Why You Should Learn Hand Lettering

Hand Lettering has surged in popularity over the last few years. You see it everywhere- from social media to murals around town, to home decor at Target. It’s popping up on greeting cards, book cover art and clothing. You can see it pretty much everywhere- and for good reason. It’s awesome. But really, it’s such a great skill to learn yourself.

To celebrate the launch of my new book, The Hand Lettering Workbook, I wanted to share with you why you should learn hand lettering . If you’ve been on the fence about learning lettering, I hope to convince you to pick up a pen and give it a try!

So to help, I’ve asked some of my favorite hand lettering artists to share their answer to this:

“Why you should learn to hand letter.”

Here’s what they had to say…

Brittany Luiz says: I think anyone who wants to hand letter should. If it’s something that interests you, then you should learn how to do it! I know so many people who say “Oh I could never do that,” but anyone who knows how to use a writing utensil can learn how to letter. It doesn’t matter if your handwriting is good, or even really if you’re all the talented at drawing. I firmly believe that anyone can learn, so if you want to then you should! I initially learned lettering because I wanted to improve my handwriting and add hand lettered touches to the custom design work I was doing on Etsy. It grew into so much more for me and really jumpstarted my career, leading me to work for Tombow, where I’ve spent the last 5 years. www.instagram.com/BrittanyLuiz

Jo Ovenell of The Lettering Companion says: Lettering has brought so much joy into my life. I started out wanting to learn a new skill but I gained so much more. Lettering is my safe haven. It provides me a way to tune out all the stress of daily life and focus on something that I can do solely for myself. It is calming, distracting and helps me to explore my creative mind. As an added bonus, lettering has been a way to connect via social media to other creatives all over the world. www.theletteringcompanion.com

Darra Sargent Of Dear Darling Design Studio says: I learned to letter in 2015 because I saw it on a cute mug at Walgreens haha. This was before lettering was all over the place, so it took a long time to find good resources. I was already an illustrator that used pointed pen and ink, so I taught myself how to use them for lettering. I sucked at first, you’re gonna suck at first! Keep practicing!! You will get better! it feels so good to look bad at all of your old work and see how far you have come. Lettering has totally changed my life! I’ve been an artist since I was 14 years old, but I didn’t really sell my work until I started lettering. It’s allowed me to be a part of so many weddings, parties and love stories! www.deardarlingdesignstudio.com

Jessie Arnold says: Hand lettering is not something I specifically sought out to learn. It’s something I’ve always done. I enjoy the challenge of taking a generic symbol, like a letter which everyone recognizes, and changing it so that it has a style. I continue to practice my lettering mainly because it’s something I love to do. I like that I know what to draw (a letter or word) but I have the opportunity to be creative within those confines. Lettering has brought so much to my life! On a business level, I have created logos, T-shirt designs, coloring pages and taught workshops. On a personal level, I have connected with and made so many new relationships with people who also love lettering and have taught me so much! www.instagram.com/Mrs.arnoldsartroom

Veronica of Everyday Ronnie says: I started my lettering journey because I’ve always been obsessed with pretty penmanship, and I wanted more creative skills. I knew it was something I was dying to try, but I didn’t expect it to be such a big part of my life. It changed my mindset entirely, and amazed me that I could actually create fonts! Then I fell in love with this amazing lettering community and I was sold! It’s so much more than just pretty penmanship, it’s a way of life. https://msha.ke/everydayronnie/

Stacy Lee of Three Arrows Lettering says: I started hand lettering because I was going through a tough season and a good friend of mine suggested I find something creative to do. I realized quickly that lettering is a form of therapy for me. Creating lovely letters brings me joy, and I’m able to share it with others. I continue to hand letter items for my Etsy shop and for inspiring posts on my IG page. Sharing positive and motivating quotes on IG has become part of my everyday life. www.threearrowslettering.etsy.com

Sarah of The Inky Hand says: I started lettering because I wanted an artistic hobby, but couldn’t draw! It turned out to be the single most impactful thing I’ve done in my adult life! It helped with my anxiety, led to making lots of great insta-friends, and even became my primary source of income with the formation of @theinkybox! If lettering interests you, these are just a few of the reasons to start! www.theinkybox.com

Robin of Robin Lynne Designs says: I have always had a fascination with handwriting. I was constantly changing styles and trying to make my everyday handwriting stand out. Hand lettering is more than handwriting. The hand lettered letters are truly art. It’s amazing to see that art come to life on wedding envelopes, T shirts, wall art. For me it brings relaxation. It’s a get away from the everyday stresses of life. Www.robinlynnedesigns.com

Amber Wooten of Half Pint Prints says: Initially, I began learning to letter because I went to school for graphic design. I could never get my graphically designed pieces with words to fit together artistically the way I wanted or pictures them, and lettering gave me that freedom to do that. But, what I didn’t know when I began to letter was that it would give me a way to express the real me, to decompress from my everyday stresses and anxieties, but most of all share my heart. And…BONUS, it’s connected me with a really awesome community of letterers who cheer and encourage each other on! www.halfpintprints.com

Sarah Ensign of Ensign Insights says: I started designing positive quotes during a difficult time and soon realized I couldn’t do designs I wanted just using my phone so I decided I needed to learn by hand. That’s when I realized that hand lettering was actually a thing! Lettering became my therapy because it was so relaxing to slow down and focus on the details. It has continued to be my therapy as well as a source of income. I think everyone should learn to letter because it is so therapeutic to make beautiful words beautiful. Hand lettering is so unique to everyone so it is a great way to express yourself creatively. It’s something you can do wherever you have a pen and paper and it doesn’t have to be expensive. No matter your artistic background, anyone can learn to letter. www.ensigninsights.com Youtube: Ensign Insights

Are you convinced yet? A huge thanks to all the lettering artists who contributed their words to this post. I hope that you’re intrigued to learn a skill that has brought so much to my life- I know that it will bring a lot to yours too.

Get started now with my book, The Hand Lettering Workbook, available now on Amazon.

Happy Lettering,