Hand lettering: the basics

In short: Hand lettering is the art of carefully drawing letters by hand instead of writing them fluidly, creating decorative lettering. Unlike calligraphy, each letter is sketched individually and often traced multiple times.

In more detail: While a pen typically glides across the paper in one continuous motion in classic cursive writing, hand lettering builds letters from several strokes, more like a small drawing.

In detail

• Tools: Brush pens with a flexible tip create thick and thin lines depending on pressure, while fineliners work well for fine details.
• Basic framework: Letters are first lightly sketched in pencil before being executed with the actual pen.
• Stroke widths: Downstrokes are usually drawn thicker than upstrokes, which creates the typical calligraphy look.
• Practice grids: Lined practice sheets with baseline, midline, and top line help keep letter heights consistent.
• Embellishments: Flourishes, small illustrations, or underlines complement the lettering and make it more individual.
• Practicing basic shapes: Practicing simple shapes like ovals and straight lines before writing whole words makes getting started much easier.
• Related technique: Calligraphy with a pen nib or brush follows similar principles but uses different tools (kalligrafie-grundlagen).