What is hand lettering and how do I get started with it?

Helpful tips and tricks for beginners and advanced hand lettering artists

Hand lettering is not as new as many people think. The art of beautiful writing has its origin in calligraphy. Even back then, the line between writing and drawing was blurred.

Especially in the digital world, handmade products are becoming popular again – a new revolution. People want to express their own individuality again and are not satisfied with something mass produced off the assembly line. This is why, in addition to the DIY (do-it-yourself) trend, hand lettering is also playing an increasingly important role in our daily lives. Today we can find many postcards, bags, and advertising signs with handwritten elements.

Hand lettering is also about slowing down in our fast-paced world. It takes time and practice. You have to fully concentrate on your artwork and forget the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The written word becomes a work of art, the writing itself becomes art. You can only achieve your own personal perfection with calm, patience, and focus.

Since there are endless variations and styles, the search for your own style is also a form of self-discovery. The advantage? – There is no right or wrong. Without firm rules, perfection lies in the eye of the beholder. Hand lettering is suitable for everyone and anyone can learn it. And you don’t need to have fine penmanship! As is the case in many other fields, practice is the key to success. Line by line, you work your way to perfection.

Hand lettering material – What do I need?

You can essentially use any pen for hand lettering. Depending on the style, different pen types are more suitable than others. A pencil, an eraser and a ruler are also good tools to have. You can use them to draw guide lines or entire phrases and correct small mistakes.

For brush lettering, you mostly use brush pens, which are also called brush markers. They have a flexible tip that allows you to vary the thickness of your lines by applying different amounts of pressure, creating a dynamic look. Brush pens are available with brush tips of different lengths and hardnesses. If you want to learn more about brush pens, you can find additional information here. You can also use felt-tip pens and fineliners to achieve a calligraphy effect by using faux calligraphy techniques.

Can’t decide? Then simply start with a brush pen with two tips, like our ABT Dual Brush Pen. You can use it to combine different lettering styles and you only need a single pen. Otherwise the Fudenosuke Brush Pen is suitable for beginners because its small hard tip is easy to control.

If you already have some practice and would like to continue to expand your hand-lettering skills, you can use more materials such as glue and glitter powder to add highlights, or try different materials with permanent markers like the MONO twin Faux Calligraphy.

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Fudenosuke Neon single colors

Brush Pen & Fineliner

Fudenosuke Neon single colors

Vibrant lettering and dynamic illustrations with variable stroke widths thanks to flexible brush tip. Six different neon colors available.

Available in various colours

from

€1.97

€3.30

To the product
Fudenosuke Pastel for black paper

Brush Pen & Fineliner

Fudenosuke Pastel for black paper

Fudenosuke Pastel with 5 trendy pastel colors + white with a great chalk look. with an elastic tip for variability in line width.

Available in various colours

from

€3.30

To the product
Fudenosuke Pastel for black paper set of 6

Brush Pen & Fineliner

Fudenosuke Pastel for black paper set of 6

Fudenosuke Pastel with 5 trendy pastel colors + white with a great chalk look. with an elastic tip for variability in line width.

€19.80

Fudenosuke soft tip single

Brush Pen & Fineliner

Fudenosuke soft tip single

With elastic tip for variable line widths – from very narrow to very wide. Soft tip especially suitable for larger writings.

€3.30

Fudenosuke Trilogy

Brush Pen & Fineliner

Fudenosuke Trilogy

Fudenosuke Trilogy set, 3 pcs.

€9.50

Fudenosuke twin soft tip single

Brush Pen & Fineliner

Fudenosuke twin soft tip single

With two elastic tips for variable line width. – from very narrow to very wide. Two soft tip especially suitable for larger writings.

€4.90

Ki-Monogatari recycled pencil

Pencils

Ki-Monogatari recycled pencil

The eco-friendly pencils of the Ki-Monogatari series

Hardness selectable

from

€13.00

To the product
Lettering Set "Advanced"

Brush Pen & Fineliner

Lettering Set "Advanced"

Take your letterings to the next level with this set of lettering material.

€33.30

Lettering Set "Beginner"

Brush Pen & Fineliner

Lettering Set "Beginner"

Product set for an easy start into hand lettering.

€19.00

Lettering Set Advanced + Paper Set

Brush Pen & Fineliner

Lettering Set Advanced + Paper Set

Only available for a short time: The perfect lettering team: Lettering Set Advanced and Bristol Paper

€41.80

Limited Edition MONO graph + MONO eraser pastel

Eraser

Limited Edition MONO graph + MONO eraser pastel

Limited set of MONO graph and MONO eraser in 6 special pastel colors

Available in various colours

from

€9.10

To the product
MONO 100 set of 12

Pencils

MONO 100 set of 12

Top quality pencil with superb varnish finish, available in 17 degrees of hardness. Offers unusual contrast due to extra dark, high density graphite lead.

Hardness selectable

from

€31.20

To the product