purple block with texture

Lettering on Acrylic

by For the HomeLetter BetterLettering

Hello internet friends! I made my first youtube video where I’m actually talking in it! If you’re not interested in watching that but, still want the lowdown on lettering on acrylic – let’s get to it.

Why Lettering on Acrylic?

I love the look of lettering on acrylic. It looks very modern and chic and I love the ability to paint the different colors. I also love the sheen and semi gloss of the acrylic sheet and look of the layers.

Supplies

Supplies Needed for Lettering on Acrylic

Here are the things you’ll need:

  • Your artwork (it can be a sketch if you’d like)
  • Acrylic Sheet (you can find these in hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s)
  • Oil-based paint pens (I like to have different points – extra-fine, fine, and medium)
  • Rubbing Alchohol (this helps you to clean off that paint pen)

Tips on Lettering on Acrylic

After centering the sketch and/or design under the acrylic, I basically trace what I need. Some tips to work on the slippery surface and with paint pens:

  • If you need more than one stroke on your thick lines, draw them immediately. If you allow the oil paint to dry, it will become tacky and it will streak instead of adding on to the stroke.
  • Make sure you blot your marker well and have a place to blot it out. If you watch the video, you’ll see that even my marker will overflow. Don’t worry! That’s where the alcohol comes in. You can get a handy dandy spray bottle kind at any pharmacy 😉 Spray some/ soak some on a paper towel and wipe away.

Want more lettering tips? Check out my blog post for beginner lettering tips.

Painting the Back of the Acrylic

The most important thing to remember when painting the back of your acrylic sign is that you have to paint backwards. First, I painted the stars, and then the colors peeking through the black along with the black streaks. To bring in more color, I layered the back with more color and they shined through some of the lighter areas on the acrylic. Using acrylic paints is helpful with the drying time, and since it’s big blocks of color, the chance of the paint getting scratched off is low.

Daring Adventure-Finished-CeindyDoodles

Have any questions or want to talk more about lettering or crafts? Email me at ceindyton@gmail.com. I’d love to chat!

purple block with texture

Beginner Lettering Tips

by Letter BetterLettering

Are you just here for the free March wallpaper? Clickity here. If you’d like some beginner lettering tips, read on internet comrade!

I have been lettering for almost 5 years, and I am still learning new things about it all the time. Here are some beginner lettering tips that will help you get a head start if you want to learn how to letter.

Study the alphabet.

ceindy doodles alphabet

This may seem very silly, but since lettering is the act of drawing letters – you should know what they look like. A lot of people knows the gist, but if I was to ask you, when you draw a capital A as a serif – where is the “heavy” stroke – the left or the right? If you didn’t know what I meant when I said serif or didn’t say the right stroke, you should take a hard long look at an alphabet.

I happen to know a few handy fonts that help with this. One of them is called Didot. Didot has very extreme thins, so it’s very easy to look and get a feel for the letters.

Learn some terms – these are the basis of all letterforms

  • Sans Serif
  • Serif
  • Slab Serif
  • Script
  • Display/Decorative

Learn some more terms: Google Anatomy of Letters or Typography diagram.

I don’t think you need to know these terms to be good at lettering. But, I do think knowing these terms can help you talk to others when you need help. If you asked “Why does this word look weird?” and someone answered, “Because you have inconsistent x-heights,” you’ll know what they are talking about.

Here’s a quick guide to what’s what (the most important – there’s more) and an example of pretty bad kerning – because that is the killer of all good lettering.

lettering basics ceindy doodles

Grid Paper, Tracing Paper, Pencil, and Crayola Markers

Many beginners want to know what pen is this, what pen does that, but you don’t have to invest in a ton of supplies. You really only need these 4 things to start.

  1. Grid paper will help you with sizes and how to keep everything straight and proportional.
  2. Tracing paper will help when you’ve done 3 of the letters perfectly, but you messed up somewhere on the 4th. Tracing paper is a lifesaver.
  3. Pencil – because duh.
  4. Crayola Markers are perfect for practicing your thicks and thins. If you like modern calligraphy but don’t want to spend a ton on new pens, start here.

If you have been using these for a while and want to know my favorite pens and pencil for lettering, check out this blog post.

Are you reading this thinking – GIRL! I KNOW ALL OF THIS ALREADY!

Well, I did say these are beginner lettering tips.

Alright, here’s some more pro tips.

Practice. Observe. Practice purposely.

None of this comes “naturally” it comes after a lot of practice. It might come with less practice for some and more for others, but it’s only with purposeful practice that great lettering comes out.

Want more lettering tips? Email me your questions: ceindyton@gmail.com.