Two Techniques for Hand Lettering

Hand lettering is an increasingly popular style of cursive writing that has been taking over social media. It has been featured in wedding signs, company logos and home decorations. There are many ways to achieve this style of writing, but we will discuss two of them: Faux hand lettering and brush lettering. Both techniques vary in degree of difficulty and the equipment used. Feel free to try each technique out, or to focus on mastering one technique. Remember hand lettering requires lots of practice so if you don’t succeed at first, keep trying!

Step 1: Select Your Basic Ballpoint or Felt Tip Pen

Step 2: Choose a Word to Write.

In this example, we will focus on the word “hello”.

Step 3: Begin With a Simple Cursive H.

It is very helpful to make your letters larger than normal.

Step 4: Next, Write an E That Is Connected to the H.

Step 5: Finish the Rest of the Word.

At this point it will just look like normal cursive writing.

Step 6: Add a Double Line in All the Downward Strokes on the Letter H.

Make sure that both the top and the bottom of the new line connect with the original h.

Step 7: Repeat Step 6 With the Rest of the Word.

Again, make sure each new line connects with the original letters

Step 8: Color in All the White Space Between the Two Lines on the Downward Strokes

This will be the completed word using technique 1.

Step 9: Continue to Practice

Try different words and letters to increase skills.

Step 10: Technique 2: Brush Lettering

As with before, the central idea of this technique is the down strokes are thick while the up strokes are thin. With this technique, we will achieve this look by using different amounts of pressure while making different strokes.

Step 11: Select Your Brush Pen

I am using the Tombow Dual Brush Pen in color Sea Blue.

Step 12: Practice Some Up and Down Strokes With Your Pen by Making a Vertical Zig-zag.

When you move the pen downwards put some extra pressure, when you go back upwards lighten up. At first your strokes may not have much of a difference in thickness. There should be nearly no pressure while you move the pen upward and heavy pressure going downwards. It can be helpful to pause and readjust your grip before changing directions. After becoming comfortable with this step, move on to step 3.

Step 13: Start With a Cursive H.

(Again, we are going to focus on the word “hello.”) The first stroke upward should thin, then thick as the pen moves downward.

Step 14: Continue With the Letter E Following the Same Thick and Thin Pattern.

Step 15: Add the Last Three Letters of the Word.

Both of the l’s will start out thin then have a thick downward line. The o starts out thick then loops upward and back down again

Step 16: Optional: Retrace the Word

This will give you a darker, more even color.

Step 17: Continue Practicing

Try assorted styles, words, and colors.

Step 18: Final Note:

One of the best ways to practice is to go through every letter, just like when you were first learning the alphabet. Get a pen and write the letter “a” over and over again. Do the same thing with the letter “b” and continue until you reach “z”. As previously mentioned, the key to hand lettering is practice. After getting a general understanding of hand lettering look into different styles such as chalk lettering, blending, or shadowing.