You've probably seen stunning examples of hand-lettering and calligraphy all over social media. This style of writing is incredibly versatile; it can be used in bullet journals, class notes and so much more. The best part about hand-lettering is that it doesn't have to be expensive. There is a wide range of supplies that can be used by beginners and experts alike. Lots of these supplies require little investment which is perfect for learning the basics and deciding whether the hobby is for you or not.
Note - This is not an in-depth tutorial for beginner hand-lettering, although it will cover some basic techniques. There are countless online resources for beginners, including online lessons and practise books. For a more detailed tutorial, I recommend checking out Amanda Rach Lee's YouTube video - www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBoVGqiSzr4 or the How to Hand Letter YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/c/HowtoHandLetter
The Supplies
To start with, you will need some kind of paper to practise on. This can be anything: printer paper (as I have used in the following examples), a notebook, a bullet journal, coloured card, the list goes on. You also need inspiration for something to write, perhaps from an image on Pinterest (check out my Pinterest here - www.pinterest.co.uk/veryhappycrafter/) or a quote from a book.
Pen
Using a regular pen is a perfect introduction into hand-lettering and modern calligraphy. Hand-lettering usually requires the supply to adapt to the pressure being applied to the paper (known as pressure sensitivity) however, ink or gel pens are unaffected by the amount of pressure you apply. This will produce lettering with a monoline effect (i.e. lettering with no line width variation). This will serve as good practise whilst you consolidate your writing style before focusing on the techniques required to achieve the desired result. Often, monoline writing is just as effective as writing with varied line width. It is used for headers in a bullet journal, for example.
You can use any pen available to you to begin learning, including fine liners, felt tips, paint pens, even the free pens you can collect from hotels or other businesses.
Here's my example, done with a felt tip pen.
Once you have mastered this, you can begin to develop your lettering by using a technique called 'faux-calligraphy'. This is where you replicate the effect achieved by more advanced lettering supplies by adding line variation after you've written a word or phrase.
On the left is a diagram of the letter 'h'. The blue arrows indicate an upstroke and the red arrows indicate a downstroke. In regular calligraphy, you would decrease the pressure you apply on an upstroke to produce a thinner line and increase the pressure on a downstroke to produce a thicker line. To reproduce this effect with any pen, go over all of your lettering and thicken the downstrokes. You can see how this looks below...
Unlike an ink or gel pen, when using a ballpoint pen, you are able to achieve a small amount of line width variation if you press very hard. This is a good way to start learning hand-lettering since almost everyone will have access to one.
Pencil
Anyone with at least a little experience in art will know how much a simple pencil is capable of. Not only are they cheap, but pencils allow for a variation of line width which will result in the desired hand-lettering style. Any type of pencil will do, but preferably one that is not too soft and not too hard, such as HB. Additionally, pencils are perfect for beginners because of their allowance for mistakes. If you don't like what you've written, just rub it out and try again!
There are many beautiful examples of pencil hand-lettering on the internet to inspire you, but here's my take on using this supply:
Pro Tip - A very sharp pencil will more easily create thin, light lines as well as darker, thicker lines!
Highlighters
If you are after hand-lettering with a larger font size or more colour variety without breaking the bank, highlighters may be the best option. Most highlighters have a chisel nib, which means that you are able to achieve line width variation without adjusting pressure, provided you hold the highlighter so that when you make a downstroke, you are using the largest area of the nib possible. I got a set of 6 highlighters for £1.20 at my local pound shop which are perfect for when I want something more bright and colourful. Traditionally, packs of highlighters will come with neon oranges, yellows and pinks, but there are lots of different packs offering a wide range of colours. Mildliners are very popular on social media, but there are also cheaper alternatives which work just as well, for example, the Stabilo Pastel Highlighters.
Crayola Markers
If you've done any research about hand-lettering, you've probably come across Crayola markers. They are cheap and come in a total of 100 colours including bright, dark and pastel colours, suitable for any bullet journal theme or art project. Also, they come in a wider tip which is less vulnerable to wear, and a 'super tip' which is smaller and more flexible. Apart from the fact that these markers are not as flexible, they act just like brush pens. Because they have a tip that is harder than a brush pen, they are easier to control, and perfect for beginners as a result. Often, the markers are used by experienced calligraphers as a permanent alternative to brush pens because of their price and colour range. They can be used in a huge number of ways to produce unique effects.
Another great aspect of Crayola markers is their availability. You can purchase them from supermarkets, art shops, Amazon, etc...
Watercolour Paints
This lettering supply is less readily available but can be fun for beginners to experiment with. You can use a brush and a tin of paints, a water brush or watercolour brush pens. I find that using a regular brush with individual hairs can be difficult to control but this can be improved with practise. One benefit of using water colours is the endless number of colours that can be mixed or blended together.
Using watercolours doesn't have to be overly expensive. A small set meant for beginner artists and some brushes from an art shop will be perfect (although I wouldn't suggest using a very cheap brush as they can easily fall apart or prove too flexible to produce lettering). I would also suggest using some thicker paper that is able to withstand water without being "chewed up" or becoming warped as this may affect the quality of your calligraphy. Ideally, this would be watercolour paper, but anything with a higher gsm than printer paper will be helpful.
Brush Pens
If you are desperate to achieve the professional results you see online or you're willing to spend a bit more, brush pens are the best option. They are sensitive to the amount of pressure you apply which will result in the hand-lettering you are after. They do not have to be expensive, I got a pack of 24 dual tipped brush pens from WH-Smith for roughly £12. They haven't dried out or frayed (so far) and give a great range of colours.
If you're looking for a wider selection of colours and are willing to spend a bit more to get a higher quality brush pen, you could invest in the popular Tombow dual brush pens. They come in a large variety of colour sets and you can purchase them from Amazon. If you're looking for a lettering style to use as headers in bullet journals, you might want to opt for the Tombow Fudenoske brush pens. They come in hard and soft tips; I find the hard tip easier to control, making it a better option for beginners. The Fudenoske brush pens give an overall smaller, sleeker lettering appearance.
Note - For the example above, I used the Fudenoske on regular printer paper, however, the edges bled, giving a scruffier appearance. This can be avoided by using paper with a higher gsm. Good quality note books, sketchbooks and bullet journals should prevent this.
Hopefully, you've been able to find a supply that works for you. Remember to experiment with everything available to you and don't be put off hand-lettering if you can't afford high-end, popular brush pens!
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