Hand Lettering in Procreate: Tips & Tricks to Improve Your Lettering

HaNd LeTtErInG In PrOcReAtE:

TrIcKs & TiPs To

Skillshare Class by Gia Graham

PdF GuIdE

NOTES & RESOURCES In ThIs GuIdE The first step towards improving your lettering is to understand the basics of how each letterform should be structured. In this guide you’ll find a breakdown for each letter in the alphabet with notes on stroke widths and structure.

For some letters, you’ll also find a bonus link to a step-by-step drawing tutorial I’ve previously shared on YouTube.

I hope you’ll find this guide helpful!

AdDiTiOnAl ReSoUrCeS I often receive questions from students about what Procreate brushes I use, which lettering books I recommend and which drawing tools and accessories I use - so here is a comprehensive list of the tools I use most in my creative business.

Click Here

To AcCeSs ThE ReSoUrCe GuIdE

HAND LETTERING IN PROCREATE: TIPS & TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR LETTERING

Skillshare Class by Gia Graham

@IAMGIAGRAHAM

UPSTROKE thinner than downstroke

HORIZONTAL STROKE thinnest width

apex: If the A has a pointed apex, it would need to have overshoot

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

X HEIGHT

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

horizontal: Remember the horizontal stroke is thinner than the upstroke and downstroke

horizontal: OVERSHOOT

Start on the horizontal before curving

CAP HEIGHT

smaller

X HEIGHT

larger: Extends past the top section BASELINE OVERSHOOT

HAND LETTERING IN PROCREATE: TIPS & TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR LETTERING

Skillshare Class by Gia Graham

@IAMGIAGRAHAM

structural checkpoints

DOWNSTROKE thickest width

UPSTROKE thinner than downstroke

structural checkpoints

DOWNSTROKE thickest width

HORIZONTAL STROKE thinnest width

overshoot OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

horizontal: The top and bottom of the curve shift to horizontal for a short distance before continuing to curve

X HEIGHT

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

overshoot

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

horizontal: The curve of the D (the ‘bowl’) starts and ends on the horizontal X HEIGHT

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

HAND LETTERING IN PROCREATE: TIPS & TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR LETTERING

Skillshare Class by Gia Graham

@IAMGIAGRAHAM

UPSTROKE thinner than downstroke

structural checkpoints

DOWNSTROKE thickest width

HORIZONTAL STROKE thinnest width

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

equal: The top and bottom arms should be the same length X HEIGHT

shorter: The center arm is shorter

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

longer: The top arm is longer

X HEIGHT

shorter: The bottom arm is shorter

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

HAND LETTERING IN PROCREATE: TIPS & TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR LETTERING

Skillshare Class by Gia Graham

@IAMGIAGRAHAM

UPSTROKE thinner than downstroke

structural checkpoints

DOWNSTROKE thickest width

HORIZONTAL STROKE thinnest width

overshoot OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

horizontal: The top and bottom of the curve shift to horizontal for a short distance before continuing to curve

X HEIGHT

horizontal: Remember the horizontal strokes are thinner than the downstroke

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

overshoot

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

X HEIGHT

horizontal: Remember the horizontal strokes are thinner than the downstroke

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

HAND LETTERING IN PROCREATE: TIPS & TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR LETTERING

Skillshare Class by Gia Graham

@IAMGIAGRAHAM

UPSTROKE thinner than downstroke

structural checkpoints

DOWNSTROKE thickest width

HORIZONTAL STROKE thinnest width

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

notes: Not much to note here this letter is a simple, single vertical stroke X HEIGHT

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

horizontal: Remember the horizontal strokes are thinner than the downstroke

X HEIGHT

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

overshoot: The rounded part of the letter will have overshoot

HAND LETTERING IN PROCREATE: TIPS & TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR LETTERING @IAMGIAGRAHAM

UPSTROKE thinner than downstroke

HORIZONTAL STROKE thinnest width

click here!

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

FoR A ViDeO TuToRiAl

X HEIGHT

Leg: Attached to the arm (the upstroke), not the stem (the vertical stroke) and extends beyond the arm BASELINE OVERSHOOT

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

X HEIGHT

horizontal: Remember the horizontal strokes are thinner than the downstroke BASELINE OVERSHOOT

HAND LETTERING IN PROCREATE: TIPS & TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR LETTERING @IAMGIAGRAHAM

structural checkpoints

DOWNSTROKE thickest width

UPSTROKE thinner than downstroke

structural checkpoints

DOWNSTROKE thickest width

HORIZONTAL STROKE thinnest width

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

note: The M is one of the widest letters in the alphabet X HEIGHT

vertex: The point in the middle of the M (called the vertex) can either fall slightly below the x-height line or it can extend down to the baseline BASELINE OVERSHOOT

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

X HEIGHT

widest stroke Remember the diagonal stroke is always the widest part of the N

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

HAND LETTERING IN PROCREATE: TIPS & TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR LETTERING @IAMGIAGRAHAM

UPSTROKE thinner than downstroke

structural checkpoints

DOWNSTROKE thickest width

HORIZONTAL STROKE thinnest width

overshoot OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

horizontal: The top and bottom of the curve shift to horizontal for a short distance before continuing to curve X HEIGHT

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

overshoot

overshoot: OVERSHOOT

click here!

There will be a little overshoot where the bowl starts to curve

FoR A ViDeO TuToRiAl

CAP HEIGHT

horizontal:

X HEIGHT

The curve starts on the horizontal when it leaves the stem (the vertical stroke) then returns to a horizontal before returning to the stem

Bowl: The curved part of the P (aka the ‘bowl’) should should not be too high on the stem it should end below the x-height line BASELINE OVERSHOOT

HAND LETTERING IN PROCREATE: TIPS & TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR LETTERING

Skillshare Class by Gia Graham

@IAMGIAGRAHAM

UPSTROKE thinner than downstroke

structural checkpoints

DOWNSTROKE thickest width

HORIZONTAL STROKE thinnest width

overshoot OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

horizontal: The top and bottom of the curve shift to horizontal for a short distance before continuing to curve X HEIGHT

TAIL: The tail can be straight or curved, depending on how you stylize the letter BASELINE OVERSHOOT

overshoot

overshoot: OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

X HEIGHT

click here!

There will be a little overshoot where the bowl starts to curve

FoR A ViDeO TuToRiAl

horizontal: The curve starts on the horizontal when it leaves the stem (the vertical stroke) then returns to a horizontal before returning to the stem

Leg:

BASELINE

The leg is a ttached to the bowl, not to the stem (the vertical stroke) and it should extend beyond the bowl

OVERSHOOT

HAND LETTERING IN PROCREATE: TIPS & TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR LETTERING

Skillshare Class by Gia Graham

@IAMGIAGRAHAM

UPSTROKE thinner than downstroke

structural checkpoints

DOWNSTROKE thickest width

HORIZONTAL STROKE thinnest width

overshoot OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

smaller

X HEIGHT

note: The bottom part of the S extends past the top part and is slightly larger

larger

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

overshoot

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

horizontal: Remember the crossbar should be thinner than the stem X HEIGHT

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

HAND LETTERING IN PROCREATE: TIPS & TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR LETTERING

Skillshare Class by Gia Graham

@IAMGIAGRAHAM

UPSTROKE thinner than downstroke

structural checkpoints

DOWNSTROKE thickest width

HORIZONTAL STROKE thinnest width

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

horizontal: The curve shifts to a horizontal briefly before continuing to curve X HEIGHT

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

overshoot: The rounded part of the letter will have overshoot

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

X HEIGHT

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

vertex: If the V has a pointed vertex, it would need to have overshoot

HAND LETTERING IN PROCREATE: TIPS & TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR LETTERING @IAMGIAGRAHAM

UPSTROKE thinner than downstroke

HORIZONTAL STROKE thinnest width

apex: OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

X HEIGHT

The point in the middle of the W (called the apex) can either fall slightly above the x-height line or it can extend all the way up to the cap height line

notes: The W is the widest letter in the alphabet.

Joining two Vs together does not accurately create a W (it would make the letterform too wide)

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

smaller X HEIGHT

larger The bottom part of the X is slightly larger than the top

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

HAND LETTERING IN PROCREATE: TIPS & TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR LETTERING @IAMGIAGRAHAM

structural checkpoints

DOWNSTROKE thickest width

UPSTROKE thinner than downstroke

structural checkpoints

DOWNSTROKE thickest width

HORIZONTAL STROKE thinnest width

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

X HEIGHT

note: The diagonal strokes of the Y should attach to the stem below the x-height line

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

click here!

OVERSHOOT CAP HEIGHT

FoR A ViDeO TuToRiAl

X HEIGHT

BASELINE OVERSHOOT

note: The bottom part of the Z extends past the top part

HAND LETTERING IN PROCREATE: TIPS & TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR LETTERING @IAMGIAGRAHAM