How to Create Beautiful Watercolor Lettering: Videos + Tips!

If you want to up your hand lettering game, or just try a new hobby- Watercolor Lettering gives all the joys of beautiful letters with the fluidity of watercolors.

Today I am marrying two of my favorite art techniques- Watercoloring and lettering. Brush Lettering is so relaxing, it makes you slow down and be intentional. When you create Watercoloring Lettering the results you will get are even more astounding!

Today I’ll share the basics, how to hand letter the alphabets, a quote, and many more ideas to inspire you!

I enjoy Watercolor lettering- you move your paintbrush super slow and the whole process is satisfying and soothing.

Watercolor Lettering looks beautiful on handmade cards, as wall art pieces, and also just as a quote in your sketchbook. There are many different font styles you can use for your lettering and make them special.

smitha_letters_brush_lettering_on_black_paper

Watercolor Lettering is Hand Lettering using a Paintbrush and ANY Watercolor paint.

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What is Watercolor Lettering?

Watercolor lettering is hand lettering using watercolors and a paintbrush. You need to keep reloading your paintbrush with the paint and water and letter your words.

Unlike a brush pen, the lettering will be watery and the colors can move and blend easily. You have a soft watercolor look to the lettering that is very attractive.

You can use watercolor cakes, watercolor inks or even ink filled water brushes for this technique!

Watercolor Lettering Alphabet:

Start with the alphabets and practice. The paintbrush is different to hold and starting with something small like the alphabets will build your confidence.

Watch the YouTube Video Tutorial Watercolor Lettering Alphabet

Watercolor lettering tutorial alphabets

Supplies I’ve used here: Sketchbook | Paintbrush| Watercolors

I chose to make my alphabets colorful and used a different color for each alphabet. But you can easily just use a black watercolor and start.

TIP: Go slow and apply pressure on your downstrokes but apply very little pressure on your upstrokes to achieve a nice thin upstroke.

Watercolor Lettering a Quote

Once you’ve practiced the alphabet, try Watercolor Lettering a Quote. I have a ton of quotes if you need inspiration 366 Positive Quotes

These Gansai Tambi watercolor cakes are one of the first watercolor sets I bought myself years ago- and they are still my favorite. The colors are vibrant and beautiful and today I’ll show you how I use them to do Watercolor Lettering

Watch my YouTube Video Tutorial: Hand lettering with Watercolors

Princeton script brush

Supplies I’ve used here: Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolors | Canson Watercolor paper 11 by 15 inches | Princeton Round 6 script paintbrush | MONO Sand Eraser |White Magnetic frame

Watercolor Lettering using Tombow Dual Brush Pens:

You can also easily create a Watercolor Lettering look by using Brush Pens. You all know I love my markers- and since these pens are water-based they basically act as a watercolor in marker form and are blendable.

Watch my YouTube Video Tutorial: Rainbow Watercolor Tutorial

rainbow watercolor lettering tutorial4

The contrast between the thin upstrokes and the thicker downstrokes creates that beautiful brush calligraphy look.

You can instead just paint your letters without any weighting (thicker and thinner strokes) and still have a watercolor lettering effect!

Watercolor Lettering a Quote:

Using Brush Pens to letter a quote can yield soft watercolor look and feel! This is so much easier than using a paintbrush.

Step by Step Tutorial + Video Watercolor Quote Art

watercolor quote art smitha katti

Try Watercolor Lettering on Black paper!

Watercoloring on Black Paper is so beautiful and amazing. You must give Brush Lettering on Black paper a try.

brush lettering on black paper smitha katti

MY Tips for watercolor lettering:

  1. Pick up your watercolor paint onto your paintbrush, but make sure that you already have some water or moistness on your paintbrush. A dry paint brush makes it difficult to create downstrokes.
  2. Stop often, rest your wrist, and refill your paintbrush. Your paintbrush will not be able to create a thick downstroke if it is dry.
  3. While bringing a loaded paintbrush towards your paper- move slowly and be careful. The water on the paintbrush can easily drip onto the paper
Smitha Katti creativespace e1577349763159

Hi I’m Smitha! I live in Minnesota with my husband and two daughters. You’ll always find me painting florals in my sketchbook. And I love the sheer joy of making something with just my hands! But my bigger love is capturing it all on camera Read more.

Thanks for stopping by today! If you learnt something from this tutorial, do share this post with a friend or on social media! Tag me @smithakatti #smithakatti I’d love to see what you create!

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