Explore 20 styles of the letter G in hand lettering and calligraphy. I’ll walk you from sketch to final drawing using the download below.
Hand Lettered Sketch
First, we’ll trace our sketch. As we do explore three different monoline pens. You’ll hear my critique and praise for:
I’ll offer hand lettering tips and tricks along the way to help you hand letter with style.
Fill and Shadow Letters
When it comes to adding color and style to your hand lettering pieces, often the easiest way to create style within our letters is to add color. I like black and white lettering pieces, so you’ll see I chose to fill in some of my letters in solid black. In other styles, I decided the simple outline to create a variety of lettering styles for the letter G.
The shadow of letters helps add dimension. Using a simple Tombow Fudenosuke Twin Tip, I gave each letter a shadow on the left and part of the bottom. I used the gray end of the Tombow Fudenosuke Twin Tip pen. The important thing about adding a shadow to your letters is consistency. Make sure you follow the light source for your shadows.
Adding Highlights to Letters
Once you’ve added your shadows, it’s easy to see where highlights on hand lettered pieces need to go. So I say now that I’ve done this for a hot minute! The easy way I remember to add highlights is that they are opposite where the shadow is. The highlights are where the sun would hit the letter. So for these examples on the Letter G, it means the upper right gets highlights.
You’ll notice I did not give highlights to all my hand lettered G examples. Only the styles that looked like they needed a highlight got them. No need to overdo it. And if I say the wrong direction, watch what I’m doing. It seems I forget my right and left when I’m recording a video! 🙂 Welcome to my world.
Adding Embellishments
Finally, add embellishments to the letters. I loved “coining a new word” as I drew an inner line on the first G in the third row. That simple line may forever be known as an inner outline. Ok, no it won’t. When I returned to finish this piece at the end of the day, I was tired. But, I hope you’ll laugh with me as I embellish the letters.
Dots and dashes are great ways to embellish your letters. And, some letters have spurs, serifs, or a circle surrounding them and provide all the style you need.
Modern Calligraphy Letter G
For the eight examples of the letter G in modern calligraphy, I used a trusty Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen. If you’re new to using a brush pen or writing in modern calligraphy, remember this: thin strokes on the way up, thick strokes on the way down. Said another way, light pressure on the way up, heavy pressure on the way down.
Use the basic strokes to make your letters. If you need a review of the basic strokes, I have another video that’s only 10 minutes long that you can watch here.
Full Supply List and Items Mentioned in the Video
- Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen.
- Tombow Fudenosuke Twin Tip,
- Pigeon Letters Monoline Pens
Microns
Zig Cartoonist Mangaka - Dingbats – Ātopen Fineliner Pen Set – Dual Tip Fineliner Pens – Primary Set https://amzn.to/3QwwPBT
- HP Premium 32 lb Paper https://amzn.to/3KTBknd Print your download on smooth paper!
- Rhodia Dot Grid Square 8 inch X 8 inch notebook – Orange cover https://amzn.to/3QtpXXg
- Rhodia Dot Grid Square 8 inch X 8 inch notebook – Black cover https://amzn.to/3QtpXXg
- Rhodia Blank Stapled Notebook 8.25 X 11.75 inches https://amzn.to/3O6uBJd
- Strathmore Tracing Paper https://amzn.to/3xFdXJs
- White Gelly Roll 10 https://amzn.to/3Qz46N0
- FaberCastell .7 Clicky Pencil