Improve Vector Lettering with Astute Graphics Plug-ins

In This Lesson...

  • A vector lettering artist's guilty confession
  • Adobe Illustrator's drawing limitations
  • The beautiful simplicity of Astute Graphics plug-ins
  • Really rhetorical questions

Coming Clean

I have something of a confession to make. A dirty, little secret. I'm not an Adobe Illustrator purist. In fact, I never have been. Let me explain...

The first graphics software I learned to use was a CAD program meant for Engineers and Product Designers. It was confusing and packed with complex capabilities, but over time, I learned to draw efficiently and create whatever I saw in my mind's eye. Years later, as I made the transition to Graphic Designer, I figured I'd better start learning Adobe Illustrator. Immediate frustration! Illustrator's drawing capabilities (though getting better) are puny when compared to the control and accuracy found in most CAD programs, but it is what it is. "Deal with it," I told myself, and I did for a few years. But when I started attempting to vector trace my hand lettering, Illustrator's weaknesses became even more glaring. As a design service provider, time is money, so I set out to find if there were any Illustrator plug-ins that could help increase my drawing efficiency and precision.

Introducing Astute Graphics

Surprisingly, there were quite a few plug-ins available. Some are made by regular guys and gals just trying to solve annoying Illustrator problems, and some are super sophisticated and meant to give Illustrator a more CAD-like feel. For me, the most intriguing option was a company called Astute Graphics. In addition to glowing reviews from well-known designers and a clean, easy to navigate website, they offered a 100% free plugin set called SubScribe that provides basic geometry features Illustrator is sorely lacking. Anyhow, I decided to give SubScribe a chance, and within the first hour of use I was so impressed that I downloaded the trial versions of three additional plug-ins. Seriously, they're amazing (and well worth the price)!

Workflow Wonders!

In the coming weeks I'll be sharing my favorite Astute Graphics plug-ins and how I use them to churn out fast and accurate vector traces of my hand lettering. But to pique your interest and keep you coming back for more (hopefully), here's a collection of rhetorical questions that provide a bit of insight into the amazing capabilities offered by Astute Graphics:

  • Extend Path
    • Have you ever longed for an easier, more sophisticated way of making a path longer or shorter?
  • Smart Remove/Add Anchor Point
    • Would you like an easy way to remove little kinks in your vector paths, or have you ever wondered where the perfect place for an anchor point might be?
  • Smart Path Connection
    • What do you do when you need to create a smooth, seamless connection between two paths?
  • Live Multi-Angle Mirroring
    • Wouldn't it be great if you could mirror parts of your vector work in real time, at any angle, across over 70 axes?
  • Tangency Tools
    • Can you imagine a world where you don't have to use multiple guides and 1000% zoom to achieve tangency between two paths?

Next Time on Type Builder

The ability to intelligently trim and extend paths is a huge advantage when it comes to vector tracing hand lettering in Adobe Illustrator. On the next Type Builder, I'll introduce Astute Graphic's 'Extend Path' tool and offer some practical tips that are sure to help you achieve fast and clean vector letters.

PS...Sign up below to have Type Builder delivered directly to your inbox!

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Lettering with Illustrator's 'Shape Builder' Tool

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In This Lesson...

  • Difficulties of tracing anchor point to anchor point
  • Drawing lines past their intended stopping point
  • How to use the 'Shape Builder' tool to improve your vector tracing

A New Approach

As I continue to learn more about the art of vector lettering in Adobe Illustrator, I sometimes step back, think about my process as a whole, and try to hone in on the tools and techniques that are most essential. Recently, I realized that there is one tool that truly revolutionized my approach to vector tracing letterforms: The 'Shape Builder' tool.

Outline & Anchor Point Headaches

Before discovering the "Shape Builder' tool, I would trace the entire outline of each letter in my composition one anchor point at a time. Working this way drove me nuts for three reasons:

  1. Inconsistent Construction
    • When each letter in a composition is traced individually, it's more likely that your finished, vector letterforms will lack cohesion. The cold precision of a vector path is much less forgiving of inconsistencies than the warm, fuzzy quality of a hand drawn pencil marking.
  2. Shape & Edge Confusion
    • Sometimes it can be difficult to visualize and trace paths properly at major intersections and transitions. Outline tracing one anchor point at a time requires a high level of bezier handle command that most beginners simply don't have.
  3. Inability to Reuse Letter Parts
    • When different letterforms share similar design elements, I think it's much faster and more efficient to reuse rather than retrace.

Drawing Lines "Long"

When I discovered the 'Shape Builder' tool, it was a complete accident, but I immediately realized its potential for aiding in the vector trace of letterforms. In college I trained as an Industrial Designer, and one of the most valuable things I learned during that time was the practice of drawing lines well past their intended stopping point. Doing so frees up the drawing muscles in your arm and hand, which leads to increased confidence, greater precision establishing angles and intersections, and ultimately, cleaner, more beautifully drawn forms. 

Out of habit, I carried the practice of drawing lines "long" into my hand lettering, but outline tracing letters anchor point by anchor point requires a different, less intuitive way of thinking. The result of merging these disparate practices was hours of frustration and vector letters that failed to match what I saw in my mind and on my sketchpad.

Trace Like You Draw

Using the 'Shape Builder' tool allows me to trace in a way that is more closely aligned to how I draw. I can trace my paths longer than needed and simply trim the excess later. Here's how it works:

1. With my hand lettering placed in a locked layer at 30% opacity, I trace my lines "long" and make sure that points of intersection actually intersect (leaving no gaps).

2. Select all the lines used to trace your letterform.

3. Choose the 'Shape Builder' tool and merge the letterform into an enclosed shape.

4. Select the merged letterform, and hit Cmd-3 (Mac) or Ctrl-3 (PC) to 'Hide.'

5. Delete the excess path segments.

6. Press Cmd-Alt-3 (Mac) or Ctrl-Alt-3 (PC) to 'Unhide.'

If you have trouble vector tracing your hand lettering with outlines only, routinely encounter bothersome inconsistencies across letterforms, or find it difficult to accurately capture the subtleties of major path intersections and transitions, then give the 'Shape Builder' tool a try. It may change your entire approach to tracing for the better!

Next Time on Type Builder

Vector tracing your hand lettering in Adobe Illustrator can be physically strenuous on your eyes, neck, back, shoulders, hands and hips. And not the good, blood-pumping, I-feel-so-alive strenuous associated with a trip to the gym. On the next Type Builder, I'll share a quick and easy movement circuit I use to break up my vector tracing sessions, re-energize, and relieve the stress caused by hours of staring at my monitor.

PS...I just created the Type Builder newsletter. Sign up below to have Type Builder delivered directly to your inbox!


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Why I Use Lined Paper for Hand Lettering

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In This Lesson...

  • Why your hand lettering doesn't need to be perfect
  • How lined paper aids vector tracing in Adobe Illustrator
  • Different types of lined paper and a few recommendations

Functional Lettering

If your goal is to create clean, beautiful vector lettering in Adobe Illustrator, then there's something you should know. Your hand lettering sketches, those highly crafted, intricately detailed works of art that flow from your pen, don't need to be perfect! But they do need to be functional.

The vector tracing tools available in Illustrator are instruments of extreme precision that can help you easily correct any inconsistencies in your hand lettering. The goal in creating a sketch for trace is to strike a balance between having enough visual info to actually realize your vision and spending too much time on details that you can more easily correct in Illustrator. One of the best tricks I've found to help accomplish this is the use of lined paper.

Lined paper is great because:

  1. The evenly spaced lines help you make letters that are proportional to one another.
  2. It helps establish consistent placement of details, embellishments, and serifs.
  3. It acts as a built in set of guides that you can reference while you vector trace.

Lined Paper Preferences

So what kind of lined paper should you use? The kind that works best for you. You can even make your own custom lined paper. Here's what I use:

The Legal Pad

  • This is my favorite type of lined paper for lettering. It's visually simple, inexpensive, and feels soft underneath my pen. I typically use a legal pad for more ornate hand lettering.

Grid Paper

  • I like to use grid lines to create clean, structured type. It's especially useful for designing logotypes and monograms where those little geometric details and size relationships make all the difference.

Elementary Ruled

  • If you like using ink brushes to create scripts, then you know how hard it can be to achieve consistency due to their curvy, flowing nature. Ementary ruled paper (which is meant to aid youngsters in penmanship) is a great practice tool and confidence builder, and its differing line styles help create size distinctions when vector tracing.

Next Time on Type Builder...

If vector tracing the letter 'S' has ever driven you to the edge of insanity, then visit Type Builder next Tuesday (12/29) to learn a simple construction technique that is sure to renew your confidence.

PS...I just created the Type Builder newsletter. Sign up below to have Type Builder delivered directly to your inbox!


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My Top 5 Tools for Hand Lettering

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In This Lesson...

  • Practice > Tools
  • My top 5 tools for hand lettering, including...
    • Price
    • Where to purchase
    • Pros & Cons

Practice. Practice. Practice.

There are a bunch of ways to approach vector lettering. I've tested many, but my tried and true method is two steps and super effective:

  1. Draw letters.
  2. Trace letters in Adobe Illustrator.

Because Step 1 involves drawing, a question that I hear often is, "What pen/pencil did you use to draw that?" Some lettering artists don't like this question, but I don't mind it, because when I was starting out, I asked it too. The truth is, there are countless tools that can be used to make beautiful marks and lines for hand-lettering, but even more important than the pen you put on your paper is the practice you put into your craft. Tips, tricks, tools, and techniques are useless without practice.

My Top 5 Tools for Hand Lettering

I love trying out new markers, pens, and pencils, and I recommend that you experiment with as many different types as you can. The list below covers the five tools that I use for consistently great results.

  1. Copic Sketch Marker (Brush Tip)
    • $5.25 @ DickBlick.com
    • Pros
      • Nib point holds up under lots of abuse
      • Nib is flexible but not too soft for beginners
      • Doesn't smear on tracing paper
    • Cons
      • Best when used with some sort of marker paper
      • Ink bleeds and runs out quickly when used on cheap printer paper
  2. Chartpak Ad Marker (Chisel Tip)
    • $3.00 @ DickBlick.com
    • Pros
      • Has a wide, sharp chisel that allows for strokes of varying thickness
      • Black ink is extra smooth and highly opaque
      • Comes in a variety of lighter colors that can be used to build up letter forms with multiple strokes
    • Cons
      • So stinky that anyone nearby is sure to flash you some side-eye
  3. Pilot Precise V5 Pen
    • $1.90 @ JetPens.com
    • Pros
      • Has a tiny 'Rollerball' in the tip that makes for a smooth, gliding feel and results in clean linework
      • Comes in several colors (I like using red to edit my sketches)
    • Cons
      • A little less precise than Micron pens (but still a better drawing experience, IMHO)
  4. Bic #2 Mechanical Pencil (.07mm)
  5. Wacom Intuos Pen (Stylus)
    • Multiple product offerings @ Wacom.com
    • I frequently use a stylus for sketch refinements in Photoshop. It's a great way to speed up your workflow and quickly explore different design choices. Browse through the Wacom website and you'll soon find that there are a lot of different setups to choose from. It all depends on how you like to work, but here's what I use:
      1. Wacom Intuos and desktop computer
        • Best for refinement and precision sketching
      2. Wacom tablet stylus and iPad
        • Great way to capture ideas outside of your studio

Recap

When it comes to drawing letterforms for vector tracing, I've used everything from tree bark to butter knives. Don't misunderstand...tools matter, but a commitment to routine practice and experimentation is the only way to build lasting skill. The markers, pens and pencils you purchase don't need to be exotic or expensive; they just need to be reliable and suited to the style you're trying to achieve.

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Welcome to Type Builder!

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Origins

Four years ago, I discovered the work of a few designers who had dedicated their careers to the art of hand lettering, and I was so inspired that I decided to try it for myself. After a couple of months spent practicing with various pens and markers, I wondered if I could make a clean vector trace of my lettering in Adobe Illustrator. I gave it a try, but the results were embarrassingly bad:

  • The thickness of my letters was inconsistent.
  • I had noticeable flat spots on most of my curves.
  • And there were visible corners and kinks where I wanted smooth transitions.

Even worse, the trace didn't come close to resembling my original sketch. The whole process seemed clunky and slow, and I felt like it was pointless to try again. Luckily, I didn't quit. Instead, I decided to learn everything I could about tracing my sketches with vector paths in Illustrator. Over time, three things happened:

  1. I gradually developed my own approach to vector lettering.
  2. I found that I could tweak well known Illustrator techniques to help create beautiful letterforms.
  3. And I discovered that some practices are universal no matter what is being traced.

Now, four years later, I've decided it's time to share the lessons I've learned.

Why would I do that?

I've spent hundreds of hours digging through Adobe Illustrator tutorials and help forums. The amount of useful information on creating clean vector paths is astounding. If you're new to vector tracing, there are a ton of great resources available at the convenience of a Google search!

Because I've benefited so much from what other artists and designers have freely shared online, I think it's only fair that I continue the tradition.

Type Builder Basics

If there's one thing that I've always found frustrating about learning from online tutorials, it's the amount of information packed into them. Sometimes, the sheer density of a lesson can be overwhelming, especially with time in short supply and deadlines approaching.

With that in mind, I created Type Builder. Here's a quick breakdown of the Type Builder Basics:

  • What is Type Builder?
    • Type Builder is a place to find quick vector lettering tips for Adobe Illustrator.
  • Who is Type Builder for?
    • Type Builder is for anyone who wants to make beautiful, custom type in Illustrator.
  • Why should someone visit Type Builder?
    • Building vector letterforms can be tricky. Capturing the warmth and character of handdrawn lettering with clean vector paths is even trickier. Type Builder offers practical tips to help demystify the vector construction process.
  • When and where will Type Builder updates be made?
    • New posts will be added every Tuesday, and I'll also be posting reminders on my Instagram and LinkedIn profiles.
  • How can you get the most out of Type Builder?
    • Think of Type Builder as quick, compact lessons. Each lesson presents one important tip, trick, technique or tool that you can add to your vector lettering repertoire.

Getting Started

That's all you need to know to get started with Type Builder. I've got a lot of great lessons planned, so keep checking in over the coming weeks and months to learn more about how you can make clean letters and fast vectors!