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If you’re new to hand lettering (or you’re a seasoned letterer and you just want to try something new) you’re going to love this lesson!

Veronica Ruiz LOVES to draw letters (which is a pretty obvious statement if you take a peek at her insta account @veronicaletters)!

Everything from beautiful flourishes to funky block letters and so much in between, Veronica’s feed is the perfect stop if you need a little colourful inspiration.

In this video, Veronica shows us 3 fun and easy hand lettering techniques that ANYONE can try. So grab some tools, watch the video and follow along!

 

 

Fauxligraphy

What you’ll need:

The links below may be affiliate links where appropriate. This means that your purchase through these links may result in a few cents in payment to me, to support creating further resources like this one! That being said, I will never suggest supplies that I do not personally use and fully recommend.

• Monoline tool (something that does not have a flexible nib) . such as Papermate Flair Pens
• Canson XL Watercolor Paper

There are two simple rules when creating fauxligraphy:

• Up stroke (anytime your hand moves up) = thin
• Down stroke (anytime your hand moves down) = thick

To create the “down stroke” (aka the thick line) draw a second line parallel to your down stroke, connect it to the already formed letter and then fill it in (or you can leave it empty)!

Now it looks like you used a flexible nib to create the thick and thin lines! This works for block letter, minuscule letters and script lettering, so long as the upstrokes are thin and the down strokes are thick (you just need a variation!)

 

 

Colour Blending

 

What you’ll need:

• Karin Brushmarker Pro – Canary 166, Sky Blue 621
• Canson XL Watercolor Paper
• Tim Holtz Waterbrush
• Reusable Plastic Bag
• Paper Towel

 

You’ll need to use two colours for this technique: a light colour and a darker colour.

 

For example, yellow + blue (so you get green) or pink and blue (to make purple)…so many possibilities!

 

TIP: Make sure you start with the LIGHT COLOUR FIRST! If you start with the dark colour and try adding the lighter one after, you probably won’t get the results you’re looking to achieve. 

 

Apply the ink from your marker on the plastic bag and then use your water brush to pick up the ink and applying it to the paper.

 

Next, grab your darker colour and apply it to the plastic bag. Before you scoop up the darker ink, wipe your water brush on some paper towel to remove some of the previous colour’s ink, and then pick up the new colour.

 

Add the new (darker) colour to your letters. Wipe off some of the ink from your water brush and pull the darker ink down. Repeat this step until you get to the bottom of your letters and you’ve created a nice gradient blend.

 

You can also choose to go over your letter and deepening the colour blend!

 

TIP: Don’t over-saturate your brush! You want it wet, but not enough to leave water marks.

 

 

Offset Lettering

 

The offset lettering technique is essentially the outline of the letter pushed to the side and a little up.

 

This is what you’ll need:

• Hobby Lobby Premium Tracing Paper Pad (Or one of my favourites by Strathmore)
• Palomino Blackwing Pencil
• Cross Stratford Fountain Pen

 

TIP: This technique looks better when you use thick or block letters!

 

Grab tracing paper and lay it on top of your letter, then trace the outline in pencil.

 

Nudge your tracing paper a little to the left and up (or to the right and up, or left and down OR right and down…you get it!) Too far and it might be difficult to read the word, and too close and you won’t see enough negative space for it to pop.

 

Now, in order to transfer your letters, flip the tracing paper over and trace the letters on the backside. Make sure to do this on top of a scrap piece of paper!!

 

Place your tracing paper in place, and then trace the letters again! Now you have a transfer!

 

Use your fountain pen to trace the letters, again (and for the last time, promise!)

 

 

There you have it! Three super easy and FUN lettering techniques you can try now!

Veronica LOVES lettering and encouraging people to get creative. 

You can check out her YouTube channel Veronica Letters for more tutorials, tips and tools!