I feel like I can claim some authority on a beginner’s guide to hand lettering. Because I am one! I am NOT an expert, and am still learning more every time I pick up a pen.

When I decided I wanted to learn how to do hand lettering, or brush lettering, I marched myself over to Hobby Lobby. I was sure that I’d pick up a pen and a how-to book and be making fancy and cute cards in no time. I was SO OVERWHELMED. I stood in the pen aisle completely paralyzed by the seemingly endless options. Calligraphy pens, brush pens, water color pens, felt tip, just to name a few. I left with a couple of pens that looked like maybe the sort of thing I needed and a book on hand lettering.

The book contained page after page of worksheets and letter examples. After a few hours, I could flawlessly execute the author’s style of each letter. But putting them all together to actually write something, or making a letter of my own that didn’t look just like the sample? Fugghetaboutit.

Next, I turned to the giver of all good crafting gifts- Pinterest. I typed in “hand lettering for beginners” and was inundated with page after page of tutorials and techniques. I got so completely oversaturated and confused. So I abandoned it all and set about teaching myself how to make the loopy letters of my dreams. A year or so in, I am now decently competent at hand lettering. Sometimes people seem impressed by my fancy letters and I just want to tell you- it is not hard!  You can do it to! Especially if I spoon feed it to you.

So here is your first bite.

STEP ONE:

Pick up a pen and try it!

There are basically 2 styles of lettering- I call them “Cheater Calligraphy” and “Traditional Calligraphy”

“CHEATER CALLIGRAPHY”

For cheater calligraphy, you are making the shapes of your letters, and then imitating brush strokes by filling in your “down stroke” areas with a heavier line. You can use a sharpie, felt tip pen, or even just a Crayola marker for this technique.

 

TRADITIONAL CALLIGRAPHY

 In traditional calligraphy, the thick and thin lines are created by pushing harder and lighter, respectively, on the pen tip. For this technique, you will need a pen with a brush tip. There are TONS of different options.

 

Make any sense? Probably not. Here’s a little video demonstration.

 

Here is your starting line up for getting your letter on.

 

From Left to Right

• Eraser– You’re going to want a good one, and not the garbage on top of a mechanical pencil
• Markers– These are great for starting out. Nice soft tip, smooth line.
• Sharpies– Another great “cheater” staple.
• Pencil- I like to roughly sketch out my letters before going over it in pen. I don’t usually follow my outline exactly, but it helps me with spacing and the general shape I’m looking for. After I ink over it, I go over it all with my eraser. It’s important to make sure your marker doesn’t smear when you erase over it! This will make you cry.
• Brush Tip Pens– I LOVE these pens! There are several different sizes, for more delicate letters and big fat ones.
• Tombow Brush Pens– This is a great beginners set, and I love TomBow pends. There is a brush tip side and a felt tip side, which is great for adding detail and for print letters.

Your first assignment

Find a sharpie or a felt tip marker and give some “Cheater Calligraphy” a try. Use one of my little doodles or look up a hand lettering example you like on Pinterest and try to copy it! Try it over and over again, varying your looping and letter shapes. If you have a brush pen, experiment with varying the pressure to make thicker and thinner lines. Don’t have a brush pen? Keep scrolling!

 

Here are some super quick doodles you can try to copy! You can print them and trace them, or just look at them for reference!

 

Happy lettering!! COMMENT on this post for to be entered for a set of my favorite lettering pens! And a bonus 5 entries if you post a picture of your lettering!