with this type of pen to allow for a consistent, smooth ink flow onto your paper surface. These pens work well on most dark papers, as well as over inks, watercolor, and acrylic paint. Words, letters, and doodles pop right off the page.
For this journal page, I experimented with white gel pens, paint markers, and watercolors.
Photo by Ann Swanson
More fun lettering tools to add to your stash—clockwise from top left: paint markers, white pens, glaze/glitter pens, dimensional paints, parallel pen and ink cartridges, calligraphy pen with nib, water brush.
Glaze/Glitter Pens
Add sparkle and shine to letters with Sakura or Signo gel, glaze, metallic, and glitter pens. These pens have free-flowing ink that floats over paper with a velvet sheen.
Paint Pens
Sharpie and Montana make pens you can fill with acrylic paint. They create thick, bold lettering and are waterproof when dry.
Brush Pens
There are many brush marker pens available that mimic a paintbrush in a marker form. They have nylon or polyester tips and are very convenient as the ink or paint comes already loaded in the brush.
Water Brush
A water brush has a reservoir you can fill with water so you don’t have to dip your brush in a separate container. Niji and Sakura make water brushes with assorted tip sizes. Write with a water brush dipped in watercolor ink or paints for a casual, loose print or script style.
Dimensional Paint
Create colorful raised letters with the many brands of dimensional paints on the market. They are packaged in plastic bottles with pointed applicator tips that make it easy to letter. You might see them sold as “T-shirt” paints or “puffy paints.”
Glue Stick and Craft Foil
Write out letters and words with a glue stick and then adhere shiny craft foil to the surface and pull it off while it’s still tacky. This creates a freehand metallic look for letters.
Gesso
Gesso is an opaque acrylic paint primer with many uses. Get an interesting effect by applying white or black gesso to a surface with a paintbrush. Write into the wet gesso with a pointed tip such as the end of a paintbrush and let it dry. This creates an interesting textured and dimensional effect.
Writing in gesso creates a richly textured effect.
Gel Mediums
Create a resist under water-based paints and inks by lettering with a paintbrush dipped in gel medium. Gel medium is a versatile acrylic product that is used in mixed-media art as a glaze, collage glue, paint extender, and texture paste. When dry it is crystal clear. If you paint over the dried gel medium with watercolor or acrylic paint it acts as a resist. The raised lettering made with the gel medium will “pop” under the painted surface.
Paper and Other Surfaces
“What is the best paper to use for lettering?” I am asked this question constantly by my students. First, determine the purpose of your lettering project.
Are you journaling your thoughts and ideas as a personal artistic expression no one else will see? In this case, less expensive journals and papers will probably be fine. Are you illustrating favorite words and quotes as a finished art book or keepsake? Are you making art to frame and hang on the wall? Is it a gift? Are you selling your artwork? For these purposes, you might consider a good-quality paper, journal, or canvas.
Decide why you’re going to create lettering art. Are you exploring different styles to create your own signature look with pens, pencils, and markers? Are you experimenting with technique and exploring new styles requiring a lot of practice? Are you looking to paint, collage, sketch, and letter in just one art journal? Are you collecting ideas and inspirations? If the art is for your personal discovery, you can educate yourself with various qualities and price points of papers and journals.
Regardless of what your creative process demands, it’s a good idea to explore a variety of materials to meet your needs. Become familiar with student-quality papers and journals
For this journal page, I experimented with white gel pens, paint markers, and watercolors.
Photo by Ann Swanson
More fun lettering tools to add to your stash—clockwise from top left: paint markers, white pens, glaze/glitter pens, dimensional paints, parallel pen and ink cartridges, calligraphy pen with nib, water brush.
Glaze/Glitter Pens
Add sparkle and shine to letters with Sakura or Signo gel, glaze, metallic, and glitter pens. These pens have free-flowing ink that floats over paper with a velvet sheen.
Paint Pens
Sharpie and Montana make pens you can fill with acrylic paint. They create thick, bold lettering and are waterproof when dry.
Brush Pens
There are many brush marker pens available that mimic a paintbrush in a marker form. They have nylon or polyester tips and are very convenient as the ink or paint comes already loaded in the brush.
Water Brush
A water brush has a reservoir you can fill with water so you don’t have to dip your brush in a separate container. Niji and Sakura make water brushes with assorted tip sizes. Write with a water brush dipped in watercolor ink or paints for a casual, loose print or script style.
Dimensional Paint
Create colorful raised letters with the many brands of dimensional paints on the market. They are packaged in plastic bottles with pointed applicator tips that make it easy to letter. You might see them sold as “T-shirt” paints or “puffy paints.”
Glue Stick and Craft Foil
Write out letters and words with a glue stick and then adhere shiny craft foil to the surface and pull it off while it’s still tacky. This creates a freehand metallic look for letters.
Gesso
Gesso is an opaque acrylic paint primer with many uses. Get an interesting effect by applying white or black gesso to a surface with a paintbrush. Write into the wet gesso with a pointed tip such as the end of a paintbrush and let it dry. This creates an interesting textured and dimensional effect.
Writing in gesso creates a richly textured effect.
Gel Mediums
Create a resist under water-based paints and inks by lettering with a paintbrush dipped in gel medium. Gel medium is a versatile acrylic product that is used in mixed-media art as a glaze, collage glue, paint extender, and texture paste. When dry it is crystal clear. If you paint over the dried gel medium with watercolor or acrylic paint it acts as a resist. The raised lettering made with the gel medium will “pop” under the painted surface.
Paper and Other Surfaces
“What is the best paper to use for lettering?” I am asked this question constantly by my students. First, determine the purpose of your lettering project.
Are you journaling your thoughts and ideas as a personal artistic expression no one else will see? In this case, less expensive journals and papers will probably be fine. Are you illustrating favorite words and quotes as a finished art book or keepsake? Are you making art to frame and hang on the wall? Is it a gift? Are you selling your artwork? For these purposes, you might consider a good-quality paper, journal, or canvas.
Decide why you’re going to create lettering art. Are you exploring different styles to create your own signature look with pens, pencils, and markers? Are you experimenting with technique and exploring new styles requiring a lot of practice? Are you looking to paint, collage, sketch, and letter in just one art journal? Are you collecting ideas and inspirations? If the art is for your personal discovery, you can educate yourself with various qualities and price points of papers and journals.
Regardless of what your creative process demands, it’s a good idea to explore a variety of materials to meet your needs. Become familiar with student-quality papers and journals
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