Exploring Creativity Through Lettering: A Workshop Recap
A few days ago, I hosted a test pilot for my lettering workshop with some of my colleagues, and it turned out to be an incredibly inspiring and energizing experience. Everyone loved it! Now, I’m even more excited to try it out with people who have little to no experience in design.
One thing that stood out during the session—something I think most of you can relate to—is how rarely we do creative things these days, especially with our hands. Workshops like this are a great way to reconnect with our creativity while taking a much-needed break from screens.
So, what was the main goal of the workshop? I wanted to help participants explore their creativity, experiment with lettering styles, and express themselves through drawing letters. Drawing can feel intimidating, but everyone knows how to draw letters, right?
We kicked things off with four warm-up exercises designed to spark imagination and loosen up any creative blocks:
Drawing initials using geometric shapes.
Experimenting with unconventional tools, like brushes or even fingers.
Writing words with emotional contrasts—such as expressing "joy" in a sad style.
Combining elements from Latin and other alphabets to create something new.
Throughout the session, I sprinkled in fun facts about letters and their origins across different alphabets. These tidbits were a hit! They even inspired some participants to experiment with new materials or approaches to writing.
For the grand finale, everyone crafted their own graffiti tags. With a little guidance on tagging styles, sketching techniques, and adding flair like arrows or shading, each person created a personalized design they were proud to show off.
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Several colleagues even suggested this could work as a paid team-building activity, which has me thinking about expanding the concept beyond private workshops.
Looking ahead to next year, I’m excited to open these workshops to the public in Berlin. Whether you’re a creative looking to try something new or a team seeking a fun and engaging activity, these workshops will be for everyone.
Stay tuned for more details—and get ready to explore the world of lettering!