Characters with Character
A course by Marta Cerdà Alimbau, Graphic designer
Digital tips and tricks for drawing capital letters
If you draw letters by hand you are not very good at it, do not worry, with the help of Marta Cerdà you will learn to draw perfect curves without getting a finger stained.
In this course you will design a wide variety of letter styles while exploring the boundaries between illustration and typography in a simple and methodological way. How? Through different techniques and digital tricks that will serve to give free rein to your most creative side.
In the end you will be able to create your own capitular or initial letter, basis of any word and starting point to make more complex letterings.
What will you learn in this online course?
12 lessons & 6 downloads
What's included in this course?
Much character! You will begin by knowing better the work of Marta Cerdà, who focuses her work between the borders of lettering, typography and illustration, and also some books that may be of help.
Without going through the pencil and paper, you will learn to prepare a document correctly so you can start drawing a letter directly from the vector. You will know in depth the pen tool and all its possibilities, and how to play with it, combining it with geometric shapes. Then, using the scissors, you will discover the modules that will simplify the process and create more letters.
Then, with the base learned, you will review the entire alphabet and different styles, from the most geometric to the script. And finally, once you have learned how to draw a good skeleton, you will focus on the skin: the effects.
- 99% positive reviews (103)
- 1,252 students
- 12 lessons (1h 26m)
- 6 additional resources (2 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: Spanish
- Spanish · English · Portuguese
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
Recommended software & tools for this course
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe PhotoshopWhat is this course's project?
Once you have learned the tools, you will design your own caption for a wine label. Marta will provide a template for Photoshop with which you can easily enter your label on the image of the bottle and give the final touch.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
To all those graphic designers who have an interest in letters and illustration and who want to start in this world. Also for those students who are already familiar with digital lettering and who want to explore and expand their set of tricks and tools.
Requirements and materials
For this course you will need a computer with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
Reviews
Marta Cerdà Alimbau
A course by Marta Cerdà Alimbau
Marta Cerdà (Barcelona 1980) entered the world of design after passing through the career of Psychology. Halfway through the studies he realized that his true vocation was not there and that was when he decided to study graphic design in Elisava, Barcelona.
When, at the end of 2008, he won the ADC Young Guns, he decided to start his own studio. Since then he has worked for artistic, cultural and advertising projects, combining tasks of art direction, customized typography, illustration and graphic design at an international level.
He has collaborated with brands such as Ray Ban, Coca Cola or Nike, singers and bands like Manel, Dave Matthews Band or MF Doom, with important publishers and magazines such as Penguin Books, The Guardian or Businessweek Magazine and several of the most prominent advertising agencies from Spain, England or the United States.
He currently resides between Los Angeles and Barcelona, and travels giving lectures in various centers such as the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum in New York, the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing, or the Hirshhorn Museum of Contemporary Art in Washington, among others.
Content
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U1
Tipas and types
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Welcome to the class!
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Books that can help you
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U2
Good practice manual
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Prepare the document
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The pen and geometric shapes
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The modules
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U3
Capitulars
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Capitulars: alphabet
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Capitulars: styles
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U4
Effects
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Vector volume effects I
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Effects of vector volume II
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U5
Wine label
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Ideas and Moodboard
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Proposals
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The final image: the photomontage
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FP
Final project
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Characters with character
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
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Certificates
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Get front-row seats
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Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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FAQs
Lettering is the art of drawing letters in a personalized, creative way, while digital calligraphy involves writing letters using digital tools, focusing on stroke flow and structure. This course combines both to create decorative letters.
The course is intermediate level, so basic graphic design knowledge or familiarity with software like Illustrator is recommended. You don’t need to be an expert, but you should be comfortable with digital tools.
You’ll need a computer with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop installed. A graphics tablet is helpful but you can work with a mouse. Access to inspiration sources like typography books and digital moodboards is recommended.
You’ll learn to create ornamental drop caps, combine illustration and typography, apply historical styles, design wine labels, use advanced vector techniques, and professionally present your projects.
A drop cap is a large, decorated initial letter used at the start of a text or section to highlight and add artistic flair. It’s common in books, labels, and editorial projects.
Yes, the course covers techniques to create and apply volumetric effects, shadows, textures, neon effects, and vector ornaments using Illustrator and Photoshop to enhance your lettering.
Yes, you’ll learn to analyze and reinterpret historical styles like Art Deco, medieval drop caps, and fantasy alphabets, applying them to your digital typographic projects.
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
muy bueno....
Genialll
Fantástica profesora
Un curso genial.
Marta es impecable, gracias :)