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