Lettering Compositions: An Interview with Nico Ng
Jan 08, 2024
At the July Typism Summit 2023, lettering artist Nico Ng shared valuable insights on enhancing and elevating your lettering compositions using various tools and techniques.
Afterwards, we interviewed Nico in a Q+A session, delving deeper into the key points Nico discussed in his talk and asking his advice for creating captivating lettering designs.
Nico Ng is a talented lettering artist, designer, and creative entrepreneur from the Philippines. During his summit talk, Nico shared valuable insights on enhancing and elevating your lettering compositions. With years of experience in lettering and collaborations with renowned brands, Nico has honed his skills and conducted workshops worldwide.
Nico emphasises hierarchy, smooth flow, and harmony in your layouts and suggests using composition and grid rulers to help structure your lettering.
Here are some highlights from the summit Q+A session with Nico.
Q: Your expertise in lettering compositions is inspiring. Could you delve deeper into how you create contrast and depth in your compositions?
Nico: Absolutely. I observe how spaces between words create natural pauses, like a skilled speaker adjusting their voice. I use different styles, sizes, and spacing to highlight essential words or phrases in my work. Larger, bolder lettering emphasises key elements while incorporating various styles for visual interest, ensuring a harmonious flow.
Q: You highlighted the importance of flow in lettering compositions. Could you share practical tips for achieving this seamless reading experience?
Nico: Accurate word spacing and correct spelling are crucial. Arranging words in a natural reading order is key for a smooth flow. Additionally, transitions between lettering styles guide the viewer’s eye, creating cohesion and visual interest within the composition.
Q: Your talk stressed the concept of harmony within lettering compositions. How do you select complementary styles, colours, and materials to achieve this cohesion?
Nico: I focus on aligning styles and colours with the message or story behind the quote. Complementary choices enhance the overall impact. Experimenting with textures and materials, especially analogue mediums like paper and ink, adds depth. My engineering background influences the tools I've created—composition and grid rulers—to ensure precision and consistency in the artwork.
Q: Your insights into lettering compositions offer valuable guidance. What key aspects should artists keep in mind as they craft their designs?
Nico: Understand hierarchy to emphasise crucial elements. Maintain flow by paying attention to spacing and transitions between styles. Finally, aim for harmony—align colours, styles, and designs with the message. Remember, everyone can find a unique way to express creativity!
Key Talk Takeaways
Emphasising Hierarchy in Lettering
- Nico underscores the importance of creating a hierarchy in lettering compositions to draw attention to specific words or phrases. Drawing parallels to skilled public speakers, he employs techniques such as varied styles, sizes, and spacing, using larger and bolder lettering for essential elements.
Smooth Flow Techniques
- Stressing word spacing accuracy, correct spelling, and natural word arrangement, Nico advocates for smooth flow and also suggests incorporating transitions between different lettering styles, using transition words or connecting elements.
Harmony in Design Elements
- Nico emphasises the concept of harmony in lettering compositions, urging artists to align colours, lettering styles, and designs with the underlying message or story. Selecting complementary styles and colours is key, and he encourages experimentation with textures and materials, particularly in analogue mediums like paper and ink.
We hope Nico’s insights into emphasising hierarchy, smooth flow, and harmony in lettering compositions will help you when you create your next lettering piece, and you can see Nico demonstrate another technique at the January 2024 Skills Summit.
Some parting advice from Nico: “Lettering is like telling a Captivating Story”
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