The Art of Hand Lettering: Mastering the Art of Handwriting

I was introduced to hand lettering by a friend of mine from France who told me I needed to learn how to write this way. Over the last three years, I've been studying with different artists, learning from their methods, tips, and techniques.


What follows is my take on how to use this tool, what tools to use, what mistakes to avoid, and why I believe it's worth your time to learn. My goal here isn't to reinvent the wheel but to give you a starting point and a sense of how to make the most of your practice.

So let's get started!

STEP 1: What to Write?

Handlettering isn't about writing with a brush and ink. It's much more than that. It's about using a wide variety of pen sizes, brushes, pencils, inks, and even materials like felt tip pens, markers, stickers, crayons, spraypaint, and even acrylic paint.

The idea is to get creative with your materials and find an artistic balance between using too little material and using too much.

You'll also want to learn how to use all the other components that go along with writing:

• how to hold your pen and pencil

• how to hold your paper

• how to fold your paper

• how to use various colors and designs

• how to make your writing fit in space

• how to use white space effectively

You should practice everything from the basic basics to more advanced concepts.

Step 2: Why Should You Learn This?

Writing by hand allows you to create interesting effects. It can add depth to the way you present information, allowing you to make your readers feel something beyond what a computer would allow.

You'll also be able to connect with your audience. They'll love getting something personalized and unique from you.

It's also a great way to build a brand identity that is unique and authentic.

STEP 3: Tools of the Trade

• Pens and brushes: You can write with anything you want, but the best tools for beginners are medium size and broad width. They come in different sizes from 0.1 mm to 0.7 mm.

Medium size is usually good enough for most purposes. Broad width is nice because you can write larger letters while still making them easy to read.

You can always increase your size if you need more precision.

Pencils can also be used, but you should really stay away from them. They tend to break down after too much use, and you won't be able to write with them anymore.

When you use any pencil, you can sharpen it and keep going.

• Pencil sharpener: This is essential. Once your pencil starts to wear down, it becomes difficult to sharpen and you'll end up wasting a ton of pencils before you know it.

Sharpening isn't that difficult, but there's a trick to it. Basically, you want to keep a constant speed when pulling the pencil