Hand Lettering

The path

1. 1
   Level 1Free

   Basic Strokes

   A lettered quote card

   14 Steps, about 26 minutes each. Total beginners. Your normal handwriting doesn't matter; lettering is drawing, not writing.

   1. Chapter 1: Strokes and first letters. Thick downstrokes and thin upstrokes, the basic strokes, your first letters, and a lettered word card.
   2. Chapter 2: The whole alphabet. Every lowercase letter, smooth connections, capitals, faux calligraphy with any pen, and your name lettered on a card.
   3. Chapter 3: Layout and your quote card. Planned layouts, bounce lettering, and a finished quote card you designed and lettered yourself.

   1. 1
      Thin up, thick down

      A page of strokes that go thin on the way up and thick on the way down.

      Modern brush lettering has one core rule: thin strokes going up, thick strokes going down. A brush pen has a flexible tip. Light pressure makes thin lines; heavy pressure spreads the tip and makes thick lines.

      This contrast between thin and thick is what makes brush lettering look like calligraphy instead of handwriting.

      The detail beginners miss is pen angle. Hold the pen further back than a pencil, tilted to about 45 degrees, so you're using the side of the tip, not the point. Pressing straight down on the point wears it out and gives uneven lines.

      Here's an example. Brush pen held further back, tilted to 45 degrees. A line drawn downward with firm pressure: thick and even. A line drawn upward with almost no pressure: hairline thin. Alternating down and up, slowly, across a whole page. Then a wave: thin going up, thick coming down, in one continuous motion.

      Right is a page of strokes that are clearly thin going up and thick going down. Go slowly; calligraphy is about control, not speed. Use smooth paper, like laser printer paper, because rough paper frays brush pen tips quickly.

      The Happy Ever Crafter, 6:52The Postman's Knock
      Show your group
   2. 2
      Learn the basic strokes

      One row each of the 8 basic strokes, with even spacing.

      The Happy Ever Crafter, 11:54The Postman's Knock
   3. 3
      Ovals and loops

      Even ovals and loops that sit on your guidelines and lean the same way.

      Planning with Bumble, 17:58Tombow

   See all 14 Steps

   1. 4
      Write your first letters

      The letters a, c, d, e, g, o, q drawn from basic strokes.

      The Happy Ever Crafter, 4:57Little Coffee Fox
   2. 5
      Letter your first word card

      A small card with one lettered word, like 'hello' or 'thanks'.

      Ensign Insights, 6:28The Happy Ever Crafter
      Show your group
   3. 6
      Letters with loops

      The letters b, f, h, k and l with matching loops.

      The Calligraphy Raven, 31:02The Postman's Knock
   4. 7
      Finish the alphabet

      Every remaining lowercase letter written at least 3 times.

      Lia Hansen, 5:54Tombow
   5. 8
      Connect letters into words

      Three words written with smooth connections and even spacing.

      The Happy Ever Crafter, 15:06The Happy Ever Crafter
   6. 9
      Faux calligraphy with any pen

      One word written in faux calligraphy with an ordinary pen or marker.

      The Happy Ever Crafter, 3:56The Postman's Knock
   7. 10
      Add capital letters

      A row of simple capitals and your initials in brush lettering.

      The Happy Ever Crafter, 5:15Little Coffee Fox
      Show your group
   8. 11
      Plan a layout

      Three small thumbnail sketches of how a short quote could be arranged.

      The Happy Ever Crafter, 24:14The Happy Ever Crafter
   9. 12
      Try bounce lettering

      Two words in bounce style, with letters dropping below the line on purpose.

      The Happy Ever Crafter, 13:16Little Coffee Fox
   10. 13
       Draft your quote card in pencil

       Your full quote sketched in pencil at final size, guidelines and all, with no video.

       Little Coffee Fox
   11. 14
       Letter your quote card

       Your finished quote card, inked, dry and pencil-free.

       Ensign Insights, 4:42The Happy Ever Crafter
       Show your group
2. Level 2Unlocks after Level 1

   Layouts

   A framed print

Where it ends: custom lettered pieces

Free lessons in Basic Strokes come from The Happy Ever Crafter, The Postman's Knock, Planning with Bumble, Tombow, Little Coffee Fox, Ensign Insights, The Calligraphy Raven, Lia Hansen. We link to their work and never copy it.