Hi! How are things going for you as we reach the mid way point in week 2? We've been practicing the letter "y" and while I think it's a beautiful letter that gives you a lot of options when it comes to design and style, it can be a little tricky to letter because of long lines and the loop! Sometimes, the easiest way for me to letter it involves knowing the rules, then breaking them.

The rule I am referring to is: upstrokes are thin and downstrokes are thick. Sometimes, when it comes to letters or flourishes with long lines, I will break this rule! When I get to the upstroke in the loop, I will lift up my pen, adjust my paper, and finish the thin part of the loop by creating a downstroke--but keeping the line thin. 

I do this because my hand feels less cramped this way and the movement feels more natural. Because I know the rule that upstroke lines are thin, I keep it thin even though my movement is doing downwards because that part of the letter y is technically an upstroke. 

The main thing you have to watch for when lettering using this method are the points in the line that break but should be connected (where line 3 and 4 breaks and the connection between line 2 and 4). The other trick I wanted to share is anytime I get to a point where there will be a break in a connection, I taper that line so it's very thin--sometimes it even becomes a dotted line. Then, I go back over it using a short thicker stroke to cover up the dots/thin line and make it smooth and even. It's a little tricky to explain but hopefully that made sense!

 

I encourage you to try all the different methods of lettering until you find what feels best for you--and that can change from letter to letter, word to word--it really depends on the individual shape that you are trying to create! Sometimes, it works better not to break any lines and just to do one full stroke. Sometimes breaking it up works best. Other times breaking the rules helps to create the cleanest lines. 

 

One last tip for today--if you want to try creating the loop (strokes 2-4) in the "y" in one single stroke, make sure you have space then hold your pen steady and move your entire hand but not your fingers to create the stroke. Moving your fingers will create wobbly lines, moving your entire hand keeps everything steady and more grounded. It might feel weird at first but try it a few times. The pace depends on the length of the stroke and how you feel. I still recommend going slow and steady but sometimes you can pick up the pace a little bit.

 

And remember, just try your best! It's OK if it's not completely perfect! Keep practicing and you will naturally feel more comfortable and grow your skills.

As always, if you'd like to share your work, email me a pic or tag me on Instagram @atiliayletters @atiliay #betterlettersin15.