The 6 P's to Better Brush Lettering

Here's a quick video that shows the progress of my lettering.

You can see the difference 9 months of practice has made. For people just starting their journey, here are, to me, the keys to Brush Lettering Progress. (The following contains affiliate links, which do not increase an items cost to you, but does pay me a small commission if you are so kind as to make a purchase based on my recommendations.)

The 6 P's of Brush Lettering

1. Pens - while you can produce "faux-lligraphy" with any writing instrument, brush pens are the key to quality lettering. I'm not going to recommend a specific brand, because they are ALL SO DIFFERENT! You need to take it upon yourself and keep testing until you find which ones work best for you. I will say, the Tombow Fudenosuke Twin Tip or the Pentel Touch Sign Pens (flexible tip) are a great small pens to start with. The Tombow Dual Tip Brush Pens are available in smaller starter sets to use as a large brush pen to test as well. 
2. Paper - now that you've invested in some brush pens, you can't just pick up any ol' piece of paper and start lettering on it. You need to spend a little more to get good quality paper to ensure your brush pens LAST! It's soooo easy to fray tips (especially for us lefties!!) so you need to make sure you're using quality paper. Most tracing papers and Rhodia pads are smooth enough. For additional practice sheets I like to use HP Premium LaserJet Paper.
3. Pirg - okay, I cheated on this one. It's really GRIP. This is perhaps the MOST IMPORTANT when starting out, and also the most personal. You don't hold your brush pen like a regular pen. You hold it more like a paint brush. But above all else, you hold it so it's COMFORTABLE FOR YOU! You can watch how someone else holds their pen all you want, but you need to make minor adjustments in your grip until it feels "right". You know, because you'll be able to make razor-thin upstrokes at a snails pace with minimal shakes. It took me almost a month to find a grip that worked for me. 
4. Pressure - this is how you produce thick and thin strokes. You need to be VERY mindful of how you apply pressure. Smooth transitions through curves, delicate handling in upstrokes, maintaining a slow pace during heavy downstrokes... how and when you apply pressure has an impact on how professional your lettering appears.
5. Pace - It's very misleading watching videos and seeing how quickly people write. The reality is, you need to write AT A SNAIL'S PACE. Most times, you're writing so slowly you forget what letter comes next in a word (that's how you know you're going slow enough 😂 ). Remember, slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.
6. PRACTICE - okay, this one is really the MOST IMPORTANT component to gaining confidence and competence in your brush lettering. You should try to spend at least 15 minutes a day practicing. It's not a lot, but even just that small amount can make a difference. At the start of the year when I began, I would practice for around an hour each night after my Little Dude was in bed (also to reduce the chances he would want to use my nice new brush pens). You reap what you sow, and the more you dedicate to practice, the more quickly your skills will grow.

Extra advice for Lefties:

Because I do get asked often if I have any advice for fellow left-handers. The short answer is, I don't. Lettering is going to be more difficult because the majority of our brush strokes will be "pushes" rather than "pulls". With enough practice, and smooth enough paper, over time it won't matter. In general though:

• Try holding your pen slightly further back than you normally would. This will allow you more distance between your hand and your lettering, and slightly reducing the chance of "smearing".
• Be mindful of your overturn strokes. Right-handers have a tendency to use a heavy hand on the bottom part of their letters. For lefties, the opposite is true. I notice if I'm not focused on what I'm lettering, the tops of letters like 'a' or 'd' are much thicker than I want them to be. 
• Don't be afraid to try new mediums! I put off picking up a paint brush for MONTHS because I was intimidated about how to "push" a brush. The reality is, lettering is going to be as easy (or difficult) as you think it will be. If you approach new tools with a positive attitude, your confidence is 75% of what you need to succeed (daily practice is the other 25% 😂 ).

I hope you found this helpful! Please don't hesitate to ask my more specific questions below! 

DIY Planner Page - Gratitude Log, October 2017

Another month is here! Time to create a layout to make note of all the wonderful memories you make this month.

First, I created a watercolor background and painted lettered on that. I was concerned about bleed-thru with the watercolors, so I created the piece by cutting a 5x7 sized sheet of HP LaserJet Premium paper and working from there.

When laying down the water background to place the plastic bag on, I used my Finetec watercolor to add some extra metallic sparkle to the background.

Next, I created the layout for my daily entires. I wanted to do a different layout from last month, so I tried to fit them all on one side of my planner

Unfortunately i completely FAILED at this. At the last second I thought I would add some more lettering so it wouldn't be so boring. UGH! I forgot to tape down the watercolor piece before I started, so I awkwardly added it in the middle (but them kept bumping it around). 

Because October has 31 days, I created a long skinny 31st entry all the way at the bottom of the page, but forgot it was supposed to be there and ended up drawing my vertical lines too long.

No matter though, because the bottom of the page was out of frame anyway, so your couldn't even see what I was working on <eyeroll, face palm>

We'll see if I keep up this layout. I have a feeling, due to the smaller size of the boxes I might have a difficult time keeping my thoughts in the space provided.

How about you? Do you use some sort of Memory / Gratitude Tracker in your Planner? 👇

MATERIALS USED (the following contains affiliate links, which do not increase an item's cost to you, but does pay me a small commission if you are so kind as to make a purchase based on my recommendation)

Markers: Tombow Dual Tip Brush Pens, I have all 96, but this is a great starter pack

Paint Brush: Pentel Aquash Brush, in this piece I used two different sized brushes, so do yourself a favor and get the 3-pack

Metallic Watercolors: Finetec Metallic Watercolors, Gold Palette (though this set is fairly compatible for a more reasonable price)

White Paint: Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleed Proof White, the most opaque white paint on the market

Paper: HP LaserJet Premium , it's 32lb, so it holds up to watercolors well

Black Pen: Tombow Mono Drawing Pen, I used the 03 size here, but also use the 01 and 05 regularly too

Watch Me Work - I'm a Terrible Driver

Nobody (for the most part) goes into Driver's Ed expecting to "kill it" their first time behind the wheel. My first time behind-the-wheel inspired this piece (story to follow):

So there I was, in the middle of my turn, and my instructor, Mr. Dumbrowski, very matter-of-factly asked, "What in the sam hell are you doing, Angela?" My meek reply was, "tuuuuuurning?" On the bright side I also got to practice 3-point turnabouts on my first day too (which was okay, because I still use them A LOT! 😂 )

If you check out my Instagram, you'll get another bonus story about Driver's Ed that caused Mr Dumbrowski to ask me "what the hell?" again 😅.

How about you: were you an A+ Driver, or "Room for Improvement" 👇

MATERIALS USED

Paint - Ecoline Watercolors with Finetec Metallic Watercolor accents

Paint Brush - Pentel Aquash Brush

Pen - Tombow Fudenosuke Twin Tip

White Paint - Dr. Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White

(I'm posting this really late, but I may go back and add links to the products at some point)

Watch Me Work - No Use Crying Over Spilled Coffee

The reality is, I'm MORE likely to cry over spilled coffee than milk, but I've spilled enough coffee that I might be numb to the entire situation.

In my latest (failed) attempt to not be a spaz, I managed to knock over my coffee cup and spill over my Little Dude's Immunization Record two days before I need to turn it into his preschool.

BLERG!! But did I get angry?

1. No. This wasn't my first coffee calamity, so I just reached for the paper towels.
2. I was pretty "Benadryl Drunk", hence the knocking over of the cup to begin with. Heck, I was one long blink away from falling asleep where I was standing.
3. I realized this would set the appropriate framework for the school to judge my parenting. At least when my Little Dude shows up with uncombed hair and Chocolate Pop Tart breath, NO ONE will be surprised.

First I made a watercolor background using simple circles and a hint of Gold Finetec.

Then I used watercolor to letter the word "Coffee" and brush pens for the rest.

I tried to get "fancy" and save my flourishes for the end. I kinda failed, but mostly because I also had planned on doing a flourish off the "l" in "like" and completely forgot. Oh Well.

Insight 💡: wetting the surface BEFORE I put the watercolor down made for a much more even distribution of paint when drying. You can see in the first dark brown circle in the upper left corner there are more noticeable variations in the paint after it dried than in the other circles.  

Anywhoooo. What's something important you've spilled on with coffee? 👇 Feel free to let me know I'm not alone in my clumsiness. 😂

MATERIALS USED (the following contains affiliate links, which do not increase an items cost to you, but does pay me a small commission if you are so kind as to make a purchase based on my recommendations)

Brush - Pentel Aquash Brush, I should have used the larger one for the watercolor background as it would have made painting the circles easier

Paint - Ecoline Watercolors, I started with the 10-Pack, but you can purchase them individually here (not an affiliate link)

Gold Paint - Finetec Metallic Watercolors, gorgeous paints

Brush Pens - Pentel Touch Sign Pen, FLEXIBLE TIP, make sure you get the flexible tip, or you will not get the necessary variations in your upstrokes and downstrokes

Paper - Generic Cardstock from Staples (not an affiliate link)

Watch Me Work - Watercolor Leaf Branches

I wanted to work on my watercolor skills, so leafs are kind of the most basic things you can do. 

BUT DON'T PAINT LIKE I DO 😂

1. If you are left-handed, start on the RIGHT side of the page, that way you are less likely to smudge what you just worked on
2. It's better to make leaves using a smooth downward pressure on your brush in two long strokes, than just using the tip of your brush, as I did here 

I tried to add a little orange Finetec sparkle, but you really couldn't tell from the angle I was holding it at 😑 .

Also, try and remember to dot ALL the 'i's in a piece too <facepalm>.

If you want to know who won my giveway, you can check my Instagram. (Winner will be announced Tuesday, September 20 at 8ish AM)

MATERIALS USED (the following contains affiliate links, which do not increase an items cost to you, but does pay me a small commission if you are so kind as to make a purchase based on my recommendations)

Paint Brush - Pentel Aquash Brush, I recommend the 3-pack as all three brushes are useful to have 

Paint - Ecoline Watercolors, the 10-pack is a great starter set. You can also purchase them individually here (not an affiliate link)

Metallic Paint - Finetec Pearlescent set of 12, but you can also buy them individually (not an affiliate link)

Paper - HP Premium LaserJet Paper, it's 32lb and super smooth, so it works well for blending colors and holding up to water

Instagram Giveaway (September)

Hello Everybody 👋 I'm currently hosting a giveaway on My Instagram Account - feel free to read the rules and enter. Giveaway runs from September 15th to the 18th, with the winner(s) announced on September 19.

MATERIALS USED (the following contains affiliate links, which do not change an item's cost to you, but does pay me a small commission if you are so kind as to make a purchase based on my recommendations).

Brush Pens - Tombow Dual Tips, I have the full 96 Pack, but the Brights Pack is a great starter pack (and it includes a blender pen! 🙌 )

Water Brush - Pentel Aquash Brush, I recommend the 3-pack because even in this video I used two different sizes

Paint - Dr Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White, one of the best white paints out there. VERY opaque, but also tough to work with 😅 )

Watch Me Work - Hand Lettered Name Art - Erica

It's always super-exciting when you get to meet an Insta-Friend IRL. It's even more exciting when  you can give them presents 😬 !!!

This past weekend, I was able to meet up with one of my earliest Insta-Friends, Erica of Avalon Sunshine (amazing, kid-friendly items, you MUST check out her shop!!). Obvi I needed to have something fun to give her, and I knew that Erica 💖s pink, soooooo:

(The lighting is terrible in these videos - I'm SO SORRY! I normally shoot at night to give consistent lighting, but I wanted to squeeze these in before we left for our road trip this weekend). I used my favorite plastic bag technique to create a custom background. I also "jazzed" it up a little bit by adding some Finetec Sparkle!

Next I used Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleed Proof White to create a crisp white lettered look. And because Erica is one of the brightest, sun-shiniest people I know, OF COURSE I had to dot the 'i' with a little sunshine. (If I had thought a little more ahead, I would have made the sunshine bigger so I could give him a smiley face >.< )

What should I letter on my next plastic bag piece?! Let me know in the comments, and I just might send it to you! 😜

MATERIALS USED (the following contains affiliate links, unless otherwise noted, which does not change an item's price to you, but does pay me a small commission if you are so kind as to make a purchase based on my recommendation)

Brush Pens - Tombow Dual Tip Brush Pens, but you could also use any water-based marker for this

Water Brush - Pentel Aquash Brush, I write this every time, but get the 3-pack and you will use all three sizes

Metallic Paint - Finetec Gold Palette, though this palette works just a well for a slightly lower price

Heat Gun - You can use something like this, or even a hair dryer, just be careful to not blow the papers off your desk (which YES I DID the first time I tried this!)

White Paint - Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleed Proof White, kind of difficult to work with, but the "gold standard" of white paint. It's very opaque and makes for a crisp paint job

Watch Me Work - Things My Child Says - This is CNNN

Sometimes when you're not sure what you want to letter, you just need to take a second and listen to the words floating around your own home. Fortunately for me I have a pre-schooler, so there is never a shortage of "interesting" things being said 😅.

Part I is the watercolor background for the piece.

This is a great technique if you wanted something that won't distract from your lettering. I used 1 color, but you can use multiple colors and blend them together to give beautiful backgrounds. I also used some metallic watercolor paints to help give it additional shimmer. It's important to make sure your brush is *really* wet when you do this, so the color blends more easily.

Part II is the lettering

I often struggle with composition, so I still think the last word placement is a little awkward, but I'm not sure where it would fit better 😑 (I'm open to suggestions). 

Anywho, this was an actual conversation I have with my 4 and a half year old Little Dude

Little Dude: Mom, I NEED to watch CNNN

Me: Why? Who do you want to watch?

Little Dude: President TRUMP! 

Me: Um, really? Who's your favorite to watch?

Little Dude: Jake Tapper!!

Me: Okay, do you remember who was on vacation this week?

Little Dude: Mr. Wolf Blister 

And of course, his favorite part is the channel announcement done by James Earl Jones. Though he doesn't *quite* have the word order correct 😂.

This was filmed with Hyperlapse and Edited with Flow (speed changes) and Chromic (visual edits). The materials I used were as follows (yes, these are affiliate links, unless otherwise noted, and do not cost you extra, but do pay me a small commission if you are so kind to make a purchase based on my recommendations). Thank you!

Watercolor Paint - Ecoline Watercolors. I used Pastel Red here, but by far, the best place to find them online are here (Blick Arts, NOT an affiliate link). If choosing colors overwhelms you, I do recommend this 10 color set 

Metallic Paint - I really love my Finetec metallic paints. Here's a comparable set from Blick Arts (not an affiliate link) that has really pretty gold and silver colors (though it's out of stock until Tuesday 😒) (This set is currently in stock on Amazon) . Also, this Kuretake Gansai Tambi set is supposed to be very similar in quality for a lower price.

Water Brush - perfect for watercolors, this set of Pental Aquash water brushes is by far the best price I've found. (And YES! You'll use all three)

Brush Tip Pen - the Tombow Fudenosuke Twin Tip is my FAVORITE brush pen of all time. It's perfect for practice and final pieces. (YES! Get the 3-pack! You'll never want to be without it, plus when it "dries out" you can just dip it in different color inks and create gorgeous ombre lettering!)

White Paint - You CANNOT use the Uniball Signo white pen on red - it turns pink. If you want to create details like I did in the video, you need to use Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleed Proof White. I used a dip pen to make my lines, but this ink works just as well with a brush / water brush too.