Dear Lefty Friends-
Not too long ago… 8 months to be exact, I picked up my very first brush pen and about 10 seconds later I put it down and thought I’d move on to pointed pen, which also seemed super difficult. I flipped through instagram posts seeing so many other peoples’ flawless work and it looked so easy, but it wasn’t. Then I began searching for resources and was even more discouraged to not find a lot out there for lefties. After learning pointed pen, I picked back up the brush pen and didn’t put it down until I figured it out. There are 5 steps that I followed (and am still working on) as a letterer at the very beginning.
1. GET GOOD BEGINNER-FRIENDLY SUPPLIES
As a lefty (or any beginning brush letterer) , it can be difficult to figure out what supplies to get. There are tons of great brands and products out there, but I found that Tombow USA products are great for beginners. In the very beginning I tried all kinds of brands and found they were very difficult to control. I then stumbled upon Tombow USA dual brush pens and immediately fell in in love. The fudenosuke soft tip is also a great pen for beginners!
And since beginners are going to need lots of practice, I prefer tracing paper for practicing and doodling. The smooth surface absorbs less ink and the brush pens seem to last longer!
Don’t worry though, after some practice, it will be so much easier to letter using a brush pen!
2. KNOW YOURSELF & YOUR PEN
It is also so important to know yourself and your pen when you are starting brushlettering, or any lettering for that matter! What I mean is, you need to understand how you grip the pen and how your pen is supposed to be used/held, specifically the angle to hold it and the amount of pressure to use. Lefties normally have two different kinds of grips, overwriter (which means that you hook or curl your wrist ) and underwriter (which means you have a completely straight wrist while writing). I am an underwriter for pointed pen and a slight overwriter with the brush pen. My wrist slightly curves so that I can exert the right amount of pressure for thick downstrokes. Some pens are very firm in the tip and others are soft tipped. It’s important to understand and get a feel for yourself as a letterer and your kind of pen before moving any further. The more you learn and practice, your style will start to show itself and be personal to you!
3. SHARE AND LEARN
As soon as I started following other letterers and calligraphy friends on Instagram I was hooked!! It’s so much fun to participate in the calligraphy community and learn, collaborate, and share with other creatives! Shortly after starting lettering, I opened my calligraphy profile on Instagram and began dedicating time each week to create work and share. I also love communicating with others, giving feedback, and being inspired by others in the instagram world!
For brush lettering, there are so many great resources right at your fingertips! For lefty tips, other than on my blog) also check out the lettering guide on the Tombow USA blog! I wrote a post as a guest letterer all about how to #tombowlikealefty. Check it out by clicking here! There are also great lettering tips from 5 other letterers!
In addition check out the lefty series on the Pieces Calligraphy Blog, which i collaborated on with other lefties.
There are so many talented people on Instagram and being a lefty shouldn’t deter you from trying out their ideas. Keep and open mind and make the brush pen work by using it the way that works best for you.
4. MAKE MISTAKES
No letterer is perfect and everyone will make mistakes!!!! Be bold and take risks. It’s always handy to have an eraser handy! I also adore the sand eraser by Tombow USA for getting ink and colored pencil erased! Don’t let being a lefty hold you back! Go for it and do your best without fear of messing up.
5. HAVE FUN
Make sure to enjoy what you are doing and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Use your supplies and resources to find what you do best.
Being a lefty isn’t always easy but it definitely makes a letterer unique. Don’t be afraid to get started! As you do, if you’re a lefty, after you post your work to instagram, use the hashtag #tombowlikealefty to engage with other lefties, get tips, and inspiration.
Happy Lettering!
Lauren
