Artistic writing part I

Hand lettering is the art of ornate writing, where each and every character is given special attention: each letter is designed individually, giving it its own character. Hand lettering is often used for quotes or sayings, rather than for body text.

Why use hand lettering?

Imagine surprising someone dear to you with an individually designed happy birthday message in which each letter has been artfully styled. This unexpected, very personal mail not only conveys your birthday wishes, it also shows that you have taken time for that person – and not only time to write a card, but also time to make your message artful. With your one-off handcrafted message, you create a sense of closeness and make your recipient genuinely happy. 

What do I need for hand lettering?

For hand lettering, you basically need only a sheet of paper or a card, a pencil, an eraser, felt-tip pens and a fineliner. People often first sketch out the lettering in pencil so they can correct any mistakes, then trace over the outline with fineliner and colour it in with felt pens to suite their own taste – and voilà – you’ve just designed your own individual lettering. 

Where can I learn hand lettering?

The hand lettering community is growing steadily, and there are many courses that allow you to learn hand lettering. You can find numerous courses for beginners and advanced learners on the Internet. Alternatively, you can get your inspiration from hand lettering tutorials on various YouTube channels. And by the way: to learn hand lettering, you don’t have to be good at drawing or have nice handwriting. Hand lettering is suitable for everyone.