Elmo van Slingerland
Drawn to Letters
The Dutch Approach to Hand-Drawn Letterforms
(Class size 20 People)
This workshop is about thinking like a letter designer, not just a writer.
In Drawn to Letters, you’ll step away from continuous pen strokes and focus instead on drawing letters as shapes.
Starting from written forms as a reference, you’ll learn how to construct letterforms with strong proportions, clarity, and energy.
Elmo guides you through the process of building letters deliberately, paying close attention to structure, spacing, and detail.
You’ll explore how small adjustments bring letters to life and how the Dutch approach encourages curiosity, play, and precision in equal measure.
This workshop is ideal for anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of letter construction and develop expressive, intentional hand-drawn letters that move easily between formal and informal styles.
Elmo Van Slingerland
Drawn to Letters
The Dutch Approach to Hand-Drawn Letterforms
Oct 22 & 23
Drawn Letters in Composition
From Individual Letters to Complete Designs
Oct 24 & 35
Drawn Letters in Composition
From Individual Letters to Complete Designs
(Class size 20 People)
Great letters are only the beginning. Composition is where they come alive.
This companion workshop focuses on how hand-drawn letters work together in space.
You’ll learn how to place, adjust, and refine drawn letterforms within layouts so they feel balanced, cohesive, and visually compelling.
Building on drawn lettering techniques, Elmo explores spacing, rhythm, hierarchy, and flow, showing how design choices shape the overall impact of a piece.
You’ll move beyond single letters and into thoughtful compositions that feel finished, intentional, and expressive.
This workshop is perfect for students ready to take their drawn letters off the page of practice and into meaningful compositions, from clean and restrained to loose and expressive.
Elmo Van Slingerland
Drawn to Letters
The Dutch Approach to Hand-Drawn Letterforms
Oct 22 & 23
Drawn Letters in Composition
From Individual Letters to Complete Designs
Oct 24 & 35
The Hand You’ll Learn From:
Elmo van Slingerland is trained as both a graphic designer and type designer, bringing a rare depth of understanding to drawn and written letterforms.
Educated at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, he has designed type for the Dutch Type Library and taught internationally across Europe, North America, Australia, and Asia.
His approach is thoughtful, precise, and deeply informed, helping students see letters not just as forms, but as systems with history, logic, and expressive potential.
Best for:
Lettering artists who love structure and refinement, calligraphers curious about typography, and students who want a deeper understanding of how letters are built, drawn, and designed.