Hand lettering guides are some of the best resources for learning the basics. You’ll not only pick up on the terminology of letter parts – from eye to upstroke to flourish – you’ll also learn how each piece of the letter should be sized, spaced, and angled. Sure, “anatomy of letters” sounds a little intense – this is just the alphabet, after all, right? But learning the anatomy of letters will help you master any style of lettering. The more you learn about lettering, the more you’ll recognize the different styles and notice how experienced lettering artists such as BJ Betts often incorporate multiple lettering styles into a single tattoo. Of course, there are plenty of other lettering styles from bold graffiti-style lettering to minimal sans-serif lettering. “Poison” in the trademark gothic style of Benjamin Laukis (IG: benjaminlaukis)īlackletter – also called gothic lettering or gothic script – is another common style for lettering tattoos. Lettering Overview The Most Common Lettering Styles Script and Cursive Lettering Every client will come in with a different word or phrase with a specific emotion attached to it and a specific style in mind – and they’re looking for an artist that can capture both in a custom design. And this is where the difference between tracing printed fonts and creating custom tattoo lettering really matters. If you’re the artist in the shop that can quickly create a custom design that matches the client’s envisioned style, word-of-mouth can help give you an edge over other artists when local clients are looking for a lettering pro. Walk-ins at street shops will have a variety of requests, and you can bet that one of the most common will be lettered pieces. Even if the shop you work at doesn’t require this skill from every artist, it’s still an incredibly valuable one to have in your arsenal. For some tattoo shops, lettering is a requirement for all artists. When you master lettering, you can offer your clients a truly custom piece. When you hear lettering experts talk about lettering, odds are, they’re referring to the art of custom lettering – not to tracing pre-made designs. Anyone can print and trace tattoo lettering fonts from, but actually, mastering script and other types of lettering takes time and practice. What is Tattoo Lettering?Īt its most basic, tattoo lettering means tattooing any written word… but as any lettering veteran can tell you, there’s a lot more to it than that. We’ll get you started with some foundational knowledge and tried-and-true methods to start practicing as a beginner.

Like any other tattooing skill, you’ll master lettering with education, practice, and time. But even if you’re brand new to lettering or tattooing in general, there’s no reason to think lettering is out of reach for you. Lettering is one of the most requested styles of tattooing… and for some artists, it’s also one of the most intimidating.

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