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Write Like an Architect

By William Bostwick - August 29, 2008

in Video

I have to say I don't love this guy's font, but it's a cool way of thinking about hand lettering. And further proof that architects really just wish they were graphic designers... (BURN!) For more handwriting tips, check out Matthew Frederick's 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School. Crushing on the chick with a pocket full of Microns and an Eames chair tattoo? Write her a love note she'll appreciate. Frederick's tip: write in highlighter, then outline the letters in black pen. So classy.

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Dan Lewis

16 years ago

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Dino -- Certainly not envious on this end, my lettering style is better, well let's say different/my style, more legible and I don't need any gadgets other than an straight edge to keep the type horizontal. I have lettered more sets of plans than I care to remember -- it is a skill like anything else.
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Bill B.

16 years ago

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Lettering guide? Really? You should be able to put down guide lines by eye. I stopped using my lettering guide in vo-tech school...
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Brian W.

16 years ago

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Hey, don't you think you all are being a little nit-picky? If you have a question about his architectural chops....check out Doug's "Design a Dwelling" series on his website dougpatt.com. There are some great concepts there. I think the point here is that we should be tipping our hats to some actually useful content being created on youtube versus the ubiquitous "My New Haircut" crap.

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Dino

16 years ago

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Dan .... envious? I like this video because years ago a "graphic designer" and an architect were the same person, because you were a Designer! So to see an architect who embraces design end in his lettering is encouraging. Maybe if we had more designers rather than people who just want to create weird and funky things they call building or sculpture then we could really get back to the business of creating some really outstanding works of history.
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Dan Lewis

16 years ago

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Obviously this guy has never had to letter a complete set of architectural plans -- or do more than a few lines of type for a presentation; to slow. And ,while it is great to have a personal style, architectural lettering is/was about legibility -- the builder had to read and understand this stuff on a poorly lit job site. Also, no self respecting Architect needs all those tools.
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Kevin O

16 years ago

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What's the deal with his "d"? It's backwards, unless he spells it in his name...
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Spencer Fry

16 years ago

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Very neat! Some neat videos at http://www.dougpatt.com/.
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