How to do Hand Lettering with Free Printable Worksheets

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How to do Hand Lettering with Free Printable Worksheets!

Have you wanted to learn how to do hand lettering? Have you tried it already? Do you love it?

Let me teach you how to do hand lettering! It's a gorgeous style of writing that does not need any skill in penmanship, handwriting or even cursive.

It's an art form, where you shape and style the letters in a fluid and playful way. It takes practice, but is fun and rewarding.

This trend is not going anywhere, so learn how to do it today!

It might be the creative escape you need, it might blossom into a business!

Use my free lettering worksheets (link at the end of the post) to practice the basic drills, learn letter shapes and begin to develop your own style.

Use this full tutorial to become one of the new hand letterers this year!

Follow me on Instagram for the right place for nearly daily hand lettering inspiration!

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I started working on my modern hand lettering/calligraphy back in 2015.

However, I've had decades of writing, since my mom taught me calligraphy when I was a little girl.

I absolutely love hand lettering and practice it all the time. I find every reason possible to write, practice and put my skills to the test.

I've taught several classes over the years and very recently taught a class that helped encourage me to offer a class to you too!

Hand lettering takes time and practice to get "good".

Don't give up if you don't get it perfect your first try.

Don't be discouraged. It took me 3 years to develop my own style and make the letters the way I like them best.

I started working on my modern hand lettering/calligraphy back in 2015. I absolutely love hand lettering and practice it all the time. I find every reason possible to write, practice and put my skills to the test. I've taught several classes over the years and very recently taught a class that helped encourage me to offer a class to you too! Hand lettering takes time and practice to get "good". Don't give up if you don't get it perfect your first try. Don't be discouraged. It took me 3 years to develop my own style and make the letters the way I like them best.

Here's some fun ideas for your hand lettering journey:

Start an Instagram page JUST for your hand lettering posts
Use hand lettering as a relaxing therapy at the end of a busy day
Offer your skills during the holidays at local stores for hand written tags for gifts
Teach classes to the local Girl Scouts/Youth groups/Shelters
Offer classes at the local Library
Digitize your Hand lettering work and make merchandise to sell
Hand letter cards for holiday, occasion or greeting cards
Make custom cake toppers
Holiday Gift Tags
Make custom wall art and home decor
Paint hand lettered store windows
Write menus on chalkboards
Addressing envelopes
Open an Etsy shop for custom work
Set up a business and do full wedding suites
Write name bookmarks for a kids class at a local school
Leave notes around town to brighten others day

What's the difference between Brush Lettering and Hand Lettering?

Nothing. They are the same thing!

There are different styles of lettering and different ways to letter the lowercase alphabet or uppercase alphabet.

I've practiced modern calligraphy for years, taking examples from The Postman's Knock and other practiced calligraphers.

I'm sharing with you, my loving readers, my very own personal lettering style. If you like to do a certain letter differently, do it! You have creative liberty to make your hand lettering your own style. As you practice more, you'll get more comfortable writing it your own way.

It's totally fine to trace, use pencil first and mimic styles you see when you get started. Just start!

Hand Lettering Tips:

It's okay to stop while lettering and lift your pen--in fact, that's what you are supposed to do.
This isn't cursive...not all letters need to connect.
Give yourself time, go slow.
Stretch out the letters, don't squish the shapes. Keep those oval shapes very oval.
Don't worry about the "bottom line", let those words move up and down fluidly.
If you are stuck on one particular letter of the alphabet, practice it in a variety of ways until it becomes your favorite letter.
Lowercase letters are easier than the uppercase majuscules.

I'm sharing with you, my loving readers, my very own personal lettering style. If you like to do a certain letter differently, do it! You have creative liberty to make your hand lettering your own style. As you practice more, you'll get more comfortable writing it your own way. It's totally fine to trace, use pencil first and mimic styles you see when you get started. Just start! Hand Lettering Tips: It's okay to stop while lettering and lift your pen--in fact, that's what you are supposed to do. This isn't cursive...not all letters need to connect. Give yourself time, go slow. Stretch out the letters, don't squish the shapes. Keep those oval shapes very oval. Don't worry about the "bottom line", let those words move up and down fluidly.

Supplies Needed for Hand Lettering:

Brush Tip Markers

I always recommend starting with Crayola Markers.

You can push really hard on those marker tips and they don't fray or get destroyed--without the extra expense.

As you get better control with your thick and thin lines, you can experiment with more expensive markers.

I whole heartedly recommend Tombow Dual Brush Pens and my personal favorite, Tombow Fudenosuke Pens.

I love the size of the Fudes and they come in a rainbow color pack too.

I have tried nearly every brush pen on the market and these are my recommendations.

I work with Tombow as a Brand Ambassador, and continue to do so because I absolutely love their products.

Paper

I recommend Laser Jet Paper.

It's smooth and slightly thicker than regular copy paper.

If the paper is textured (like watercolor paper) it will fray your marker brush tips much quicker.
Marker paper works great too!

That said, I still use watercolor paper regularly, just know, it will use your markers up.

This said, just get some cheap copy paper and Crayola markers and get started.

Then upgrade when you are a little more comfortable.

All of my projects have been done on 32 lb laser jet or watercolor paper, using the Tombow Dual Brush Pens and Fudenosuke Pens.

Plus, you'll need the free hand lettering worksheets designed by me! Click the link at the end of this post for your free worksheets!

If you are fortunate enough to have an ipad pro, the Procreate app is a great way to practice basic calligraphy strokes without using paper.

You can import lettering practice sheets right into procreate and trace them until you are comfortable with the shape, style and muscle memory.

Free Ultimate Guide to Happy Lettering!

Step 1: How to Begin Hand Lettering

First step: Begin by sitting properly at a desk.

Hold the pen in your fingers like you hold a pencil, the good-old standard 1950's way.

Correct posture makes a difference--angle your paper slightly to the left if you are right handed.

Using tracing paper can help you gain confidence--and start with any writing utensil until you are comfortable with markers or brush pens.

Step 2: Thick and Thin Strokes

Now think "thick strokes down, thin strokes up".

I repeat this to myself while I write. Press down on the edge of the brush pen to make a thick stroke every time you draw down on the paper.

Lift the pen up to the very tip when you bring the pen up.

This is the trickiest part to get used to--that thick downstroke and thin upstroke.

This is the part you will want to practice.

To get really good at hand lettering, try practicing basic drills for 15 minutes every day.

Do the basic drills before hand lettering to get warmed up.

Here's the way I write my letters and the order I do the shapes.

You can look at this as a reference if needed.

Save it off on your phone to reference later!

Step 2: Thick and Thin Strokes Now thick "thick strokes down, thin strokes up". I repeat this to myself while I write. Press down on the edge of the brush pen to make a thick stroke every time you draw down on the paper. Lift the pen up to the very tip when you bring the pen up. This is the trickiest part to get used to. This is the part you will want to practice. To get really good at hand lettering, try practicing basic drills for 15 minutes every day. Do the basic drills before hand lettering to get warmed up. Here's the way I write my letters and the order I do the shapes. You can look at this as a reference if needed. Save it off on your phone to reference later!

Step 3: Basic Hand Lettering Strokes

There are 7 basic strokes in modern calligraphy hand lettering.

These are the shapes that make up the shapes of all the letters.

If you get these basics down, you'll be golden.

Practice these shapes for 15 minutes a day and to get warmed up before beginning a hand lettering project.

Thick Down Stroke (full pressure)
Think Up Stroke (hairline)
Over Turn
Under Turn
Ascending Loop
Descending Loop
Oval

There are some compound shapes, but these are perfect for getting started. Print off several of these, and practice these shapes.

Step 3: Basic Hand Lettering Strokes There are 7 basic strokes in hand lettering. These are the shapes that make up the shapes of all the letters. If you get these basics down, you'll be golden. Practice these shapes for 15 minutes a day and to get warmed up before beginning a hand lettering project. Thick Down Stroke (full pressure) Think Up Stroke (hairline) Over Turn Under Turn Ascending Loop Descending Loop Oval There are some compound shapes, but these are perfect for getting started. Print off several of these, and practice these shapes.

Step 4: Majuscules and Minuscules

Now it's time to start practicing the Majuscules (capital letters) and Minuscules (lower case letters)-- the full alphabet.

Use the free practice sheets as a reference, or start by tracing my letters.

Capital letters are much harder than lower case, so start with the lowercase and then go big.

If you get stuck with one letter of the alphabet, spend extra time on it until it becomes your favorite letter.

Practice each individual letter on lined paper, graph paper or right over the top of my printable. Get comfortable writing out the letters.

Step 5: Connections and Flourishes

After spending some time with individual letters, practice connecting letters into words.

I love using pangrams for the best way to practice using all the letters of the alphabet in one sentence.

When you get comfortable with connecting letters, add some flourishes at the beginning of words and the ends of words like in traditional calligraphy.

You can see some of my examples.

I like simple flourishes, but you can go all over the place with flourishing and embellishments!

Here's some pangrams you can try lettering:

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
The five boxing wizards jump quickly.
Jackdaws love my big sphinx of quartz.

Phew!

Do you feel overwhelmed?

Don't stress.

Give yourself time.

Record your progress and refer back to see how far you've come over the years.

Here's some tips for calligraphy skills practice:

Do Bullet Journal Lettering
Write out a beautiful quote
Take your lettering to the next level

Here's one of my first pieces. It's clunky, uneven, the flourishes are awkward and it's wonderful.

Celebrate your progress!

Start an instagram or post them on facebook, it's so fun to look back and see that progress.

Don't get cringed out, just celebrate that you are a changing/teachable human!

You are the most amazing human!

Here's one of my first pieces. It's clunky, uneven, the flourishes are awkward and it's wonderful. Celebrate your progress! Start an instagram or post them on facebook, it's so fun to look back and see that progress. Don't get cringed out, just celebrate that you are a changing/teachable human! You are the most amazing human!

Practice makes progress!

I'm still not perfect, but I am confident in my lettering. I don't need to use pencil to do my layouts anymore and I feel comfortable lettering for someone while they watch. But, it took me 5 years to get this far.

Step 6: Fancy Hand Lettered Pieces

Now that you've got the supplies, printables, basic strokes down, writing letters, connecting letters, and adding some flourished--you are ready for a fancy piece!

I use Tombow Dual Brush Pens and Watercolor paper to make a watercolor wash. (More details on Watercolor washes on this post).

Then let it dry completely and add a hand lettered quote, thought, name, greeting or mantra.

What will your first fancy piece be?

Step 6: Fancy Hand Lettered Pieces Now that you've got the supplies, printables, basic strokes down, writing letters, connecting letters, and adding some flourished--you are ready for a fancy piece! I use Tombow Dual Brush Pens and Watercolor paper to make a watercolor wash. (More details on Watercolor washes on this post). Then let it dry completely and add a hand lettered quote, thought, name, greeting or mantra. What will your first fancy piece be?

Make a cute cake topper by writing on a watercolor washed paper, tearing the edges and using mini clothespins to hook it to a twine. Tie the twine to 2 paper straws and stick it in the top of a cake or brownie stack.

Make a framed piece of art for your home decor!

If you are using an ipad, you can make printable wall art--even start a little side hustle with your new talent!

After a bit of practice you can let your imagination soar and let your hand lettering skills take off!

Start a business or side hustle...or just do it for fun and the enjoyment of the process.

Use it to brighten someone else's day!

Make a framed piece of art for your home decor! After a bit of practice you can let your imagination soar and let your hand lettering skills take off! Start a business or side hustle...or just do it for fun and the enjoyment of the process. Use it to brighten someone else's day!

I write so much hand lettering pieces that I end up with a huge stack of papers.

I take them around town and leave them places for people to find. I've been known to send a few off to anyone of my followers that gives me their address.

I include them in packages that I send to customers.

I stick them on gifts, throw them in the mail with a candy bar for the mail carrier, and even hand them to cashiers at the store just to say thanks!