This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. If you make a purchase through one of my links I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Last Updated on September 29, 2018 by Chris Butler
Have you ever watched a pro do hand lettering? They are amazing and they make it look so easy! But guess what? They weren’t always that good. The pros started with hand lettering practice sheets just like you and me.
I’ve been practicing for a few months and I’m definitely seeing a big improvement! I even did a few hand lettering projects well enough that I made them into SVG cut files.
But I still wouldn’t say I’m quite to pro level yet. My biggest struggle is getting good upstrokes. A lot of my upstrokes are still pretty shaky. So I make myself more hand lettering practice sheets and keep at it.
I’m sure you remember learning how to write in grade school. You would write the letter ‘a’ over and over and over again before moving on to letter ‘b’. That’s how practicing hand lettering goes. It’s all about building that muscle memory.
According to the Tombow blog (the makers of my favorite hand lettering brush pens) the most difficult muscle memory to build is keeping your downstrokes heavy and your upstrokes light.
The tip of your pen should just be touching the paper for those upstrokes. Once you get the strokes down you will be well on your way to gorgeous hand lettering.
So are you ready to transform your hand lettering skills? Now’s your chance!
All it takes is a few minutes of practice each day. And for a limited time, I’m offering my 31 days to better hand lettering practice sheets binder to you for FREE. Whoop-Whoop!
Using the Hand Lettering Practice Sheets
So you can head over to the Daily Dose of DIY shop and download the free practice sheets. The link will automatically bring the price down to $0 when you checkout or you can use code HAPPYPRACTICE if needed.
You will want to print the practice sheets on premium laser jet paper. This paper is smoother than standard paper and will help protect the tips of your brush pens. And you can use it in your inkjet printers, no problem.
And of course, you will need brush lettering pens. I prefer to use Tombow Dual Brush Markers. I love their colors and the quality of the pens and ink. I’m a lefty and it’s a big deal when the ink doesn’t smear while I’m lettering!
The last thing I recommend is a binder to keep your practice sheets. I’ve included a cover page for you along with the practice sheets. It is so fun to look back and see how far you’ve come. The transformation is truly amazing! Seeing your progress will help you stay motivated to keep going.
We all know practice makes perfect progress. Don’t strive for perfect, you’ll never achieve it. We are our own worst critics after all.
But if you never practice, will you be where you want to be next month? Next year? What if you’re the next hand lettering superstar?
Grab the 31 Days to Better hand Lettering Practice Binder now.
Hand Lettering Practice Tips
So now that you have your hand lettering practice binder set up, let’s cover some tips to get you started.
Remember to keep your brush pen at a 45-degree angle to the paper.
Feel free to move your practice sheet around and find what’s most comfortable for you. Being a lefty I move my paper a lot while lettering.
Loosen up! Having a tight grip on your pen will make it that much more difficult. Shake your hands, circle your wrists and loosen up those muscles.
Slow down. So many videos are super sped up because no one would ever watch it if it was in real time. Mastering hand lettering takes time.
Have fun! Practicing my hand lettering is my time to relax. You should enjoy it and have fun with it. Make it your time to be inspired and relax.
Download your Hand Lettering Practice Sheets here. The discount will automatically be applied at checkout or use code HAPPYPRACTICE if needed.
Chris Butler has helped thousands of crafters learn how to use their Cricut machine without feeling overwhelmed. She is a best selling author and an up and coming designer. For fun Chris enjoys designing SVG Files, hanging out with her family (preferably at the lake), traveling, and volunteering at her church. She is a wife and mom of two crazy fun kids.
maria shy says
wow, it is perfectly a great help for a starter like me, thank you for the free printable practice sheets!