13 Free Lettering and Calligraphy Tutorials for Beginners

Learn everything from the basics of your first pen strokes to ideas for experimenting with different styles, step by step

Two disciplines that unlock the power of handwritten letters, lettering and calligraphy artists combine the written word with the visual appeal of shape and color to express ideas and emotion by creating striking visual stories.

Whether you’re interested in exploring these handwritten art forms as a complete beginner, or you want to improve your skills step by step, read on to discover fifteen free tutorials and learn lettering and calligraphy tips from the experts.

From exercises for creating your first brush strokes to learning digital techniques, and tips to look after your tools (or make your own!), explore these tutorials and learn practical advice to elevate your lettering and calligraphy projects.

But before we dive in, let’s first explore the similarities and differences between these two art forms…

Calligraphy vs lettering: similarities and differences

Two creative handwriting techniques, calligraphy and lettering share certain characteristics that cause many people to confuse the two, or assume they’re the same. But they are distinctive art forms with their own traits and styles.

- Similarities: Both techniques are used to build unique and personalized letters; require a specific knowledge; and, to some extent, share tools and artists that make both.

- Differences: The main difference between calligraphy and lettering is that calligraphy is "written" and lettering is "drawn".

Learn more in this video explainer, What Is Calligraphy and What Is Lettering?

Free tutorials for calligraphy and lettering using analog techniques

1. Lettering Tutorial: The Basics of Beginning with a Brush

In his tutorial on the basics of beginning lettering with a brush, lettering artist James Lewis (@jamesllewis) shows you how to prepare the necessary materials, where to position your hands, and tips for correcting small errors.

2. Brush Pen Tutorial: Basic Strokes of the Letters

An essential step to get started in calligraphy is learning how to handle the brush and release your hand. An expert in italic calligraphy, in this tutorial Bego Viñuela (@caligrafiabilbao) teaches you how to do the basic strokes of the letters, offering tips for handling the brush pen to draw strong letters full of visual impact.

3. Calligraphy Tutorial: Basic Brush Pen Strokes

A technique that requires practice, working with brush pens allow you to create light, organic calligraphy. They’re designed to imitate a traditional ink brush, which allows you to create more cleanly. They also work well with modern paper, whereas traditional ink only adheres nicely to rice paper.

Mastering the brush pen will give you more freedom to create letters and find your own style. Here, calligrapher Ana Hernández (@ana_hera) shares advice to create basic brush pen strokes.

4. Lettering Tutorial: How to Make Letters with a Calligraphy Brush Pen

Continue your brush pen education with lettering artist, designer, and illustrator Cyla Costa (@cylacosta). A calligraphy and lettering expert whose clients include major names like Google, Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Penguin Random House, her work combines manual and digital techniques to bring lettering and custom designs to life.

In this tutorial, Cyla teaches you how to create letters using calligraphy brush pens, and then transform them into lettering designs.

5. Japanese Calligraphy Tutorial: 4 Basic Lines for Beginners

If you want to explore calligraphy styles from around the world, why not start with the art of traditional Japanese calligraphy (or shodo)?

An ancient practice with a focus on beauty, simplicity, and the connection between mind and body, professional calligrapher and artist Rie Takeda (@rietakeda) has been teaching shodo for two decades. In this tutorial, she shares four basic line drawing exercises for beginners.

6. Arabic Calligraphy Tutorial: Basics for Beginners

Born during the Islamic Golden Age, Kufic script is the earliest invented style of Arabic calligraphy and is prized for its beautiful compositions and the harmony of its lines and forms.

Calligraphy artist Joumana Medlej (@majnouna) helps keep this ancient practice alive by sharing the often meditative process for creating these characters.

In her tutorial on Arabic calligraphy basics for beginners, she shows you how you can begin making the basic shapes you’ll need to start building letters and words. She also shares tips for how to warm up your hand, and advises against common mistakes.

7. Lettering Tutorial: How to Create Sketchbook of Ideas

A space to experiment, practice, and try out new skills and techniques, a sketchbook can help you unlock your creativity. It can become a tool to draft ideas ready to be transformed into more elaborate lettering compositions.

Graphic designer Iván Caíña (@ivan_caina) is passionate about letters, practicing calligraphy and lettering every day. In this video tutorial, Ivan teaches a few lettering and calligraphy exercises for sketchbooks to help you overcome creative block.

8. Lettering Tutorial: Hand Lettering Design Using Layers

The possibilities of lettering are endless, which means there’s always room for adding to your designs. Lettering artist, designer, and illustrator Cyla Costa uses lettering as a means to create fantastic visual stories. One of her tricks is using layers to explore a range of creative opportunities.

In her tutorial, she’ll teach you step-by-step tricks for hand lettering design with layers, sharing ways to build on, adapt, and add flourishes to your projects.

9. Illustration Tutorial: Watercolor Lettering

Looking to get even more experimental? You might not think it, but watercolor can also help you improve your hand lettering skills.

In this watercolor lettering tutorial, illustrator Ana Victoria Calderón (@anavictoriana) shares five practical brush exercises in which you’ll learn how to write comfortably and find your personal lettering style.

Free tutorials for calligraphy and lettering using digital techniques

10. Procreate Tutorial: How to Create Lettering Textures and Brushes

Procreate is a great tool for digital lettering artists, offering a range of brushes with different textures—but if you want to create something a little different, and uniquely yours, you can make your own Procreate brushes from scratch.

Graphic designer and lettering artist Jimbo Bernaus (@jimbobernaus) has worked with clients from BMW to Carlsberg, and is known for incorporating his bold and lively lettering into colorful illustrations.

Join him in this step-by-step tutorial as he shows you how to create your own Procreate brushes and textures using just a photo.

11. Lettering Tutorial: How to Draw Spooky Letters

Clever typography communicates far more than just words—you can play around with creative styles to express certain themes, crafting letters that are full of character.

Merging his passion for typography and illustration to create fun, concept-driven lettering, typography artist and illustrator Adam Hayes (@mrahayes) teaches you how to add a creative twist to your typography in this tutorial on how to draw spooky letters.

Free tutorials to look after and make your own tools

12. Calligraphy Tutorial: How to Make a Reed Pen

Reed pens are one of the oldest calligraphy tools around. With them you can make fantastic uncial calligraphy creations. If you want to learn how to build your own homemade pen in five minutes using a few low-cost materials, don't miss the following tutorial from Joaquín Seguí (@joaquinsegui), a graphic designer specialized in calligraphy.

13. Calligraphy Tutorial: How to Care for Your Tools

Once you start practicing calligraphy, you will find that you have to take care of your tools to prevent them from getting damaged. In this tutorial covering the essentials for looking after calligraphy after tools, calligraphy artist Bego Viñuela (@caligrafiabilbao) will show you how to clean, dry, and keep your materials in good condition.

Learn more about calligraphy and lettering

- Explore the A to Z these disciplines by checking out all of Domestika's online calligraphy and lettering courses.

- Find the perfect program to learn the art of calligraphy and hand-lettering on your tablet with these calligraphy and lettering apps for iPad.

- Stay up-to-date with lettering trends and expand your reference library with five inspirational books for lettering artists.