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Hand Lettering , Live Class Replay ,

A Beginner’s Guide To The Basics Of Lettering

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Shelby Abrahamsen (Foxsy)

Class Description:

Embark on a creative journey with Shelby Abrahamsen as she introduces you to the fascinating world of lettering in this comprehensive course. Discover how letters can be transformed into artistic expressions, going beyond mere writing and delving deep into an art form that has been cherished for centuries.

In this class, we'll explore different materials suitable for lettering, emphasizing that creativity knows no bounds - use what you have at hand! We will also demystify the differences between typography and lettering while introducing three main families: script, serif, and sans-serif.

We'll dive deeper into understanding the anatomy of letters – from baseline to ascender line – highlighting their impact on shaping your unique style. Learn about proper posture and arm movement essential for smooth strokes. Finally, get hands-on experience through various drills designed to help build consistency in your work.

What You Will Learn:

  • The difference between writing and lettering movements
  • How to use your elbow and shoulder for smooth motion
  • The importance of posture in lettering
  • Effective drills for honing your skills
  • Consistency tips for cleaner lettering
  • The anatomy of a letter and how to achieve x-height consistency
  • Techniques for creating faux brush lettering

Supplies You'll Need:

  • A pencil
  • A bullet tip pen or marker
  • Practice paper
  • A straight edge or ruler
  • Drills printable worksheet

Brush-Lettering-Drill-Worksheets-FREE 2 pages

About Instructor

Shelby Abrahamsen (Foxsy)

Shelby is the co-founder of Foxsy and the creator at Little Coffee Fox. She is a professional watercolorist, letterer, and artist with a passion for teaching others to reintroduce creativity back into their lives. Shelby lives in Chicago, IL with her husband Jon and her pets Summer, Basil, and Korra.

229 Classes

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+64 enrolled

Class Details:

  • 📊Level: Beginner
  • ⏰Time: 1 Hour, 23 Minutes

Class Pass includes:

  • ✓Lifetime Access To Class

Foxsy Membership includes:

Access everything on foxsy, Weekly Live Classes,
and 250+ On-Demand Classes With Foxsy

Plus Academies:

Lettering Academy

15 Courses designed to help you become the letterer of your dreams!

Learn More

Watercolor Academy

You won't find a more comprehensive resource than this!

Learn More

Drawing Bootcamp

6 sections to teach anyone to draw, no matter their skill level!

Learn More
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$29 Monthly or $164 Annually

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Join a thriving community of over 2,300 students, all united by a shared love for creativity. Together, let's paint a brighter, more creative future.

  • Access 311 courses with 350+ hours of content.
  • Work through over 400 lessons and 70+ projects.
  • Access the Watercolor Academy, Drawing Bootcamp, & Modern Lettering Academies.
  • Join weekly live classes.
  • Get personalized feedback on all projects.
  • Get real answers to your questions with Creative Support.
Access Everything Foxsy Has To Offer

Be Part of the Foxsy Revolution

Join a thriving community of over 2,300 students, all united by a shared love for creativity. Together, let's paint a brighter, more creative future.

  • Access 311 classes with 250+ hours of content.
  • Work through over 400 lessons and 70+ projects.
  • Access the Watercolor Academy, Drawing Bootcamp, & Modern Lettering Academies.
  • Join weekly live classes.
  • Get personalized feedback on all projects.
  • Get real answers to your questions with Creative Support.
Access Everything Foxsy Has To Offer

Our Students Love Us

Trusted By Over 2,300 Students Like You

  • “As a total beginner when I started, I’m amazed at the amount of skill and knowledge I gained. There’s a wide variety of courses so you can’t get bored.

    There’s always another challenge in the next class. Really appreciated the personal feedback when I submitted projects.
    Janet G
  • “I loved the Watercolor Academy I learned so much and have developed self-confidence in my ability as a budding "artist "

    (I 'm still getting used to this lol)”
    Gail P
  • "This is excellent.

    As a chronic copier of other people's art, the tips offered here will help me with my own creative process and prevent the block that I feel with "what next"."
    Carol R
  • “The Watercolor Academy was a great experience. I learned so much and was able to get feedback on my projects along the way. I feel like I accomplished something when all was completed.

    I would recommend (and I have) the Foxsy Watercolor Academy to others wanting to try out watercolors or improve on their skills.”
    D Carson
  • "Very fun and informative courses.

    The projects turn out very pretty, and the instructor feedback is quick and helpful."
    Vera C
  • “Very good and useful courses for those that want to start or improve their watercolor skills”
    Boryana
  • "This was so helpful! I loved the way Shelby broke down the basics in a succinct way and tips to use while practicing. Lastly, I appreciated Shelby mentioning that everyone is going to have a unique bounce lettering style.

    As someone who is new to brush lettering in general, I've been copying a lot of what I see. I need that consistent reminder to avoid potential frustration, especially as a beginner!"
    Kelsey
  • "I loved this course. I loved how it showed the lesson and then a project that corresponded with that project.

    The explanations were amazing and helpful and I really felt confident in doing the project. This was probably the best watercolor lesson I've ever taken and enjoyed."
    LG Woods
  • "I really enjoyed this course. Instructions and examples were clear and practical and the feedback was really kind and helpful.

    It has improved my lettering knowledge and given me confidence to keep practicing."
    Nic

Take Advantage of Everything Foxsy Has To Offer

All plans come with a 30-day Money Back Guarantee. Cancel anytime in your dashboard.

Join a thriving community of over 24,000 students, all united by a shared love for creativity. Together, let’s paint a brighter, more creative future.

Monthly Membership

$29 / month
Go Monthly

All Foxsy Memberships include:

  • Access to the full 250+ class library
  • Access to The Watercolor Academy, The Modern Lettering Academy & Drawing Bootcamp
  • Access to exclusive weekly live classes
  • Fox Den Community Access
  • Project feedback from Foxsy Pros
  • Unlimited creative support

Yearly Membership

$164 / year
Go Yearly

All Foxsy Memberships include:

  • Access to the full 250+ class library
  • Access to The Watercolor Academy, The Modern Lettering Academy & Drawing Bootcamp
  • Access to exclusive weekly live classes
  • Fox Den Community Access
  • Project feedback from Foxsy Pros
  • Unlimited creative support

Lifetime Membership

$599 Never pay a subscription fee again.
Get Lifetime Access

All Foxsy Memberships include:

  • Access to the full 250+ class library
  • Access to The Watercolor Academy, The Modern Lettering Academy & Drawing Bootcamp
  • Access to exclusive weekly live classes
  • Fox Den Community Access
  • Project feedback from Foxsy Pros
  • Unlimited creative support

Monthly Membership

$29 / month
Go Monthly

All Foxsy Memberships include:

  • Access to the full 250+ class library
  • Access to The Watercolor Academy, The Modern Lettering Academy & Drawing Bootcamp
  • Access to exclusive weekly live classes
  • Fox Den Community Access
  • Project feedback from Foxsy Pros
  • Unlimited creative support

Yearly Membership

$164 / year
Go Yearly

All Foxsy Memberships include:

  • Access to the full 250+ class library
  • Access to The Watercolor Academy, The Modern Lettering Academy & Drawing Bootcamp
  • Access to exclusive weekly live classes
  • Fox Den Community Access
  • Project feedback from Foxsy Pros
  • Unlimited creative support

Lifetime Membership

$599 Never pay a subscription fee again.
Get Lifetime Access

All Foxsy Memberships include:

  • Access to the full 250+ class library
  • Access to The Watercolor Academy, The Modern Lettering Academy & Drawing Bootcamp
  • Access to exclusive weekly live classes
  • Fox Den Community Access
  • Project feedback from Foxsy Pros
  • Unlimited creative support
All plans come with a 30-day Money Back Guarantee.
Cancel anytime in your dashboard.
*All prices displayed in USD

We're getting better every day

Foxsy is an art education platform with on-demand creative courses. It’s designed so you can explore and grow your artistic skills.

The courses contain in-depth lessons and step-by-step projects to fuel your creativity and give you the skills to create your own amazing art.

Here at Foxsy, we are working to build a platform where you can have everything you need to give your creativity everything it needs to thrive.

Right now, we are working on building the best collection of online courses around, so you have everything you need to learn the new skills you've been putting off (or help you dust off some old skills).

We're doing this by working with online creators who have been where you are. Our instructors have all decided to make their creativity a focus of their lives. To devote themselves to exploring their creativity and helping others do the same, and many of them are self-taught. Basically, they get it and can help you no matter where you are.

More than that though, we want to build a space where you feel like your creativity matters. We want to give you a community where you can work to embrace your creativity and give it space in your life.

Eventually, we want to change the world though.

That's a BIG want though isn't it? Well, it's the truth. We're working to make Foxsy a place where creativity thrives not only on an individual level but also a place that helps make the world a more creative place in general.

We want to support local art projects all around the globe, expand access to art education, and show as many people as possible that no matter what they've been told, your creativity matters and should be celebrated.

If this sounds like a world, you'd like to see, sign up and help us build something amazing.

We currently have several courses on watercoloring, lettering, and creative journaling. As we grow our course library month by month, we will continue to expand the range of subjects as well.

Foxsy is adding new classes all the time to make sure you have access to a constantly growing pool of subjects and projects.

Foxsy is a paid membership platform, so you need to sign up for one of our membership plans to access everything Foxsy has to offer.

A Lifetime Membership is a one-time fee that gives you access to Foxsy for life!

No recurring payments, nothing, as long as Foxsy exists you’ll have access to everything on the platform.

Once you are a Foxsy member, you will have access to the entire library of courses, as well as any classes added to the library during your membership.

If you get a membership and decide that Foxsy just isn’t for you, then no worries!

We have a 30-day money-back guarantee. Just shoot us a message and we’ll get your refund processed right away!

Unfortunately, no. When you cancel your membership, you will lose access to any courses you have enrolled in at the end of your membership period. 

For example, if you have a yearly membership that renews on November 1st and cancel your membership on October 10th, you will lose access to all of the courses on Foxsy on November 1st.

If you have any questions, please feel free to message us at [email protected].

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Ratings and Reviews

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What's your experience? We'd love to know!
lace50sbcglobal-net
Posted 4 months ago
Live Class Review

This was so inclusive! I really felt like I was a part of it. I have dabbled with Foxy for years, but never participated in a live class. Will definitely be doing it again! Thank you!

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LindaH
Posted 4 months ago
Live Class Review

I really enjoyed watching this class again as a refresher for me Thank you Shelby

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chipster
Posted 4 months ago
Live Class Review

Showed up to brush up on the skills I learned at the start of lettering academy. Seeing Shelby letter different names in different styles was awesome and inspiring. Glad I could join! Thank you. Will check out the Italic Lettering class. Also, liked the idea of using a light pad to save on printing drills worksheets. (/^^)/

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foxsy-team
Posted 4 months ago
Anonymous Live Class Review

Great explanation of the basics

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cassidyrebecca192
Posted 4 months ago
Live Class Review

Wow! The class showed me how many different styles of hand lettering there are, all with particularly important factors to consider.

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LindaH
Posted 4 months ago
Live Class Review

Shelby's Class was Great I love the examples she did

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michellemays825
Posted 2 years ago
Great Teaching

I love how you break everything down and teach bit by bit. Really enjoy any course you teach.

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drljones
Posted 2 years ago
Live Class Review

The class didn't get into shaping letters, but I feel much more prepared now to explore that. Great teaching style - brava!

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foxsy-team
Posted 2 years ago
Anonymous Live Class Review

All questions I could have had were answered before I could even ask.

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kalpanapattni
Posted 2 years ago
Live Class Review

The class was informative and explained really well.

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