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Hand Lettering Step by Step
One reason I love lettering is that it's a creative way for me to illustrate and display meaningful quotations. One of my favorites is “Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but they’re always there.” I chose to cut the words out of paper and display them against a painted background reminiscent of a starry night. Cutting out the words is a delicate business and takes a little time, but it’s well worth the effort.

Posted by GMC Group • Published 23rd May 2018 • See GMC Group's 304 projects » © 2024 Kathy Glynn / Sixth & Spring · Reproduced with permission. · Hand Lettering Step by Step by Kathy Glynn, published by Sixth & Spring (£16.99, available from www.thegmcgroup.com)

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Erica D. favorited Paper Cutout Art 03 Feb 16:45
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GMC Group published her project Paper Cutout Art 23 May 09:00

Step 1
Prepare the Background

Prepare the indigo watercolor by placing a small dab on your palette and wetting it with a few drops of warm water.
Step 2
On the watercolor paper, begin placing dabs of paint with a loaded brush.
Step 3
Allow the paint to puddle with heavily pigmented areas and lighter, more watery areas. Allow the paint to flow naturally. Let the paint dry completely.
Step 4
Paint a Starry Background

Once the watercolor painting has dried completely, wet the Finetec watercolors with a few drops of warm water. Mix the paints with the water until they are a creamy consistency.
Step 5
Load your brush with the Inca gold paint. Tap the brush against your forefinger to create random splatters on the paper you painted in Step 1.
Step 6
Repeat this process with the sterling silver paint just enough to create a celestial look. Set the painting aside to dry.
Step 7
Cut Out the Words

While you’re waiting for the paint to dry, draw out the phrase “Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but they’re always there” on a piece of stipple paper with a pencil. I used a loose organic script that connects the words together.
Step 8
Cut each section of the phrase into strips.
Step 9
Cut around the shape of the letters with sharp scissors.
Step 10
Next, cut more closely around the letters. Let the letters guide you as you cut, leaving some white space between the strokes but following the contours of the letters.
Step 11
Assemble the Artwork

When the painting is completely dry, glue the cutout letters onto the painting.
Step 12
Variations

Add your paper cutout lettering to cards, journal covers, and mixed-media art journals.
Cut guests’s names out of paper and attach them to stands to create stunning place settings.
Attach a cutout word to a treat stick for a festive cake topper.
Instead of a painted background, you can glue the words onto a photo. Make sure the image isn’t too busy or the words will be hard to read.