1Beautify your life by perfecting your handwriting This immersive guide to the handwritten word includes handwriting basics, step-by-step guides to various lettering styles, practice pages, and more.

With electronic devices taking up so much of our lives, penmanship and handwriting have become lost arts that many feel nostalgic for. Written by Hand shows you how to make the act of handwriting a treat that brings elegance and character to everything from Post-it notes to hand-lettered invitations.

Artist and hand letterer Erica Tighe walks you through the anatomy of each letter of the alphabet for several different fonts and the proper tools needed to write beautifully. After an examination of your own writing habits, you'll learn:

• The proper way to hold a writing utensil
• Basic terminology and the anatomy of type
• Sans serif, bold serif, script, and faux calligraphy alphabet styles, letter by letter
• How to mix lettering styles
• How to create graphic text using banners, shadows, and shapes

In no time, you'll be loving every stroke of the pen and adding grace and personality to your everyday life.