For quite some time I had the idea of writing an article on handlettering, but I felt I needed to get a lot better at it before I could share my experiences. Nonsense of course because when I think about it, it’s just as useful to make my “struggles” known. Especially if, like me, you are a beginner.
I got in touch with handlettering a few years back. How I don’t remember exactly, I suspect by Marloes de Vries and absolutely loved it. I also tried to practice it at home but the tools were not as available then as they are now. So I signed up for Marloes’ workshop (highly recommended!) and continued practicing at home. Only because of other priorities, I could not keep up with this consistently. So over the past two years, I have had periods when I was completely addicted to handlettering but also had many moments when my focus was elsewhere. Currently, I still don’t think my creations are perfect but I’ve been trying to let go lately. By practicing daily, even if only for an hour, I am finally beginning to get the hang of it and am succeeding more and more.
I have had a monthly subscription to Scrawlrbox for almost a year now, so I have received a lot of goodies that can also be used for handlettering. The idea of devoting a blog post to it had been on my mind for some time, but once again I began to hesitate. I’m not super good at handlettering yet, but screw it, I’m going to do it anyway. So hereby a Handlettering blog post!
What is handlettering?
Handlettering is the drawing of letters. There are no specific rules, but there are guidelines for making the letters just a little more beautiful. The trick is to make fun and unique creations where anything goes and you work mostly by feel. You will use the traditional means such as paper, pencil and a pen. The pens can range from fineliners, calligraphy pens, markers and brush pens, but brushes are also occasionally used.
What do you need?
Open your pen drawer and just grab something out because you can really use anything for handlettering. Yes, even ballpoint pens! Get started with pencil and paper and then trace the letters with a pen. It’s that simple! You don’t necessarily need to purchase equipment, you can wait to do so until you are ready to invest money.
For my graphic design work, I have purchased a lot of goodies for sketching logos and wireframes, among other things, but which I now also use for handlettering. This list then includes items that you don’t necessarily need, but can be very handy. To complement your creative space, consider adding Live Edge Coffee Tables for a stylish and functional workspace.
Video
I wanted you guys to be able to properly review the pens, so I made a short video of them. As stated at the bottom of the video – this is my very first video that I made and edited entirely by myself. So I have 0.0 experience with this but hope it still worked out well to get the pens to display properly. Tips are always welcome! By the way, this is already my 4th video I had recorded, that’s how difficult I found it. Fun to do by the way!!! Anyway, if you want to know what the pens look like in “real life,” check out my video.
https://youtu.be/iB2Jle0AWVU
Paper
The more you practice, the better you become. So don’t buy overly expensive materials, much of which you will throw away in the beginning. In addition, it is a waste for the environment. Paper is pricey, especially if you’re looking for reasonably thick paper that doesn’t print through.
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Tip
When a pen “bleeds,” it means the pen prints through on the paper. With a “smudge,” what happens is that the line is no longer super-tight but small jagged lines can be seen, that is, the ink is spreading on the paper. I couldn’t really find a proper translation of this, so therefore just my own description, haha. 🙂
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Tracing paper / cheap copy paper
If you are like me and feel that 1 failed creation ruins the whole notebook, just start on cheap paper. Believe me, I have already ruined several notebooks for my feelings and it is a waste. For example, I just start with regular copy paper on which I start sketching. If there is something I like among them, I can trace it with tracing paper if necessary. This works very nicely because it allows me, for example, to retrace certain letters that did succeed. If you start with cheap paper then it is not so bad if it fails once. You’d rather throw away a sheet of copy paper than have your deluxe booklet full of creations you don’t actually like that much. After all, you quickly tend to want to do something perfectly on expensive paper or in a notebook.
Another advantage of tracing paper: you can print out letters or other creations you find on the Internet and then trace them so you can master the operations faster.
- Simple print/copy paper – check Action for great deals. If you want to be environmentally conscious, recycled paper also exists, however, it is a lot more expensive.
- Daler Rowney Tracing Paper A4
- By the way, if you want to work with markers (like Copics, Winsor & Newton) you also have special marker paper. This then works a lot finer and the markers will not print through.
Dotted paper
Lately, I’ve been trying to work out logos on paper so that I already have the overall style in my head before I get to work at the computer. In doing so, I use baselines and guidelines drawn with a ruler. However, this is a time-consuming process and a dot grid paper (dotted paper) saves me time ánd I can still get the lines of the letters nice and straight. In fact, dots are a lot less obtrusive than grids made of lines (lined paper). My favorite is still the Rhodia Dotpad – fine, smooth paper that writes nicely, is not too expensive, has lots of pages and where the small dots are not too overpowering.
- Rhodia Dotpad
- Leuchtturm1917 Notebook (dotted version)
Notebook
I myself am a huge fan of Leuchtturm1917 notebooks and now have 4 of them in my closet. Paper is sturdy, doesn’t print through quickly, you can write finely on it, you have page numbers, the ability to create a table of contents and some other extras. So these notebooks are perfect not only for handlettering, but also, for example, for Bullet Journals like Sabine Metz uses them. You have the booklets lined, blank and dotted.
- Leuchtturm1917 Notebook (I have this variant)
- Leuchtturm1917 Sketchbooks
- Moleskine Sketchbooks
Watercolor paper / firm paper
If you like to work with watercolors, markers or brush pens and you want this not to crease or push through the paper, then you need sturdy and thick paper. This is because certain brush pens print through so you don’t get tight lines. For markers, there is special Marker Paper
- Canson XL marker A4
- Daler Rowney Marker Block A4 (favorite)
Bristol Paper A4
Paper that works very nicely for various types of media is Bristol paper. So you can use this for watercolor, markers, (color) pencil and so also for handlettering. The paper is super smooth, sturdy and a beautiful color white. You have this from different brands such as Canson, Daler Rowney, Strathmore, etc. I have tried these three brands and have not really been able to detect a difference in quality in them. So it doesn’t matter so much which brand you buy this kind of paper from.
Pens
Sakura Micron pens
Popular with the web designers among us, but now also widely used in handlettering. Microns are my all-time favorite pens. They don’t print through, are affordable, can be used for a long time (provided you always put the cap on properly) and most importantly, consistent. No matter how you hold and use the pen, you will get a consistent line. The ink is dark and in no way transparent. There is no better than this. Sakura, by the way, is a very good brand and you’ll see this name come up more often.
I recommend starting with a set of 6 pins so you have variety. If you prefer to try them first, you can also buy them separately, start with the 0.5mm version.
Uni-ball Signo Pastel Gel Pen
Would you like to decorate your letters with such things as dots, stars, lines or something else? The Uni-ball Signo Gel pens are perfect for that. I have the white version. Not every gel pen can cover well so you have to go over the line, tip or star several times. With this Uni-ball Signo Gel pen, I don’t have that problem.
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Tip
The thing about putting pressure on the pen is that it varies and depends on the type of pen you are using. Not every pen is the same. The tip (nib) is often made of different material, some are made of felt, synthetic or nylon making each pen unique. These materials affect the sensitivity and durability of the brush tip. The softer ones require light pressure and the hard tip a harder one (logical!) to get a thicker line. If you practice a lot you will find it easier and easier to put the right amount of pressure on the pen.
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Brush pens
Tombow Dual Brush ABT
The brush pen that almost everyone has with a brush on one side and a marker on the other. So perfect for writing brush letters, as well as coloring large areas. This pen is available in 96 colors and the whole set is quite pricey, but well worth an investment. I only have the black Dual Brush and I must honestly admit that the brush is tricky to work with, especially for a beginner like me. This is because it is quite large so you have to be careful not to put too much pressure on the pen because then you will get very thick lines (unless you want and like that of course). The brush tip is very flexible and gives off a lot of color, so you don’t have to push hard either.
The Lyra Aqua Brush Duo is really an exact dupe of Tombow. You just can’t get them in the Netherlands, so they were in a Scrawlrbox edition.
Akashiya Sai Watercolor Brush Pens
I had bought this set when I was eager to learn watercolor, however, I found out later that they are also perfect for handlettering. These 20 watercolor brush pens by Akashiya Sai can be used as watercolors by dipping them in water but also simply as brush pens. It’s the perfect on-the-go solution or just a convenient way to get the watercolor look without the hassle. I had also incorporated these into the video but the watercolor effect did not show up well. If you still want to see a video of this, I can share it on Instagram (for example). Let me know!
Kuretake Zig Cartoonist Brush Pen No. 22
This pen came in a Scrawlr box and is not readily available in the Netherlands. Of course there are alternative brands hence I also show it in the video as well as here in the blog article. The brush of this pen consists of a soft nylon brush tip allowing you to make very thick but also thin lines. You can keep the ink under control because you have to squeeze the handle periodically to keep the ink flowing. When the brush is dry you can also create beautiful, hard brush effects. The ink is refillable.
Talens Ecoline Brush Pen
Everyone knows the Ecoline brand; you will surely have come across it at least once. With Ecoline from a jar, the you can still control the density of the color, which is not the case with these pens. By the way, the colors of these Ecoline Brush Pens are beautiful, the pen writes nicely, sits well in the hand and the brush tip is of reasonable quality. Also, the pens are not very expensive, as you already have a set of 10 for about €16. With the special Brush Pen blender, you can blend the colors, creating fun shades of color.
Itoya CL-10 Doubleheader Calligraphy Pen
Do you have calligraphy experience? No? Skip this pen then. I personally do not like writing it, the tip is way too hard and therefore very difficult to make nice letters. I know there is a special way to write with this pen, only I haven’t mastered it yet. So when you purchase this pen you will have to practice a lot and try to learn the technique of calligraphy. Then this calligraphy pen would be ideal for that.
Other
Crayola Supertips – Crayolas are inexpensive and available in many colors. Ideal to start with although they do require a certain learning curve. I still find it quite difficult to go nicely from thin lines to somewhat thicker ones, although you can also use them well for coloring letters. 😉 Crayolas are water-based and what I see a lot on Instagram is that the colors are mixed on plastic and then printed on the paper for a watercolor-like background. If you want to learn more about using Crayola’s, be sure to check out this website Crayligraphy.
Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen – this is recommended to start with alongside the Tombow Dual Brush pen and Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pen. I don’t own this one yet but plan to purchase it at some point, although I have enough material for now. 😉 The brush tip looks similar to the Pentel Touch so it is a similar pen. So if you already own a Pentel Touch then you don’t really need the Fudenosuke .
Pencil pencil (various brands)
Previously, I used regular pencils but since I received a number of mechanical pencils in various Scrawlr boxes, I find these work a lot nicer. A mechanical pencil is often a bit heavier, therefore sits just a bit better in your hand and you can make the tip as big as you want. A pencil and eraser is something you do need for handlettering so you can sketch in advance, before you make the handlettering final with a pen.
Pentel Arts Aquash Water Brush
Would you like to work with watercolor or even gouache? Then you can do that with a Water Brush, which is a brush with a handle that can be filled with water. So ideal for on the go. I personally really like this Pentel Arts Aquash Water Brush and if you buy a set then you immediately have 3 different brush thicknesses. On eBay you can also find fake Water Brushes whose brush wears out quickly but are perfect for practice.
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Tip
Alcohol based vs. water based – Many brush pens are alcohol based which makes it easy to mix or overlap colors for fun effects. Some brush pens you can mix yourself with water so you can create beautiful gradient effects. Alcohol-based ones do push through the paper quickly so that’s why you need thicker paper.
Water-based markers are not suitable for mixing but are less likely to go through the paper. Then again, if you go over the same area too often it can start to damage the paper.
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Books
- Handlettering Doe Je Zo – Karin Luttenberg – €14.99 *
- Handlettering done this way! is written and illustrated by Karin Luttenberg. She has an instagram paper_fuel where you can admire her beautiful creations. She has been featured in Flow and VT Wonen with these creations, among others. This book is definitely recommended! Soon there will also be a workbook on the market where you can practice directly in the book itself. [edit]This book is also available now! So if you want even more examples and practice opportunities, this workbook is also recommended. [/edit]
- Creative Handlettering and More – Gabri Joy Kirkendall – €14.99 *
- This book was translated from English and written by 4 different authors. Each author has a number of pages where they talk about their specialties. This can lead to repetition, and important information is left out or not elaborated upon, so the book remains somewhat superficial. The book includes practice pages, fun examples and exercises.
- Hand-Lettering Ledger – Mary Kate McDevitt – €13 .83 *
- I took a handlettering course with Marloes de Vries and there this book was on the table. Fun to browse through, get inspiration and practice with, not much depth though. Want an impression of the book? Then watch this video.
- In Progress – Jessica Hische – €19.11 *.
- Jessica Hische is an inspiration to me so when this book came out, I bought it right away. Since then, it has been among one of my favorite purchases ever. Great book, lots of information and examples, good explanations and tremendously nicely designed. The book is not specifically focused on handlettering, but more the process of going from a drawn creation to a digitized version and all that is involved. They discuss why they chose certain letterforms, colors, style and design, how certain letterforms affect emotions and so much more. I do think this book is aimed more at graphic designers interested in creating posters, logos, brand elements, etc. Maybe nice if I post a comprehensive review of this?
Win! Win! Win!
I thought it would be fun to link a win to this blog post, so I asked if PenStore would sponsor some products. She responded very positively to this and the package turned out super cool. I complemented it myself with some other products, such as a Watercolor set that I personally use as well, a waterbrush, a white gelly roll pen AND the book “Handlettering Do It This Way”.
Would you like to participate in this fun win? Then do the following steps:
- Leave a comment (not a poem!) on why you would love to win this package. Please use a valid email address so I can notify you should you be the winner.
- Follow me on Bloglovin.
- Optional: Tweet this message: [Tweet “Ik wil graag het super toffe Handlettering pakketje winnen op Deliciae Design.”]
- Optional: I also have a nice Facebook page. *hint*
- I will announce the winner on Thursday, December 15.
Well, I hope this blog post is/was somewhat interesting. He got a little long but that was out of the question and didn’t really want to split it up either, so that’s the way it is. I enjoyed it immensely, even though I’m not very good at handlettering or making videos, haha. I also hope you guys can appreciate the win, I do think it turned out to be a hugely cool prize and I would also like to thank PenStore for sponsoring some goodies.
Are you already doing handlettering? Or do you want to win this fun prize so you can start practicing right away? 😉
* This article contains affiliate links. I receive a small fee when you purchase the product through my link. Read my disclaimer for more information. Most of the products for the win were sponsored by PenStore and some were purchased personally. I am not being paid for writing this blog post.
Update:
* drum roll*
The winner of this fun package is: Inge! You will soon receive an email from me asking for your information.
Thanks everyone for participating! I immensely enjoyed organizing this in conjunction with this blog post. Maybe in the future I will set up something like this again. Who knows! 😉
