Gift Guide Alert! Help Give Your Lettering Friend a Creative Boost
So you probably have gifts for your family and besties already, but we couldn’t blame you if you procrastinated just a little bit or if you forgot someone by accident (the people you probably should be giving gifts to may surprise you!). Or maybe you’ve just been drawing a blank on what the heck people could possibly want this year. Pro tip: when in doubt, get them something practical! It may seem like a boring gift to you, but the recipient is much more likely to value something that they will get a lot of use out of. And the creatives in your life will especially appreciate it if you gift them something that will help them hone their skills.
ONLINE CLASSES YOUR LETTERING FRIEND WILL LOVE
1. Fauxligraphy: Pen Calligraphy Online Class: If your friend is a total newbie to calligraphy and/or hand lettering, this is a great place to start. Alyssa Thiel of Parris Chic Boutique will demonstrate how to use just a Sharpie to turn everyday handwriting into fancy calligraphy. Your pal will learn the basic alphabet strokes, and how to connect those strokes to make letters, words, and phrases. At the end of the class, you or your friend will have a gorgeous DIY coffee mug and a new, unique lettering style.
2. Hand Lettering Online Class: In this class perfect for beginners (or those looking for some extra practice), Danielle Evans of Marmalade Bleue will teach you or your bud how to properly hold the pen, create strokes, letters, ligatures, and swashes, and combine all these elements to form gorgeous phrases. Students come away with a beautiful hand lettered print that can be shared on Insta to wow their friends.
3. Water Brush Lettering Online Class: In this class, Nicole Miyuki Santo will teach your bestie how to create a lettering style and turn a sketch into a complete design, combine letters to define your unique style and blend watercolors to make beautiful ombré lettering and designs. You or your friend don’t need to have previous experience, but it might help to take the hand lettering class first — a perfect excuse to gift your friend (or yourself) both!
4. Bounce Lettering Basics Online Class: Social Media and Content Manager for Tombow Brittany Luiz will teach your bud how to use Tombow brush pens to draw both script and block letter alphabets, use the right strokes and amount of pressure to create whimsical, bouncing words and phrases and use blending techniques to make sure your designs wow. Your friend will come away with their own hand-lettered cards — you might even get one as a thank you for giving such an awesome gift! ;)
No more excuses for not being sure where to start the lettering process. Fulfill your friend’s Instagram dreams with a class that they can keep forever, so they can reference it anytime they need to.
We’d love to see your and your friend’s finished work! Tag us on Instagram @britandco with the hashtag #iamcreative.
