Letter a phrase from your favorite piece of pop culture in the style of a Friends of Type post

Project Description

Select a phrase from your favorite song, book, or movie that can transport you to another place and time. Then, create a visual representation of the words in a way that's both personal and that shares your excitement with viewers.

Tools & Materials

For this project, you’ll need a pencil, eraser, pen, paper, computer, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop.

Specs

We recommend creating a square format for that special Friends of Type look.

Choose a "piece" of pop culture
Your piece of pop culture could be a song, book, or movie. Find a work that has meaning to you!

Working with words that feel personal and relevant to your interests will give you the best result. You'll have more fun, and it will be easier to keep going when the going gets tough.

Finding something you love (maybe even something that's a bit of an obsession?) will keep your enthusiasm and energy high!
Select the phrase you’ll letter
Pick a quote from your piece of pop culture. It might be a line with a message that's memorable and widely relatable. Or, it could be something more obscure, aiming at hardcore fans.

Here are some things we consider when choosing what phrases to letter:
- Catchy is nice way to go
- Brevity is preferred
- Avoid corny or trite
- Nothing too profound or rude
- Funny can work wonders
Post in your project the word(s) you’ve chosen and why.
Create a mind map
A mind map is a visual diagram with rich material that will guide your exploration as you move into the design phase.

Start by writing your phrase in the middle of the paper.

Next, write down the first thing that pops into your mind. Branch out from there, adding related phrases, words, themes, and styles.

Several tips to remember:
- It doesn’t have to be pretty. Your goal is to just get it out on paper.
- You could start in one place and end up somewhere else. Don’t be afraid to end up in another place.
- The best way to mind map is to follow your stream of consciousness. Don’t filter yourself.
Post in your project a scan or photo of your mind map.
Start sketching out your post
Sketch out the style and composition for your post. These two things go hand in hand when sketching.

Here are some ways to get started:
- Write out the words over and over. This repetition will help you to see something unexpected. Try drawing the words in all caps and all lowercase.
- Turn the words upside down and on their side. This will help you see different forms and shapes.
- Write your words in as many styles as possible (script, blocky, etc.).
Post in your project the series of different sketches you’ve created.
Build a visual mood board
Start collecting visual reference images to help you as you start the design process. Use your mind map as a guide to help you find the best inspiration.

Post in your project the mood board you’ve created.
Digitize your sketches
How you digitize something should be determined by the style you are attempting to achieve.

There are a couple ways to go about digitizing:
- Recreate the sketch in Adobe Illustrator by using the sketch as reference material.
- Scan or photograph your sketch and trace it in Adobe Illustrator.
Now you can fine-tune, refine, and keep evolving the piece by considering texture, patterns, colors, and more.
Add color to your work
You can use color in lots of different ways.
- Use your inspiration and mood board as a starting point to pick colors.
- Make sure your color choices are deliberate and help to communicate your message.
Post your final work, get feedback, and keep going
Now it’s time to share your final Friends of Type post. Share it here in your Skillshare project, and also on Instagram including #skillshare, @skillshare, and @friendsoftype.

Remember:
- Everything is just practice.
- By sharing work in a public space, we’ll all begin to see your progression and skills grow.
- Sharing will also create a rich, vibrant class gallery of exciting work to keep us all inspired and learning!

Additional Resources

Check out the Skillshare lettering class taught by our best buddy (and Friends of Type teammate) Erik Marinovich.
Here are the two songs that we chose for our project:
- Keys Open Door, by Clipse
- True Faith, by New Order
For more inspiration and projects, you can always view all of Jason’s posts and all of Dennis’s posts on Friends of Type.

Jason Wong and Dennis Payongayong

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