What is Lettering?

Name: Kaitlin Lee

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In simplest terms, lettering is a visual art where words are drawn instead of written. It is confused for calligraphy, but the forms are different in a subtle way. In contrast to calligraphy, where letters are written deliberately in an aesthetic form, lettering has a word or quote as an illustration. Lettering is meant to be an image with letters formed in a unique configuration and does not always form a specific word. 

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Lettering has many usages in the modern age, as part of signage, posters, and comic books. Here are 5 talented artists from WXLLSPACE changing how we see words. 

Ben Johnston from New York

Learn more: https://explore.wxllspace.com/artist/ben-johnston 

Award-winning multidisciplinary designer Ben Johnston challenges traditional ideas about the dynamic between words and images. The Canadian-born artist paints words rendered in unique perspectives, prompting the viewer to adjust their view to read it. He has several years of experience and has worked with several big-name companies like Jeep, Facebook, and the GAP. 

Gina Elizabeth Franco from Greensboro

Learn more: https://explore.wxllspace.com/artist/gina-elizabeth-franco 

Colorful and eyecatching: two words to describe Gina Elizabeth Franco’s designs. Franco specializes in large-scale projects for the community, and often collaborates with people living in the community to create her work. Alongside strong themes of community and social justice, Franco focuses on the usage of lyrics or lines of poetry to connect and prompt audience discussion and collaboration. 

Camila Leão from Baltimore

Learn more: https://explore.wxllspace.com/artist/camila-leao 

Leão infuses her murals with distinct colors and vibrant textures that bring a dynamic energy to urban settings. Her murals enrich the neighborhoods they’re in, engaging the community and spark conversation through art. Outside of murals, Leão is also a talented illustrator, having works featured in the Baltimore Magazine, and holds extensive experience in graphic design. 

Never Satisfied from Brooklyn

Learn more: https://explore.wxllspace.com/artist/never-satisfied 

Never, short for Mr. Never Satisfied, grew up in the graffiti community and discovered the power of writing words on the walls as a young man. As a professional artist, he continues to use his flair for lettering to convey his messaging. In 2011, the artist began his design company, No Entry Design, and worked for several agencies, sign-painted for various restaurants, and designed scenic art in the film industry. 

Michael Ferrarell from Chicago 

Learn more: https://explore.wxllspace.com/artist/michael-ferrarell 

Ferrareal paints portraits of cities, invoking a beautiful sense of nostalgia, heritage, and cultural pride. His murals depict communities through images and text based on the history of the town, and create sleek and colorful designs that draw in viewers. Ferrareal also has vast range in his lettering skills, evoking different historical precedents with each mural he does. 

Lettering is an overlooked, but beautiful form of messaging in art that continues to uplift and inspire communities. Find more artists changing the written word in their works on WXLLSPACE.com.