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Hand lettering is a form of drawing letters that is quite similar to calligraphy but not the same. Calligraphy uses a dip pen and ink to draw strokes and letters with different amounts of pressure, Whereas hand lettering uses a pen to artfully draw out letters in a decorative way. When it comes to hand lettering, each letter is carefully thought out and drawn in a different way for every situation. Hand-lettered words are usually illustrated and they are all unique and different from each other.

 

Hand lettering is a way of expressing oneself that has evolved over time and can be modified and manipulated for just about any purpose. Hand lettering is thus very unique as it is unlikely that another artist or person will be able to be able to reproduce the exact match of someone else’s hand lettering styles exactly the same. It is also different from fonts because of the creative freedom an artist has to make these hand made letters whatever they want and however they want them to look so that they stand out and are very creative. 

With hand lettering, each alphabet is drawn in a different way even if it is a repetition of the same letter in a phrase. This is one of the things that makes hand-lettered writing stand out more from fonts or other forms of lettering.

Hand lettering can be used for a variety of things like logos, greeting cards, album art, murals, calendars posters, and so much more. It can be used for pretty much anything that requires letters and alphabets drawn in a unique way.

 

Benefits of Hand lettering

Now that you know what hand lettering is, you’re probably wondering about the benefits of it which is why we have outlined the benefits of hand lettering below;

  • Hand lettering provides a custom look for each letter and attracts and hold the attention of anyone looking at it.
  • It helps to make a brand more recognizable. When your brand uses letters that are unique to you, it will be easy to spot anywhere in the world.
  • Each design is special and original as no two hand-lettered letters look the same
  • Hand-lettered phrases and words make you stand out from the crowd and gives a good first impression of your brand and its creative side
  • The decorative way of drawing letters used in hand lettering is visually and aesthetically pleasing
  • Hand lettering can be very therapeutic for the artists and helps improve their concentration
  • Practicing hand lettering also helps to improve your handwriting. Although in this digital age everyone is more inclined to typing and writing digitally. If you are interested in improving your handwriting then learning hand lettering is perfect for you.
  • Hand lettering improves your creativity and helps uplift people around you. You can share your beautifully crafted hand-lettered work with friends and family or help them create custom designs for their projects as well.

 

Best hand lettering books

With all the benefits you stand to gain from using hand-lettered words, we can understand if you are eager to learn how to practice this art. To help you learn how to start hand lettering we have put together the top 11 must have hand lettering books for beginners.

 

Hand lettering 101:

An introduction to the art of creative lettering by Chalk full of love

 

This hand lettering book is the first part in a series of books that teaches you everything you need to know about hand lettering. It starts with the basics like drawing styles so beginners can get a grasp of what hand lettering is all about. There are step by step guides on hand lettering techniques like strokes for lower and uppercase lettering, how to draw numbers 0-9 and learn how to connect letters. It comes in a spiral-bound hardcover so your thick premium pages are protected and easily flipped over. The beautiful exterior design also makes it a nice coffee table book. 

 

You can click here to read more about this book and also read the reviews of this book on Amazon.

 

The art of hand lettering for beginners:

Beautiful projects and essential techniques by Joana Muñoz

 

Learn how to transform words into an art form with tutorial and DIY projects when you use this hand lettering book. It gives you the tools you need to learn the hand lettering craft with 8 sample alphabets including cursive and print with enough space to practice your strokes. It has 20 DIY projects where you can practice hand lettering on greeting cards, place cards, gifts, thank you notes and so much more. You also get to create your very own alphabets and personalize your style by incorporating different modes and tones into your work.

You will really like  The art of hand lettering for beginners: Beautiful projects and essential techniques by Joana Muñoz for learning hand lettering skills. Click here to read reviews and get it on Amazon.

 

 

 

Hand lettering for relaxation:

An inspirational workbook for creating lettered art by Amy Latta

The author guides you with a friendly and down to earth approach to drawing designs with ease. You have a beginners guide to brush lettering, print fonts and you can learn to highlight, emboss and shadow words. With its interactive design, you learn up to 46 unique designs that help you perfect your proficiency at hand lettering. You can also practice your unique designs as you doodle on the art paper and add your own features like vines and feathers. Using this hand lettering book to practice your craft will also help you relax and enjoy your journey to creative lettering

 

The Hand lettering for relaxation: An inspirational workbook for creating lettered art by Amy Latta is a great book to learn hand lettering. You can click here to read reviews from people who use and love it and buy it on Amazon.

 

By Hand; the art of modern lettering by Nicole Miyuki Santo

A collection of projects and lessons in this hand lettering book help you learn unique and handmade lettering. With more than 30 projects like making placards or pillows and working with relatable lessons, beginners are introduced to the tools of the craft like brush pens and paint pens. You learn to develop your own style through a warm and welcoming approach by the author with beautiful photography and step by step lettered samples.

hand lettering books

You can read more about this amazing hand-lettered book here. You can also read many 5 star reviews for this product and buy it here. 

 

 

 

Hand lettering; an interactive guide to the art of drawing letters by Megan Wells

Learn from tutorials in this hand lettering book on how to embellish letters, add decorative effects and illustrations. You will also learn 5 major hand lettering styles and master your skills on practice pages. There are also fun pages for you to trace or color letters which make the learning process easy and interesting. There are a number of projects you can try to spruce up everyday items like practicing hand lettering on gift cards and decorative items in the home.

This is definitely a book you want to own to learn effective hand lettering. You can read more reviews about his book and buy it on Amazon.

 

 

 

The big awesome book of hand & chalk lettering by Dina Rodriguez

You are taught to master the art of hand lettering in easy to understand steps in this hand lettering book so beginners can fully understand the processes involved in designing phrases, embellishing designs and hand lettering composition. It covers 15 lettering projects like gift tags and chalks letters for sign making. You also learn lettering styles like Victorian styles, black letter, and scripts. It uses illustrated step by step guides to make beginners feel more comfortable and ease into becoming a master at hand lettering.

You can read more about this book here

 

 

Creative Lettering and beyond:

Inspiring tips techniques and ideas for hand lettering by Gabri Joy Kirkendall and co

This hand lettering book combines the expertise of 4 expert hand lettering artists to deliver the best learning experience for beginners. You learn to master the art of hand lettering through step by step guides projects and exercises. You will learn to make words and phrases into beautiful works of art. It uses an interactive form of instruction so beginners feel more involved in the learning process including fun projects and ideas like lettering on coffee mugs or linen. With its numerous practice pages, beginners will find it easy to develop and master their own unique style of lettering.

You can learn all about hand lettering and read some awesome reviews of this book here. 

 

 

Extraordinary hand lettering:

Creative lettering ideas for celebrations, events, decor and more by Doris Wai

Using this hand lettering book introduces you to the world of hand lettering by showing you how to master styles of lettering and work with different surfaces like wood, glass, mirrors, acrylics and so much more. You will learn to create typefaces, balance, and composition and learn to draw letters and also gain tips on how to pick which letters to embellish, shadow and highlight. DIY projects encourage you to transform boring old household objects like mirrors, or furniture into stunning decorative pieces with the help of hand lettering. 12 projects are available from the minimalist designs to sophisticated and girlie design ideas for you to draw inspiration from and bring a unique beauty to your everyday life.

You can find this book here. You should also read the reviews to see just how awesome this book really is!

 

 

 

Hand lettering: creative alphabets for every occasion by Thy Doan

A collection of over 50 alphabets in different style draws beginners into the world of hand lettering. The author guides you with easy to follow steps as you learn all you need to know about creating your own lettering designs. You learn to work with any tool like sharpies and brush pens to create beautiful lettering. In no time you will learn the techniques you need to transform ordinary items like flyers, menus or invitation cards into personal works of art with the use of unique lettering and alphabets.

You can buy this book on Amazon here.

 

 

Words to live by creative hand lettering, coloring and inspirations by Dawn Nicole Warnaar

Beginners at hand lettering of any age can learn to create beautiful works of lettering by learning with this hand lettering book. The authors teach you hand lettering tips and techniques as well as illustrations to guide you on your hand lettering journey. Included in this book are a combination of inspirational quotes, 24 perforated coloring pages you can work on and frame or give out as gifts to friends and family.

You can read the awesome reviews and buy this one amazon.

 

 

Hand lettering A to Z:

A world of creative ideas for drawing and designing alphabets by Abbey Sy and co

With this hand lettering guide, you will learn to create alphabets that are unique to you and express your creative side with easy step by step guides on the right color palettes to use, style of lettering, spacing and inking your letters. You will master creating beautiful alphabets that reflect your personal taste. With help from International instructors from around the world, you learn to design alphabets that can be used in different languages.

You can find this book by clicking this link.

 

These are some of the best books to help you learn about hand lettering. Whether you’re a beginner or you’ve already been doing this for years there is something to learn for everyone.

Now, if you’ve looked at these books but want to also get some hand lettering worksheets as well, continue reading below for more information.

 

What are hand lettering worksheets

Practice, they say makes perfect, and after learning everything about hand lettering and getting started with the basics as a beginner, the next step is to perfect your skills and become a master hand lettering artist. If you are looking to perfect your hand lettering skills then using hand lettering worksheets every day to practice would definitely help you improve your skills considerably.

Hand lettering worksheets are practice books that help you perfect the art of hand lettering. They usually have lines and grids to help guide you on the size and shape of your alphabets as you practice drawing them. They also help you regulate the pressure you place on your drawing tool, work on your wrist control until you build muscle memory and are able to create perfect decorative alphabets without a second thought. They are an absolute must-have for anyone who wants to learn hand lettering.

 

Where you can find a few examples for beginners

There are numerous hand lettering worksheets for beginners available online for free. You can use them to study every day. Most as downloadable and make learning so much easier. 

You can also purchase hand lettering worksheets in your local bookstores or any store that stocks hand lettering tools and materials. They’re also sold on Amazon. 

Like the free options, you can also download and use the worksheets to practice your craft every single day until you are satisfied with your level of skill.

 Hand lettering is a beautiful art worth learning

If you have always wanted to learn hand lettering but shied away from it because it seems like a tough task, you can take up learning today and become very skilled at hand lettering in what may seem like no time. All you need is patience and the desire to keep practicing until you become perfect. Anyone at any age can learn this skill, remember to look around you for inspiration when you feel discouraged as looking at the beautiful creations of others can help keep you motivated and willing to keep studying. 

 

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