Brush lettering
You will need
- Brush lettering pen or a paintbrush and ink
- Brush lettering sheet
- Gift tags
- Milk bottle
- Twine
To make
1. Using your pen begin by trying some mark making. It’s a really great way of getting used to applying different pressures with your pen and exploring the marks it can make.
2. Firstly try some thick strokes downwards. You will want to hold your pen at a slight angle rather than upright so that you can get the whole width of the pen for the strokes.
3. Now try some thin strokes upwards. Don’t worry if your lines are a little wobbly, the more you practice the more confident you’ll become.
4. Now you can combine these strokes by creating a ‘V’ shape with a thick stroke downwards and thin upwards.
5. The 4th mark to try is a sort of ‘S’ shape. On the upward strokes use less pressure for a thinner stroke. Just before you get to the curve apply more pressure so you have a thick stroke downwards, before lifting the pressure on the next turn for a think stroke upwards.
6. These marks and the techniques you have been using will help you with the alphabet. With each letter it’s a lot easier if you break it down to shapes as it makes the lettering seem a lot less overwhelming.
7. For these gift tags I will be lettering ‘With Love’. I have broken down how these letters look on their own and how the can be joined using tails. So if you’re not feeling confident to letter in one go you can take the phrase letter by letter and take your pen off of the page after each one.
8. Fill your milk bottle with flowers. I have chosen a mix of colours and seasonal blooms.
9. Attach your gift tag with twine and voila – you have the perfect spring posy to give to friends and family. These would make wonderful Mother’s Day gifts!
About the maker
Becki Clark is a designer and illustrator based in the New Forest. Becki specialises in surface design and hand-drawn typography. She teaches monthly brush lettering and botanical painting workshops and loves getting to share her passion for all things floral and typographic with others! Becki is currently working on her first book The Art of Brush Lettering due to be published later in the year.