Detailed Guide for Crafting Ribbon Lettering, Including a Worksheet Download
Unleashing the Magic of Ribbon Lettering - A DIY Guide
Hey there! Today, we're diving into the whimsical world of ribbon lettering. This is a fun and amazingly easy art form that you'll love!
Arming Yourself
These links below might lead to some purchases, earning me a few pennies – just a small help to keep creating more content like this!
Your Arsenal
- Rhodia Stapled Dot Grid Notepad – perfect for precision alignments.
- Canson Marker Paper – your canvas for vibrant creations.
- Tombow Brush Pens – for crafting captivating, expressive strokes.
- Pigma Micron Monoliner 03 – adding those tiny, crucial accents.
Prefer watching over reading? Hop right onto the video and see it unfold in real time!
If you're completely new to calligraphy, this might prove challenging. I've plenty of videos about functioning in calligraphy – consider that here as a beginner.
But, if you've already got the calligraphy down, let's dive in! First, let's conquer a single letter, then move onto an entire word.
Step 1: Scribble your regular calligraphy letter
Print your upstrokes slightly thicker than usual.
Step 2: Part the seas with your mono-line pen
This step is optional but beneficial for novices.
Step 3: Map the twists and turns like a ribbon
Visualize a piece of ribbon twisted into the form of an “h” – where would the folds be?
Envision the downstrokes (the thicker parts) hugging the front (the lighter parts). Trace the upstrokes next, creating an outline reminiscent of a "color by number." The upstrokes now become the "back" sections, growing darker.
Step 4: Unleash the ink on the darker sections!
Apply the darkest pen to the edge spots and layer another pass of your original pen to blend. Alternatively, you can also use your darker coloured pencil.
Step 5: Get frisky with the shading (optional)
Continue adding layers of darker colour at the edges and blending with a lighter pen for a real pop.
Try this without the black outline – observe the difference between the two “h's"?
Wonder what a whole word would look like?
And that's showtime!
Don't forget to nab the Ribbon Worksheet and give this technique a spin! It's available on my Patreon!
As a patron, you'll snag access to this and the rest of my resource library filled with worksheets, traceables, templates, and much more!
- If you're finding calligraphy challenging, there are video resources available that can help you grasp the fundamentals.
- For a more detailed approach to ribbon lettering, consider investing in resources like worksheets available exclusively on the Patreon page.
- To complete your art supplies, consider adding calligraphy pens, such as Tombow Brush Pens and Pigma Micron Monoliner 03, to your arsenal.
- If you're interested in expanding your creative lifestyle beyond calligraphy, delve into the realm of fashion-and-beauty and home-and-garden supplies as well.
