Hand Lettering for Beginners: Step-by-Step Guide and Resources
Are you curious about the art of hand lettering, but don’t know where to start? This step-by-step hand lettering guide for beginners is for you! From brush pens to worksheets. This guide explains what is hand lettering and how to get started.
In this blog post, I will discuss the basics of hand lettering, including what supplies you need and how to get started. I’ll also give you some tips on how to practice and improve your skills. So, if you’re a hand lettering beginner eager to learn, keep reading for a complete guide on getting started!
Use the table of contents below to jump to different parts of the blog post:
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What is hand lettering?
Hand lettering aka brush-lettering is a form of artistic expression that involves drawing letters in an elegant way using a pen, pencil, or marker. There are special hand lettering pens called brush pens that allow you to create a unique and authentic lettering style.
Lettering can be done on paper, but it can also be done on other surfaces like wood, fabric, or glass. In recent years, hand lettering has become popular on the iPad, a method known as iPad lettering.
What supplies do I need for hand lettering?
You only need paper and a brush pen. Let’s start with the pen, I highly recommend the Tombow DuaI Brush Pen. The ink is rich in color, when you press the pen against paper the nib releases the right amount of ink; other pens tend to be messy by releasing more ink than is needed. The price point for the Tombow pen is affordable ~$12-14 for a pack of 10. I have a separate blog post that goes into detail explaining the difference between my favorite brush pens.
The Absolute 4 Best Hand Lettering Brush Pens for Beginners!
You will also need a lettering guide, also known as a hand lettering practice sheet or worksheet. The hand lettering guide helps you practice straight lines. The lines are the foundation for creating unique hand lettering styles.
Print the lettering guide using the highest quality settings on your printer. Make sure the scale in your printer is set to “fill entire paper”.
How do you get started with hand lettering?
Download the hand lettering guide and print it. Grab your favorite brush pen and start tracing over the strokes. Here is a simple rule:
- Thin upstrokes: put less pressure on the brush to create thin lines going upwards
- Thick downstrokes: put gentle pressure on the pen to create thick lines going downwards
The key when using a pen is holding it at a 45-degree angle and gently pressing it against the paper to release the ink. Don’t worry about perfectly filling the line width. I want you to focus on relaxing your wrist and gently pressing the brush pen to create basic strokes.
Hand lettering is all about finding your own style. Take this time to put some music, get a warm cup of tea, and enjoy the moment. The practice guide has a mixture of thick and thin strokes to help you relax your wrist. Once you master the simple hand lettering guide, you are ready to jump to complex hand lettering worksheets!
Hand Lettering Worksheets
40+ beautiful and elegant hand lettering practice worksheets with a mixture of script fonts and graphics. Check out the image for more details! ♡
I hope this hand lettering guide for beginners was helpful. Don’t forget to join my email list! I share FREE bullet journal printables, hand lettering worksheets, and tutorials every week. My comment section is always open if you have questions or ideas for future blog posts. Happy lettering!
Need more inspiration? Check out these amazing blog posts:
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