Brush Lettering Basics: What Every Beginner Needs to Know

1. Introduction: hi breast friends. This is so teacher Mark, or from Seven brushes, truths and gladly presenting for You today, a brand new class about brush lettering, which is actually my first loan, that in 2017 I never knew this time would come. All I wanted was a stress reliever, and I've had more than what I expected. I decided to try modern calligraphy when I saw an old Fred posting her artworks on Instagram, and I was greatly amazed by her beautiful writing. After receiving my first set of brush pens, I thought myself calligraphy through online resources and watching YouTube videos. As time passed by this happy turned into something being people. It started asking me about what pence I recommend and what tips I have for beginners. This is when I realized that May lettering journey will be more wonderful if I choose to share my knowledge to others. I took a Braveheart toe finally conduct my first ever in person workshop, and they fell in love with experience, A spark of my commitment to teach. I am now conducting online classes in order to reach a wide variety of aspiring artist. Today, your perception in doing brush. Calligraphy would change forever. No talent is required. Dedication is more than enough to hold your artistic skills. Buckle up for a wonderful draining ahead. The words do burns a beautiful writing in this class and going to share my favorite brush pens that they're also recommended for beginners. The types of paper to use to prolong the life off your brush pens. The foundation of the lower case letters, which are the basic strokes. And you will also learn how to connect letters to form words. At the end of the class, you will be on your way to confidently create your own gorgeous letters with brush pens. The one is born an expert. I've also had my share offer stations, but they never gave off. I hope that this class will inspire you to start your own letter B joining Either you're doing this as a hobby or you want to do it as a business, and that's your back 2. Recommended Brush Pens for Beginners: searching for the right brush man can be a bit overwhelming. So let me help you narrow down your choices. I have here my small brush bands, and these are my large day brush pens. As a general rule for beginners, the smaller the the easier it is to control mental food. Dutch brush fans are my top favourite. This is the same brush bend that they use for May in person workshops, and my students love it to. The tip is flexible enough, allowing you to easily control your thing and take its jokes. They also don't fairly easily, so you can use them for quite a long time. Just make sure you have the word touch on the barrel, and it is shiny because there's aberration affair that is signed Ben, and it would give you flexible tip. If you're a heavy handed, you may want to try the tumble food this week. A hard brush man or does a buffoonery brush Man. This may help you in controlling your up strokes, since their tape is firmer than the mental food touch Brush man. Although it's advisable to start with small brush pens first, some people prefer large day brush pens. If you're that person you we choose from Tom Baduel Brush fans. We trust a brush pen on one side and a bullet deep on the other side. You can also try Kirby in brush markers or the fabric Castell brush pens. This fence will let you great, big and bold letters, and at the same time, they're flexibility allows you to easily change pressure between Spain and take his jokes way. If you're using allergic brush man, you won't be able to achieve Harry. Lineup stroke like from a small day brush. Ben, as you can see, upstroke from a small cape, is thinner compared the large dip. Most beginners try so hard to achieve everything up strokes with large day brush man, which results in shakiness and inconsistency. My friendly advice is the aim for hairline stroke when using large day brush man, as long as you see a clear difference between your thin and take its jokes for me, that's enough. Get to know your brush fans, and you will be more comfortable doing this chokes with them. Remember, every brush man is different from the other. You will have the experiment a little. The discover, which Ben works best for you 3. Types of Paper to Use: Theo. Most brush fans with a felt tip can get easily afraid or damage if the proper paper is not used. When I was just starting out, I ruined the first set of fiber Castell brush pens because I didn't know that paper can play a great role in brush lettering. Here is an example of afraid. The brush been you will not is that the tape is quite loose, and that would give us a smooth Russia's chokes. Comparing it to another color. You'll see that the tip of the color pink is not a spine T as the color yellow. To prolong the life off your brush pens, you need to use a smooth quality paper. Brody adopted pads and HP premium printer paper are great for smoothness and quality. As for recommended the most artists, although I haven't tried them myself because it's a bit expensive for me and the HP premium paper is not available in the Philippines. What I used as an alternative is the VECO that Agreed Journal and this paper, one presentation paper. You can also use cancel Excel marker paper if that's available in your area or any tracing paper. If you have printed their worksheets on Roth copy paper using the right paper, and that only extends the life of brush fans. But they can also make our practice time more enjoyable. Smooth paper helps to avoid Bleeding Off Inc. Which will result in the smoother brushes truths. 4. The Anatomy of Letters: Theo. Using a paper with guidelines is a good habit in the beginning because it helps you build muscle memory and keep consistency. Let's understand the anatomy of letters so you know exactly where to put your letters as you're right. The X height is the head of the main body off a lower case letter, not including a senders and the senders. The waistline marks the top edges of the lower case letters. The baseline is the guideline that keeps our letters is street. The sender night is an extension that goes above the waistline and generally found in some letters like B, D, H and Key, that the center line is the bottom part of the lower case letters like G. J P. And why the choose really goes below the baseline. The cup height is the height off all capital letters. Some amid this line and make it the same as the center line. Either way is a king. I personally make makeup hype the same as the center line. We also have Islam lines or diagonal guidelines that keep our vertical strokes parallel with one another. Usually traditional calligraphy is between 52 to 55 degrees. If this is 45 degrees than this is approximately 55 degrees. Since we're doing modern calligraphy, you can also follow an operator style, which is 90 degree angle. The slant on the workbook is around 10 degree angle because that's where I'm most comfortable writing my letters. 5. How to Hold Brush Pen: like what I've said earlier. Every brush man is different. So to maximize the flexibility in the size of the strokes that you can achieve with a particular pen, it's best to hold your brush man at an angle. Maybe at this 45 degree angle like this doing base will not only give you figure down this chokes, but it will also prevent the tip of the brush banned from fraying easily. As you can see, this is how a hold the pen. It's resting between my thumb and index finger and not in an upright position. Also, make sure that depend is perpendicular to the paper. If May paper is facing at this direction, my pen should be at this side or at the side of the slant line. I'm following this way we can create big legs easily following guidelines. Let's try to hold our plan at 90 degree angle. It's a race to hold it like this because when we apply heavy pressure during down stroke, the tendency is to break the need, and that will cause damage or afraid. It won't also for a takedown strokes as compared to when we hold it at an angle off at least 45 degrees. This is a better view of the camera, so you can see more clearly. My paper is facing me. I'm at decide sitting the way that I hold my Panis at an angle resting. Here. You can give the pan, as you would normally do. Just maintain an angle. I'm not going to hold my pen like this, or it might damage the tape off my pen. It will also help to rotate the pen once in a while so that the pressure is not just applied. The one side off the tip, for example, and going to break down stroke upstroke you shape and going through irritated and start another shape. It's not really necessary to irritated every after a stroke, but it's nice to make it a habit irritated once in a while, so the pressure is evenly spread, the same with a large day brush. Man. Hold it at an angle and not upright and dependents perpendicular to the paper or the slant line that your letters are following. For example, business my slant line while holding the pen off at least 45 degrees. You will not taste that they are perpendicular with each other. As you write with down strokes, it's easier to create biggest troves. And like when you write parallel to the paper like this, you won't be able to achieve the down stroke that you want to create. The same is when you hold it too upright. It wants maximized the weed of the strokes that your brush man can create. Not this. How the tape of my pen is bending. That's what makes Brush man's different from bullet tip or other types of markers. Don't be afraid of hurting the pan because it's the sign for this. Now get your brush mints ready and will start practicing. 6. Reminders Before You Start: for us to be able to do brush lettering. We need to change the position and pressure off the pen as we write with each letter. Life pressure or no pressure is applied with upward strokes. You can use just the tip off your brush. Manticore eight Thing is chokes. Heavy pressure is applied on the downward strokes. Super eight. This sickness, so things up take down. You can say this out loud. If this will help you build your muscle memory, think off it as dancing. At first you need to learn the steps and memorize them through practice. After some time, you cannot dance without having to think too much about what the next steps would be. That's muscle memory. The ability to move a part of your body without thinking about it learned by repeating the movement many times. Calligraphy is different from cursive writing. When we write in cursive, we write fast and continuously in brush lettering. We want to break down the words in the series of letters, and each letter is in the Siris of basic Istook's. See this leather? A. For example. This is how we write it normally increasing, and this is how it is done in calligraphy. We have a noble shape. Relieve the pen and followed by a U shape. Take it nice and slow. Don't rush everything as your write your letter firms will look more consistent if you slow down later on. With this class, you'll encounter transitions from paint the thickest troops and vice versa. And those transitions will be smoother. Once you learned how to do it is slowly. Brush lettering is a skill. It records patients and daily practice. It's not something that you can do overnight. So if you're being overwhelmed by the artists you see on Instagram, think about the years of practice that they have a spent. The really master this craft. It can be frustrating at first, but those give up to inspire you a little. Here are my first attempts to brush letter being We always started as a beginner, so I encourage you to pick up your brush Ben and embrace her own lettering. Jury me 7. The Basic Strokes: all right. Now that you've already understand how the brush man works and the right supplies to use, it's time to build your muscle memory. Ah, lot of beginners tend to skip this step on their letter in journey, because who's not excited? Direct words. But if you want your lettering to look more consistent, you have to build your calligraphy foundation the proper wing. So let's begin practicing the basics chokes the entrance or exit. This stroke is created from the baseline to the waistline, with a minor crew just a light upstroke doing it nice and slow. You don't want to create too much curb like a reverse letter C. And please stop flicking depend as if you're just taking an exam paper. You will not face that. This is jokes were a flick the band created and an even top, which is not our goal. The top part of this is true. It's not as smooth as compared to this. We want to make sure that our entrance or exit this trope looks consistent from bottom to top. So do this is slowly, while maintaining the same amount off life pressure as a beginner, your strokes can be shaky, but don't focus on the shakiness. Rather, think about how you can do it properly. Shaking us can be eliminated with constant practice. The entrance is true is what to see at the beginning, off leather or word, while the exit a stroke acts as a connector to the next letter when formula roots. So this is the entrance is true, and this is the exit is stroke. Depending on your personal preference, you may omit the entrances stroke and just drive the leather. A just like this, the under turn a stroke is like a U shape that starts from the waistline with heavy pressure and then transitioning to Spain Latest troop As you come back to the top, the key here is before you reach the base line. As you make the curb, you are now is slowly releasing the pressure. So fake release pressure. Then think again. Let's try one more time. Stick down, slowly release pressure as you curve, then things up. You may want to try slowly releasing the pressure at this point that would go all the way to the bottom off the curb until the baseline, or you will get this saggy bottom. And of course, you don't want to release the pressure too early or you won't achieve a smooth transition from fake the thin keep in mind to make this lines parallel and not going in different directions like this. This one has a pointy bottom, and we're not going to create a stroke like this. Remember, to always go is slowly to maintain consistent the strokes and transitions the create overthrowing a stroke. You will start with an upstroke than transition toe a heavy down stroke. Remember, as you reach the waistline, you will it slowly apply. Heavy pressure to achieve this pig is choke. Take note also that this lines should be parallel and you're not going to create something like this or too narrow and pointy like this again. Thin up slowly transition to heavy pressure. Next shape, we have this compound curve. It starts with the pain upstroke transition to a heavy down stroke and then transition again. The light upstroke, then up slowly applying heavy pressure, release pressure before heating the baseline and finish with an upstroke, making sure that this tree lines are parallel with each other. We don't want to do it like this, make a zigzag groove or this one. Make sure to release the pressure at the right spot. And don't go all the way to the baseline or you'll get this heavy bottom. On the other hand, this is how releasing the pressure too early looks like again sent up, picked down, release pressure and things up. Make sure also that this is space here, and the space here are approximately equal here. I'm showing you how it looks like as I make the left side, not over than the right side. This is not pretty consistent, so make sure that this is spaces are equal with each other. Bubble shapes can be a be challenging, but to make it easier, we will start from this point and not from the waistline. If you're going to imagine oclock, it's like around two o'clock from here will start with the thing upstroke transition to help the pressure release and then close the loop. Let's try one more time. It starts with an upstroke. It slowly applied. Heavy pressure is slowly release pressure and close the loop. Don't worry about making the perfect oval shape as long as you are transitioning at the right spot and close the loop than that would be fine. It will take some practice to be comfortable going open shapes here. I'm showing you what happens if you don't believe the pressure is slowly. We have this inconsistent it struck at the top and like in here, this is a smoother Just take it nice and a slew. And this is what happens if you start with the biggest stroke from the waistline and then end with a thin upstroke closing the over. As you can see this side of the overall, it's not so pleasing to the eye. My advice is that you try is starting with a thin upstroke. From this point, don't go all the way up to the baseline or you might get the saggy bottom. And also don't release the pressure too early over shapes can be treating. Just be patient with it for the ascendancy Stem loop. We're going to double the height off basis. Choke it, start from the waistline with a thin upstroke curved to the left while creating full pressure down stroke that we just try again and then another one. This third try is what I'm most satisfied with the 1st 1 I think it's edgy because I release the pressure too late, while the 2nd 1 I have released the pressure too early one more time, then it's true. Curved to the left than full pressure down stroke, though continued. The thing is stroke up to the center line, or you will get this edge around this corner. As you reach this and the line, you are a slowly curbing counterclockwise than maintain the heavy pressure as you reach the base line again, saying up for either Cruz and the slowly transition to heavy down stroke. And last but not least, we have the descending istan Luke. It starts from the waistline with a takedown stroke curve and before reaching the descend, a line is slowly transition so thin and then close the loop. The height is doubled again like the ascending Istanbul. Don't go all the way to the descend airline before making a look, or you end up with this stench or saggy bottom. So you have edge here and a heavy bottom here. This is what it looks like. If you release the pressure too early, you'll notice that the decline is like broken. So again, let's start with the pick. Tom Stroup Release pressure to great pain, upstroke and a look. Practice this basic strokes, and you'll be happier with their lower case letters afterwards. 8. Class Project 1: Build Your Muscle Memory: Wait. How are you doing with the basic A stroke so far. We always heard that practice makes progress. But to see a real progress, we must practice the right wing in this video. I'm going to show you how you can check your own work so you'll know what to improve. As you do the basic strokes at the resources section of this class, you can download the free practice sheets, which you can print out entries depending on the brush Man that you're using, you have the option to choose the work ship that fits a small paper or largely brush. Panis. You may need to view the class from a desktop or computer to be able to save this downloadable worksheets. Once printed, you will see that we have a rule for tracing. And then we have a space here where you can do your free hand, feel this rose with their corresponding basics jobs and remember to do each a stroke nice and slow. So here's my finished work ships. I have failed this page with complete basic strokes that we have learned earlier. Now I'm going to show you how you can examine your own work, so you'll know which is jokes. Need improvement. For example, let's take a look at the entrance or exit a stroke. First. I have traced degree part and lead some freehand. What you can do is to get a pan, and we're going to put a star or check mark on those his troops that you think are quite similar to the exemplar, which is this blackest troop in here. I'll put a star on this because I like the smoothness of the curbing here. Same with this and this one also. Now let's take a look on those strokes that need improvement. I see here I have slipped my pen. So I got this inconsistent outbreak here. This one is too thick for an entrance is joke. And then this one is quite shaky. But it's OK because shaking us can be improved over time. Now let's move on to the under turn. Let's compare it here. This one is so nice comparing it to the 1st 1 I have a heavy bottom around here with this one. I have released the pressure too early. Same with this one. This one. We cannot this that we are in a parallel with each other. And then on the last try, I have flicked a pen. That's why I got that inconsistent thing is choke. Let's check my over three. This one. It's nice. I'll put a star on that. This one, the top is too flat, so I have the edge in there like a square. This one looks nice. This is too narrow. And this is pointing. I'm going to put a check mark on that another square top, and then the rest are. Okay, let's check me. Compound cruise. The first try of free hunt doesn't have parallel lines. The 2nd 1 the left side is too narrow. The 3rd 1 we have heavy bottom here. I released the pressure too late. Then I'm gonna put the star on those attempts that are quite similar to the exemplar. Now let's take a look at over shapes. This is nice. I have heavy bottom in this one on this part. I didn't start with a finless choke. Basically, it's just checking your own work and comparing it to the exemplar. So now we're moving to the ascending istan loop. This one I released the pressure too late. You can also not these an edge around here For the last we have descending istan loop. This is nice here. Released the pressure Too late. So I got that edge and heavy bottom Same here and in here. Also this part I have released too early and the rest of my attempts are quite ok. Keep practicing to be more familiar with how the strokes are created. Don't fall host on the shakiness And don't worry about making each of them perfect. Give more attention in the position off your hand, your technique and the forming off This is chokes. After finishing the practice shits, feel free to upload it on the gallery section of this class so I can provide additional feedback. There works. Remember, the basic strokes are the foundation of the lower case letters. If you can create, this is strokes nice and consistent. You will be able to for eight beautiful letters. I'm looking forward to see your practice shits 9. Letters with Underturn Stroke: Theo help get familiarized more with each is joke. I have divided the lower case Letters into several groups in which they have common shapes were not just going to a letter from A to Zed. I just thought that it will be more efficient to practice this week. Take note that this lower case example are are based on the traditional forms, since we want to be comfortable with all the basic shapes. Once you've mastered the basic and know the rules, you're free to break this rules and create your own style off lower case alphabet. That's the beauty of modern calligraphy. Remember, our first group is the letters with under Turness stroke these our letters I T u W and R remember to leave the pen after each is choke care we go. The letter I is composed of an entrance, a stroke and under turn is choke attaching them together. You have entrances stroke lifter pen than a Thatcher under turn at this point, and the score is still forget the duct For the letter T, we have entrances troop and extended under during his truck. This part right here is the under Turness truth and we have extended the down stroke. Then we have the crossbar and trances. Choke extended under turned his truth and the theme crossbar. The letter U has an entrance is troop and to under 13 his troops. Let's attach them together. We have entrance is true. These depend. Perform an under Turness troop list the pan and make sure to complete the stroke up to the waistline. Then add another under turn is true right where you left off. So there the letter W It's like the letter U. But instead of finishing with two under turns, we're going to add many under throwing. This is just a small under three, so let's try to attach them together. We have entrances, choke under during lift the pen, another under third, lift the pen and then we're going to attach the mini under turn. At this point at the middle of these exit is joke and last. For this group, we have the letter R will do this upward loop with just a pain is true and we have under turn again. So we have an upward Luke and an under 30 stroke 10. Letters with Overturn and Compound Curve: Let's move on to the next group, which is the letters with overturn and compound crew. This consists off letters M and V and X. Let's use two different colors for this group. Doing base will help us to remember worth a pause and lift. Depend. And it will also help us to see the stroke composition off each letters to make the letter M, we have over three another over three and a compound curves so over three in stroke. Then I'm going to get my collar green at touch, another overturned from the baseline and using orange, I'll attach the compound curves. Make sure that you're coming from the right, the spot, which is from the baseline, because this is how we learned how to form this basic a stroke earlier, some of my students do with this way. They have this over 30 stroke, and they will add another overturn stroke from the top and not from the baseline. As you could see, we have more elegant space here. Compared to this, let's try the letter M, using one caller only overthrowing a stroke than coming from the baseline and a touch another overturned his stroke. Then the compound curves here and show me what it looks like. If you would do your strokes properly, you see that this looks more consistent than this. Same with the leather end we have over three and a compound. Kurtz. Remember what we have learned for the letter M. We can also apply that to the letter n. Let's try doing the letter and using just one color overturn least depends. Then attach compound curtains. Letter V is a simple combination off a compound curve and the meanie and their third, so we have compound curves, then attach the mini under throwing at the center of the exit, a stroke off the compound curves. Make sure that the mini under turn will overlap. The exit is true, and last for the group is the letter X. This is just a compound curve, and a curvy upward is true. Make that so. Compound curves, least the pen and the thing curvy. A Portis choke. Let's try this with one caller only, and that's your letter X 11. Letters with Oval Shape: Now let's try forming the letters with Overland reversed Mobile. One thing that I want you to remember is that every time that the next shape to your entrances stroke is an oval, we're going to shorten the entrances stroke instead of finishing it up to the waistline. Let's take the letter A. For example, it concedes Suppan engines a stroke over and under third. If you finish the entrances stroke at the waistline, because this is how we normally do with and then reattach the oval shape and finish it with under Turness stroke. You will see this extra Linus staking out, and nobody would want this kind of letter a in their lettering pieces to fix this side. We need to finish relieve the entrances stroke, shorten it at least 80% than at the oval and under three C we have clean in a smooth connection right here. Another note is to always close the overs. Don't just make the oval of your A like this. As you can see this one, with the close overlooks more consistent than this one. Next, the letter C we have shortened upstroke than coming from thing Upstroke will make an oval shape. But instead of closing the loop, we're going to go outside the loop and extend the exit. This joke to create the letter D. We have shortened entrances, choke over shape and remember to close it, and then we'll use this. Ascending a stem loop that will finish with an under turn is true for leather E. We have short than entrances trooped. Then we'll make this a small look curved to the left, and then we'll go outside the oval shape if you observe closely the transitions that we learned earlier informing oval shapes are applied in this group. Off letters see how important it is to practice first, the basic strokes. Next we have the letter o shortened entrances. Stroke least the pen over shape. Add many under turn at this point where the thing is, jokes Smith. So the mini under turn should overlap this side and don't added outside the oval shaped like this and for the letter Q. We have shortened entrances, troop closed over shape. I reverse the sending Istanbul Luke and followed by an exit. This choke. So to her eight distributors descending system. Luke will start with a heavy pressure down, stroke curved to the right and then loop. Let's try the letter Q. One more time we have short than entrances. Joke over shape. Reverse the sending its stem loop and an exit. This joke. It's time to form the letters with reversed over the letter B has an entrance, is stroke ascending a stem loop and reversed overall or reversed CE stroke and an exit this truck to create reversed. Overall, let's start with a thin upstroke, curved to the right and then finish with this pain is true. And like the previous letters, it doesn't matter if we close the reverse oval or not, as this won't really be much of a concern. With the look off the letters here, you can see that I don't close may reverse over shape and still look nice. Same for the letter B and trances joke. Full pressure down, stroke from waistline to the descending line, and then the reversed over or reverse seat finished by an exit is stroke. As you can see, a been close metaverse over here and still looks good 12. Letters with Ascending Stem Loop: all right. Now let's create letters, Age K and l. The leather age it starts with an entrance is true, followed by an ascending stem loop than compound curve. As a beginner, sometimes it's hard to attach the next stroke from the previous one. So another reason why you need to slow down and leave the pen consider is starting the next stroke where you left off so it can be easier for you to attach them together for the letter key. We have entrances, stroke, ascending stem loop and then will create a stroke just like this and at this is a joke. - Leather Ellis. One of the easiest letter, as this is simply a combination off entrances troop and ascending istan Luke that turned into an under 13 shape. Remember to lift depend before attaching the ascending stem loop with under turn is true. It has a big difference if you'll create this with one stroke only. See this length angle in here races here 13. Letters with Descending Stem Loop: moving on to the letters with the sending Istanbul. These our letters G J and wife or the G Since we haven't over shape coming next will shorten the entrances stroke followed by an oval shape. The sending its stem loop and exit is choke, attaching them together. We have short than upstroke over shaped leaves. The pen make sure that the overall is closed at that's descending is stem loop. Least depend and finish with an exit is choke. Leather J is just simply an entrance is true. The sending its stem loop and exit is true. And don't forget to add the duck or the letter. Why we have entrances stroke followed by an under Turness stroke. The sending its stem loop and exit is true, so you have entrances stroke. But that's your under third, followed by the descending stem loop this depend and that finish it with an exit. This joke 14. Remaining Lowercase Letters: Okay, We're almost done with a lower case alphabet. In this video we'll learn how to form the remaining letters F S and Z. These letters are unique, but we can still apply the transitions that we have practiced earlier. For the letter F, we can start with an entrance, a stroke followed by an ascending Istanbul loop that will continue toe a reverse the sending stem loop. Just like what we did on the letter to earlier. Then we'll finish it with an exit is true. Three letter s. We have entrances, stroke followed by this curve and adopt inside. And then the exit is choke the create days. We'll start with the down stroke, curve inward and add the duck. Let's try one more time and transit stroke herb inward and add the dot and exit is choke. And last but not least, the letters eat which has an overt Ernest roll followed by this shaped like a number two and exit is true. So we have overturned the shape like a number two. Lift the ban and exit this joke 15. Class Project 2: The Lowercase Alphabet: job, you know? Understand how toe properly form the lower case. Letters over second class project will introduce to you how to connect the letters to form words. Here we're going to attach the 26 letters together. I say mentioned earlier you can download this downloadable worksheets from the resources section of this class. To make this project more fund, I have chosen different colors which resembles a rainbow for each letter and going to switch upto another color. You can watch me right first, then feel free to try it on your own. Afterwards you may upload this project on the gallery section of this class and I will provide valuable feedback to the forms of your letters so you will know which letters are great and which are the ones that need improvement. 16. Letter Connections: way before we jump into writing words. It's also important to be familiar first, how to join letters together in this video. I'm going to show you different conditions that you can conceive there. When you form words when connecting letters together, it's always necessary. The Think ahead off what letter or shape is coming next so you can adjust your exit, this jokes or letter connectors The first condition. The exit. A stroke of the first letter becomes the entrances. Choke off the next letter. This is the standard connection in most cases, off letters, for example. We want to connect letters e to l. This exit This choke off a remains US is. But we will eliminate the entrances. Choke off l because this will be our connector. So will form the letter E. And then we'll connect the ascending a stem loop off letter L from here. So you have the A and l connected. Let's try letters. D and I Well, right. The left three D like how we learned it earlier. And then this exit is true. Will be the connector for the letter I We'll remove the exit, the stroke off letter I and just connect the under turn shape in here. So we have connected letters D and I. Third example, we have letters, Why and you? Basically, it's just writing the letters as you learned how to form them earlier. That is why it's important to make your exit this strokes nice and slow, because that will be your connector to the next letter. We'll remove these and then connect the under 13 shape off the letter you and finish it with another under 30. Another example is letters. Oh, and the the O has Emilie under 13 so finish it as it is, and then remove the entrances. Choke off the and connect it to the extended under third From here. Leslie. Let's try W and H, remove the entrances, choke off age and will connect the ascending stem loop off letter age. At this point, I'm just doing my meaning under turn, as usual and finishing it up to the waistline. Then, from this point, I'll attach the ascending is stem loop of my letter age and finish it with a compound curves. The next condition is the shortened. The exit is stroke of the first letter when the next shape is a noble similar to forming letters with oval. We want to shorten our entrances stroke to make it connect smoothly to the over. Let's try letter G A. To connect them together and remove this entrances choke from Letter A. And since the next shape is an oval, I'll just shorten the exit the stroke of my letter G. So a shortened this exit is true at least 80% and connect the overall shape off the letter ing. As you can see, they connected smoothly without any extra. Lyons is staking out. Let's take a look at another example. Let's try it one more time with letters e two. Q. Eliminate the entrances, stroke off Q shirt and the exit this stroke off E. So there's the shortened exit, the stroke off E so that I can connect a smoothly the oval off the letter. Q. Say we want to connect letter old a well, short, then the mini under turn of this letter. Oh, and eliminate the entrances stroke off letter E. So maybe any under turn will be just at this point and not up to the waistline. Connect the over she and finish the leather A. With the under 30 last example, we have letter V two e sure than the mini under turn, and then from here is Start the Oval of E and complete it. So you have that there's V and E connected together. It's tried one more time. Now we'll try to connect tree letters together to apply what we've learned so far. We have the word ah ha broken down into their individual letters. Here's my A I have short and upstroke over shape. And then for the under turn, I'll finish it up to the waistline because the next shape is not over. Then remove the entrances stroke off. Age and justice Start with the ascending istan loop off age for the compound curve of leather age thinking ahead. I know that the next letter ISS Letter A, which has an over shape. So what I'm going to do is too short and the compound curve at this point only so that I will able to connect the over shape is mostly There you go. We have the word ah ha and we have connected three letters together, applying the two conditions that we've learned so far for Triki letter combinations. We can change the shape of the strokes or the form of the letter. In some words, we may encounter letter combinations that are difficult to connect. You can change the shape of the strokes or completely modified the style of your letter to make it easier. For example, we're connecting a to end. We can see that the A stops from the waistline and the M. It starts from the baseline, so they are coming from opposite directions To connect them, we need to change the letter connector, which is peace under 13. This part is the under turn of E, where this is the start off em. Let's try to connect them. I'll destroyed me E followed by the reversed compound curve and just finished the letter M . As usual, If you're really having a hard time figuring out how to connect difficult letters together , just change the style of the letter. Remember, you have the freedom to do that in modern calligraphy. Maybe from this is style off em. We can just simply make it like this. I have a down stroke on over third and a compound curve. I have a shorter than entrances, stroke over shape under turn. Then I'm going to connect the down stroke off the letter M, followed by an overturn and finishing it with a compound curves. That's easier, right? Let's try one more time with O and are This is style of our records us to combine the mini under turn off. Oh, to the starting is choke off our. So we're going to have this new shape under turn. Then continue it with the start off. The are, let's connect them together. We have shortened entrances. Stroke next shape is the overall, making sure that it is closed, followed by this new shape, which is the mini under turn that continues to the upward loop off the are. So this is the start of the R and just finish it with the under turn. You now connected the letter Oto are. Then let's say we need to connect letter B two s. We'll just create the letter B as ease, then removing the entrances choke off as we're just going to put this park right here to be so they're the tell you connect letter B to the traditional form of letter s. And if you don't like the look of this letters together. Just simply change the style of s. Make it more modern like this And that could be prettier for your eyes. Don't be afraid to change the style of your letters. Feel free to combine letters together in a way that it's more convenient to you. Just keep in mind the consistency over letter forms and, of course, the transitions of furious chokes. 17. Let's Write Words: job. You understand that Techniques of joining letters We are now in this part that you've been waiting for writing words forming a word could be easier if you will always keep in mind the things that we've discussed earlier I have here the word dreamy broken down into their individual letters. Let's try connecting this letters to form the word we have an entrance is true over she and connecting letter D to our will remove this part off letter R and combined This jokes together so we'll have a sending its stem loop under turned and continue to the upper loop of the letter. Are thinking ahead off What letter is coming next? We know that we have an e which has an oval shape. So we re going to short and the exit this trope of the letter R, I'm just going to finish the under Turness stroke at this point and start the letter e from here. Then I'll stop from here because I know that I haven't over shaped coming next and remove the entrances. Choke off a and sure than the exit the stroke off E. Now we know that the next letter is the letter M and we have this style of em. So we're going tohave the reverse compound curb Like what we did in here. So from under turned and changed the shape the reverse compound curves and then continue the letter m as usual, connecting the letter m to why we have a standard connection. Just remove the entrances stroke off. Why? And a touch The under turn right where we left off from the exit is choke off em attached. The descending is stem. Look, then finish it with an exit is true. We have formed the word dreamy keystroke by a stroke and is slowly here. I'm just showing you another version of em for the sample bird. If you're having a hard time connecting the A, tow em with the traditional form. You can use this a style of em which is just a down stroke and over 13 and a compound cruise. Just still. What with being can be a lot easier for you. Another example that stride a word. Lavender. If you need to break down the word into its individual letters first, feel free to do so because it can help you examine what exit this jokes or connectors need adjustment. It will also be easier to take a look. First off the letters that you think will be tricky to connect. For instance, the Letter eight V. We have this tricky combination. We can connect them by joining the under third and the compound curve together like this. It's quite a long single, is stroke and then be attached. The mini under turn off the If this is tricky for you, you may vary the style of your letter V. From the under 30 stroke off A, you can live your pan and then create another version of leather V, which looks something like this. So this letter V it's more modern than the 1st 1 The letter E to end can also be tricky. That's try connecting it first with the traditional four from the letter e. I'm going to continue. The exit is stroke to the overturn, which is starts the leather end and finishing it with a compound curves. And again, you can simply change the style of end. We can just add down stroke in here and then a compound crew. Let's analyze again the sample word and look for some tricky combinations. I can see that the letter E to R can also be difficult to connect from here. I'll continue to the operator loop off the are and end it with the under turn is true. If you don't want this, you can just simply change again. The form of a letter are like this. After examining the word and knowing which letter combinations will be difficult to connect , you can now try forming the word from leather L to a. We have entrances stroke thinking ahead. We have an oval shape coming next, so let's shorten. This is took up to this point only connect the over sheep. Then let's try this first combination from under turn continued to the compound curve of the letter V, then the meaning under turn, which is also shortened because I know that the next letter is IK, which has an oval shape in it. And then I'm going to continue with the over third of the letter end shortening again. This is joke because I haven't overall for the letter D. Next is the ascending its stem loop that continues to under turn short and ate a touch the leather e to our and that's it. We have now formed the word lavender. Let's try this. Worried with the second variation that we need in here from the under turn off letter E. I'll connect. This is style off letter V. Connect the down stroke off the letter end to E for the letter Ito are Let's try this down stroke and then the shape, as you can see, which is simply changing one. A stroke for the letter. It can give you a different look off the word here. I'm going to show you how the right, thank you the letter T the letter ages a standard connection and then for age to a we need to short than the compound group, followed by the reverse compound curves to connect a toe end leather and two K is a standard connection, and then the letter Y has a short and upstroke to connect the letter O is mostly. Then we have a standard connection from letter 02 letter you. So that's basically how you would connect letters, toe every single word or freeze. Just apply the concepts you learn from here, and you will be able to form any words that you want to write 18. Spacing of Letters: in spacing the letters for me, there's really no right or wrong way in doing it. I just go with the flow off my letters. But for this class, I'll show you the things you can observe to consistently its space out your letters I have here the sample word friend. If we'll take a look at it, it's clear that the letters are dough. I are too close to each other, while the left 32 end are far apart. These letters have nice is facing with them. So to fix the overall view off this word, we need the juice a certain distance from this word and maintain that space throughout the word. The spaces here look balance, so I'll go ahead and follow this distance as ever. Write it the letters F two R look a little crowded, so let's go ahead and make Morris space between them. That's widened a little. Beat the space from our toe I and then the space from E to end are so far apart from each other. So let's fix it and narrow it down a little when spacing the letters. It doesn't have to be perfect, but we don't want to see an even in spaces that are to abuse. There, you can see a big difference between this and evenly spaced written word versus this one. It's up to you how wide or narrow you want the space of the letters to be from each other. Justice. Stick to that. These stunts throughout the words here I'm showing you an example of a wide spaced word. Well, this is a narrow style of forming words. You can see we have this word with an inv are uses faces. We have waited space here, narrow its style in here while this one is just right. Play around with connecting letters and you'll discover your personal preference. 19. Final Project: Now you're ready to create your first lettering project to make this moment Morris special . I encourage you to think about a short, free stuff, at least through the three words that keeps you inspired or motivated. You can watch this video for some ideas. Feel free to recreate the phrases included here. If it is speaks to you as a beginner record ating, others were could also help you improve with their lettering journey as well as your style . Just remember to give credit to the original artist, especially if you'll share your works on social media. 20. Final Thoughts: How did you feel about this class? I hope that you've got an inspiration to pursue your brand new passion. Never stop doing what you love. All the improvement is taking time. That stuff about the key points of this class brush lettering is characterized with declines and the down strokes of letters and thin lines on up strokes. Shakiness is totally normal for beginners, and that would be minimized with constant practice. Master, the basics chokes. If you can do well, the basic strokes, then your letter forms will be more consistent. Don't forget to leave the pen Calligraphy isnot cursive. So slow down and take your time to write beautiful letters More than calligraphy gives you freedom to change up the style of your letters. Go ahead and create your own version of the lower case letters. Just keep in mind the lead ability off the world. After finishing the project, please upload their works on the project section of this class. If you have INSTAGRAM account, you can also tag me at seven brushes strokes and use the hash tag brush friends create so I can feature your artworks on the Instagram is thirties. I love sharing my students works because I'm really grateful to be part of your lettering journey. I can't wait to see your brush lettering projects too. Doing brush calligraphy doesn't end up with brush friends. It teaches us that the way of life must be hard, challenging and sometimes disappointing. Yet in the end, the one who perseveres will see the food off her labor, which is achieved by not quitting. You can do it.