever and creative ways to enhance your brand in this way...even if it's just for a new side program or product you'd love to roll out in a unique or more personalized way!

If you'd like to see an example of how I've incorporated scripting plus receive more clever ideas on how myself and others are using bespoke lettering, go here!