Six Online Lettering Classes to Develop Your Style

Six Online Lettering Classes to Develop Your Style + Five Tips on How to Find Your Unique Hand-Lettering Style. Plus, a special offer from my friends at Skillshare! 

This post is in collaboration with my friends at Skillshare. They are this month’s DND Partner Program sponsor. Sponsors allow me to pay my bills and still create free content for you. Win, win! This post contains sponsored links. 

Six Online Lettering Classes to Develop Your Style

How do I find my own lettering style?

If this is a question you have, you’re not alone. So let’s chat about ways to cultivate a unique lettering style.

• Recognize that finding your personal style is a journey. I’ve been lettering for over five years now. Just over the past year have I finally felt that I’ve truly found my signature lettering style. Five years from now, my style may be completely different, and that’s ok.
• Study up! I am continually studying lettering and typography. I try to add one book per month to my library of lettering and typography books. When I’m about and about, whether traveling or grocery shopping, I’m always taking photos of inspiring signs, labels, and packaging. There’s so much lettering inspiration around you when you intentionally seek it!
• Get Insta-Inspired. Lettering and custom type have been around for many decades but have become especially trendy in the past few years. Take advantage of the trend by following lettering artists of all kinds on Instagram. IG recently added the option to follow hashtags. It’s a fabulous way to see all types of work in your feed! A few hashtags I’d recommend following are #handlettering, #moderncalligraphy, #brushlettering, #brushcalligraphy, and #ipadlettering.
•  Do More Lettering! The more you letter, the more you’ll start to see a common thread in all of your work. Compile at least ten pieces you’ve lettered. Examine them as a group. Chances are you’ll see repeated elements that you use in most of your work. Those elements are the things that make up your signature style!
• Learn From the Pros! Taking online lettering classes is one of my favorite ways to grow my skills. I not only take classes in things that are new but also in things I’m already good at because every artist has their own way of doing things and I pick up new tips from every single person I take a class from.

My Signature Lettering Style

Below is an example of what I consider my signature lettering style: mixed lettering. This is my favorite style to create. It’s doodle-y, fun, imperfect, and colorful. Putting this style together is akin to putting a puzzle together. I love to figure out ways to make different types of letters fit together into one cohesive style.

Keep scrolling for a list of six online lettering classes I hand-picked to get you started on your signature lettering style journey!

DND + Skillshare

I’ve teamed up with my friends at Skillshare once again (because they rock)! I take several Skillshare classes every single month.

Skillshare is offering my readers a special offer: One Free Trial Month of Skillshare Premium. Thanks so much, Skillshare! To take advantage of this, just click the photo below. 

Please note: This offer is limited to those new to Skillshare Premium, not current Premium members or those already in a free trial. A credit card is required to sign up, and you can cancel at any time.

Choosing Online Lettering Classes

With tens of thousands of online lettering classes (including over 20,000 classes and counting at Skillshare alone!) to choose from, it can be overwhelming to narrow down which classes are worth your time investment.

So, I’ve spent hours reviewing classes so I could select six stellar online lettering classes that are perfect for developing your lettering style. I also made sure to pick classes that are perfect for fitting into your busy Summer schedule.

My Top Six Class Picks

• Hand-Lettering Workshop: Illustrating with Lettering. In this 36-minute class is taught by Mary Kate McDevitt, you’ll create a hand-lettered illustration inspired by your favorite animal. Adding drawings to your work is a great way to add character and personal style. I’m a huge fan of Mary Kate’s lettering work and her classes. Learning from her is a fantastic opportunity, so take it!
• Creative Hand Lettering: Design Exercises with Image and Letters. This just over an hour-long class is taught by lettering guru Erik Marinovich. You may know him as one of the co-founders of Friends of Type. His teaching style makes things that look hard seem doable, and I love how he digs deep into sharing how he finds inspiration for his lettering work.
• Hand Lettering Fun Phrases: Illustrated Wordplay through Typography. This 52-minute class, taught by Berlin-based lettering artist Ryslee, is one of my all-time favorites. His personality shines, and he takes you through an entire lettering project from walking the streets for inspiration all the way to the final piece.
• Exploring Your Creative Style: Draw an Expressive Alphabet.  Taught by another dynamic teacher and lettering artist this 39-minute class is so much fun!  Timothy Goodman is an award-winning NYC designer, illustrator, and author. His class is perfect for upping your lettering style game!
• Hand Lettered GIFs. This 14-minute class by Jamie Bartlett is short and sweet, but it’s such a fab way to add huge personality to your lettering. Who knew it was so easy to create those fun animated GIFs you see all over IG?! Well, you will after this class!
• Lettering Inside Figures. Lettering inside shapes is one of my go-to ways to create a piece with personality. In this 28-minute class by Ale Lozano, you’ll learn several different ways to hand-letter inside a figure: using masking fluid, negative space, watercolors, and black ink. For the class project, you’ll create your own piece using the techniques you learned in the class.

My signature style is mixed, doodle-y, imperfect, colorful, and fun!

Never Stop Learning

“I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” -Vincent Van Gogh

Growing as a lettering artist is a continual process. Every time I take an online lettering class from a fellow artist, I learn something new and valuable.

I started with a Skillshare free trial just like many of you. After my trial was over, I opted to pay for the Premium Membership to Skillshare. If you pay annually, it breaks down to around $8 a month. Since I typically spend $30-300 PER each online class I take, this is a crazy good deal, especially with as many classes as Skillshare offers!

I’ve had my membership for over a year now, and I still take several new classes every single month.

Connect with Skillshare

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Share Your Thoughts!

I hope you enjoyed this article on Six Online Lettering Classes to Develop Your Style.

If you take any of these classes, I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts on what you learned and how you think it will help you develop your signature lettering style.

Which class would you like to take first?

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