Bold vs Italics

Razzberryd79 · 10-23-2007, 10:45 AM

Hi,

I'm a new writer and I have a question for the letterers. When writing, when I want something to stand out font wise, should I bold it or write it in italics? As a letterer, which is more convenient and better? I don't want to put the words in CAPS if it's just suppose to be something that is emphasized.

thanks

**Kep!** · 10-23-2007, 11:40 AM

Thanks for asking!

Bold is the typical emphesis and what you'll use 99.9%.

Italics are subtler, and very useful, but not so much. They're also good for and used for titles ("I'm gonna be on American Idol!").

When writing the script, do not, contrary to old format, write the dialog in all caps...most of todays computer fonts have alternate sets for uppercase and lowercase...just type normally.

Do not put line breaks in long dialog...it's not helpful and has to be removed for proper formatting.

As a personal preference, I like to know several of us letterers prefer to have words you want bolded underlined in the script. It makes it clearer to us when we cut and paste that we have to do something...often times, depending on the font used, the bold just doesn't stand out enough in the word processor.

Razzberryd79 · 10-23-2007, 01:11 PM

thank you, that helps.
So, it's kind of a preference of the letterer? Would it be best to ask the letterer- of have the editor ask them- what they prefer?

**Kep!** · 10-23-2007, 01:35 PM

No, it's a preference that we work around...I see the oddest scripts and work with them all the time. But if you do it, you'll make the experienced letterer happy.

Piekos · 10-23-2007, 03:56 PM

Ditto on the underline.

Italics in comics are generally used for...

locator captions (Meanwhile...back in New York...)

Dialogue spoken over a transciever (phone, walkie-talkie, TV broadcast...)

Or, if you're not using lowercase letters for non-verbal dialogue (Ugh! Ow!) you could italicize those words instead.

I'm probably forgetting something.

~N

Comics Commando · 10-28-2007, 01:11 AM

If the word is supposed to be bolded on the final art, use bolds in the script--they're easier to read than italics (which may get missed). I've lettered thousands of comics with all sorts of distinctions for bolds (underlined or circled by an editor's pencil, etc...), and prefer bolds in the script above all.

Seems when I was lettering in the Marvel Bullpen, there was one editor who wanted "bolds" lettered on the art in italics, rather than the usual bolding--this was before computers. The italics always disappeared into the copy and made no impact like a bolded word would have. I don't recall who that was, though. I've never seen that system since.

Best,

Kurt Hathaway
Cartoon Balloons Studios
Lettering / Logos / Fonts
http://imagehost.bizhat.com/gallery.php?id=15828

**Kep!** · 10-28-2007, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Comics Commando

Seems when I was lettering in the Marvel Bullpen, there was one editor who wanted "bolds" lettered on the art in italics, rather than the usual bolding--[/url]

Funny, I ran into that once a few years back...mercifully only the once.

Depending on the font the writer uses, I tend to miss the occasional BOLDED word in the script, thus the reason I like underlined...or have you figured out a way to copy bolds from WORD to ILLUSTRATOR that make that point moot?

Jason Arthur · 10-28-2007, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kep!

or have you figured out a way to copy bolds from WORD to ILLUSTRATOR that make that point moot?

First person to figure out how to do this gets $20.00

Any takers?

-- J

Thomas Mauer · 11-01-2007, 08:13 PM

Listen to Nate. Also, use italics to emphasize names of companies and so forth without putting stress on these words. The name will be recognizable and you can play with the reader's internal cadence while reading, but you won't force them to stress a certain word.

Also, be kind to your letterer and allow them to change/drop emphases if they suggest them.

Razzberryd79 · 11-14-2007, 06:44 PM

thank you all for the words of wisdom. it's helped a great deal.

10-23-2007, 10:45 AM	#1
Razzberryd79 (,,) =^_^= (,,) meow! Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: philadelphia, pa Posts: 45	Bold vs Italics Hi, I'm a new writer and I have a question for the letterers. When writing, when I want something to stand out font wise, should I bold it or write it in italics? As a letterer, which is more convenient and better? I don't want to put the words in CAPS if it's just suppose to be something that is emphasized. thanks

10-23-2007, 11:40 AM	#2
Kep! Self-Evident Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: He's EVERYWHERE! He's EVERYWHERE! Posts: 8,771	Thanks for asking! Bold is the typical emphesis and what you'll use 99.9%. Italics are subtler, and very useful, but not so much. They're also good for and used for titles ("I'm gonna be on American Idol!"). When writing the script, do not, contrary to old format, write the dialog in all caps...most of todays computer fonts have alternate sets for uppercase and lowercase...just type normally. Do not put line breaks in long dialog...it's not helpful and has to be removed for proper formatting. As a personal preference, I like to know several of us letterers prefer to have words you want bolded underlined in the script. It makes it clearer to us when we cut and paste that we have to do something...often times, depending on the font used, the bold just doesn't stand out enough in the word processor. __________________ AEIOU, *Kep!* Writer, Letterer, Magician & Sophist www.wordybastard.com Why yes, I am on Facebook, thanks for asking

10-23-2007, 01:35 PM	#4
Kep! Self-Evident Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: He's EVERYWHERE! He's EVERYWHERE! Posts: 8,771	No, it's a preference that we work around...I see the oddest scripts and work with them all the time. But if you do it, you'll make the experienced letterer happy. __________________ AEIOU, *Kep!* Writer, Letterer, Magician & Sophist www.wordybastard.com Why yes, I am on Facebook, thanks for asking

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10-23-2007, 01:11 PM	#3
Razzberryd79 (,,) =^_^= (,,) meow! Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: philadelphia, pa Posts: 45	thank you, that helps. So, it's kind of a preference of the letterer? Would it be best to ask the letterer- of have the editor ask them- what they prefer?

10-23-2007, 03:56 PM	#5
Piekos Blambot Font Guy Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: New England Posts: 1,269	Ditto on the underline. Italics in comics are generally used for... locator captions (Meanwhile...back in New York...) Dialogue spoken over a transciever (phone, walkie-talkie, TV broadcast...) Or, if you're not using lowercase letters for non-verbal dialogue (Ugh! Ow!) you could italicize those words instead. I'm probably forgetting something. ~N

10-28-2007, 01:11 AM	#6
Comics Commando Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 590	If the word is supposed to be bolded on the final art, use bolds in the script--they're easier to read than italics (which may get missed). I've lettered thousands of comics with all sorts of distinctions for bolds (underlined or circled by an editor's pencil, etc...), and prefer bolds in the script above all. Seems when I was lettering in the Marvel Bullpen, there was one editor who wanted "bolds" lettered on the art in italics, rather than the usual bolding--this was before computers. The italics always disappeared into the copy and made no impact like a bolded word would have. I don't recall who that was, though. I've never seen that system since. Best, Kurt Hathaway Cartoon Balloons Studios Lettering / Logos / Fonts http://imagehost.bizhat.com/gallery.php?id=15828

11-01-2007, 08:13 PM	#9
Thomas Mauer http://thomasmauer.com Join Date: May 2005 Location: Magdeburg, Germany Posts: 818	Listen to Nate. Also, use italics to emphasize names of companies and so forth without putting stress on these words. The name will be recognizable and you can play with the reader's internal cadence while reading, but you won't force them to stress a certain word. Also, be kind to your letterer and allow them to change/drop emphases if they suggest them.

11-14-2007, 06:44 PM	#10
Razzberryd79 (,,) =^_^= (,,) meow! Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: philadelphia, pa Posts: 45	thank you all for the words of wisdom. it's helped a great deal.