LetteringlessonsMAY RTG

Lettering with a Personal Touch
lettering
a favorite
quote
acrylic paint on
clayboard
v olume nin e
by emily cromwell
lettering lessons
volume nine
Clay board is a fun surface to paint on because it is
incredibly smooth and takes paint beautifully. Because it is
so smooth, lettering on it is a breeze and you will want to
do it again and again. I am going to show you how to hand
letter with acrylic paint, and how to add a decorative scene
or decorative elements to enhance the lettering to create a
unique piece of art.
Emily Cromwell is an illustrator with a love

for lettering. She has been creating art all
her life. She loves to spread happiness and
MATERIALS
• Clay board (I used Ampersand™
inspiration to people through her art, and Claybord, size 8" x 8".)
that is why her art is so colorful, cheerful, • Acrylic paint (I used white, Craft
and whimsical. She does work for several Smart® Turquoise and Navy,
Plaid® FolkArt® Lavender, and
freelance clients, teaches online, and is an
DecoArt® Americana® Lemon
aspiring children’s book illustrator. She is Yellow.)
best known for her whimsical illustrations • Acrylic brushes (I used a large
and her upbeat lettering. Emily lives in a flat brush, a small liner brush,
tiny town in Massachusetts with her cat and a size 6 round brush.)
and a lot of art supplies. • Paper towels or plastic wrap
• Old toothbrush
emilycromwell.com
• Pencil
• Scrap paper
optional
• Protected work surface
clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

© F+W Media, Inc. All rights reserved. F+W Media grants permission for any or all pages in this document to be copied for personal use. by Emily Cromwell 2
lettering lessons
volume nine
To enjoy your new Lettering Lesson on a smart phone or tablet, we recommend using the free Adobe® Reader® App.
Watch Emily create one of her favorite quotes in paint.
Click on the image above to watch the video.

lettering lessons
volume nine
1
1. Paint a background color on the clay board. I chose to create a night
sky, so I started with Navy Blue. (Figure 1)
tip: You may need to paint a second or third coat, depending on the
thickness of the paint you are using.

lettering lessons
volume nine
2
2. Add some dimension with a second color, this time applying the
paint with a paper towel for a lighter, spread-out effect. I added light
blue in the center. (Figure 2)
tip: Plastic wrap can be used in place of the paper towel.

lettering lessons
volume nine
3
3. Add a dark border in a third color over the edges of the light paint
applied in step 2, using the same method. I used purple for this.
Allow to dry.
4. Go back over the painted areas with the first color (Navy), using
the same paper towel method to make it look like the first color
is overlapping the center colors. This process helps to blend the
colors so that the center colors aren’t overlapping the outer color. It
actually helps to bring the first color forward.

lettering lessons
volume nine
4
5. Add some stars. I used the ends of my paintbrushes to create dots,
switching between the small and the large brushes and using yellow
and white paint to create a variety of stars. Keep going until you’re
happy with the amount of stars. (Figure 4)

lettering lessons
volume nine
5
6. Working on a protected surface, dip the toothbrush into the yellow or
white paint (I switch between both colors) and lightly splatter it onto
the dark area of your painting. This helps create depth in the night
sky. (Figure 5)
note: When choosing a quote, think about the images the quote conjures
up, and use those images for your painting. You can also create just a
border around the quote, or keep it super simple and do black lettering
on a white background.

lettering lessons
volume nine
6
7. Look at your piece and try to visualize how the words will be placed.
Think about the kind of lettering you’ll use. Will it be curved? All
capitalized? Fun and swirly? Practice on paper first so you can play
around with different layout options. I like to write in a whimsical
style. Once you are satisfied with your design, lightly letter the quote
onto the clay board in pencil. (Figure 6)

lettering lessons
volume nine
7
note: Try several different types of lettering to create your quote. I did two
different types of lettering. I used large, bold, playful letters for words
that I wanted to stand out, and smaller, block letters for the other words.
Play around with the letter sizing; the letters don’t all have to be the
same. (Figure 7)

lettering lessons
volume nine
8
8. Paint your letters. I chose white for my lettering, but any color will
work. I used a small liner brush for the capital letters because it
gave me more control. Go slowly—there’s no need to rush while
creating your letters. Try to cover the pencil lines with the paint.
(Figure 8)

lettering lessons
volume nine
9
9. Add weight to some of the larger letters with a larger brush. I used a
size 6 round brush because it gave me control over my lettering, and
was thick enough to allow me to add the weight I wanted. (Figure 9)
note: Your letters don’t have to be perfectly smooth; texture from the
brushstrokes adds interest to the piece.
tip: Add a little water to your paint if it’s too thick to work with.

lettering lessons
volume nine
10
tip: When painting a downward stroke on a letter, press down on your brush,
like in traditional calligraphy with a dip pen. When painting an upward stroke,
lift the brush so that it is lightly touching the board. This allows you to create
letters with varying weights. Create a curly serif on a letter by lifting the brush up
slightly at the end of a letter and making a swirl. (Figure 10)

lettering lessons
volume nine
11
10. Continue painting your quote until it’s finished. Remember that it’s
okay to stray a little from your original design—sometimes you get a
different vision of the project as you’re working. Let dry. (Figure 11)

lettering lessons
volume nine
extra art
Extra Inspiration: If you have a hard time lettering with acrylic paints,
have no fear; there are other options. You can always use a Sharpie®
or an artist pen to letter your favorite quote. This method allows you
more control over your lettering. If you use a pen or marker, leave the
background unpainted so that the artist pen or Sharpie doesn’t fight with
the texture of the paint. Instead, create a fun border around your lettering.
tip: It’s easier to create more unique letterforms with this method.

lettering lessons
volume nine
extra art


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Lettering with a Personal Touch

Clay board is a fun surface to paint on because it is

incredibly smooth and takes paint beautifully. Because it is

so smooth, lettering on it is a breeze and you will want to

do it again and again. I am going to show you how to hand

letter with acrylic paint, and how to add a decorative scene

or decorative elements to enhance the lettering to create a

unique piece of art.

Emily Cromwell is an illustrator with a love

clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

Watch Emily create one of her favorite quotes in paint.

Click on the image above to watch the video.

clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

clothpaperscissors.com Lettering Your Favorite Quote

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