Superman & Circles: Creative Blackletter Calligraphy Designs Part 1
In Part 1 of this video triple tutorial, we’ll walk through, step-by-step, how to create the colorful, intricately woven geometric Blackletter calligraphy art.
What You’ll Need to Follow Along
We’re crafting this intricate design with good old pen and paper today. These are the supplies you’ll need to follow along:
- Blackletter Pens: to build this piece, we’ll use 2 different Pilot Parallel pen sizes:
- Fine Tip Pens: To create the letter outlines and borders, I used different sizes of these two pens:
- Paper: I used an 11″x17″ sheet of Strathmore Bristol Paper, but feel free to use your favorite paper of choice
- Inks: I used cartridge ink in each pen and dipped in a secondary acrylic ink to create the color gradient ink effects. Here are the combinations:
- 3.8mm Pen: Red ink cartridge dipping in Liquitex yellow acrylic ink
- 2.4mm Pen: Turquoise cartridge ink also dipping Liquitex yellow acrylic ink
- Other tools: Other tools are used to build the initial guidelines to write the lettering. These were:
- Helix Circle Ruler
- Pencil: Any pencil will work as we’re just making guidelines by I prefer using mechanical pencils because they’re precise and retain their fine tip while writing.
- Eraser: Again, feel free to use any eraser(s) you prefer. I do recommend that you use a soft eraser to minize smudging and protect the paper – I typically use two types of erasers for art like this:
- Prismacolor Artgum eraser for erasing large sections
- Pentel Click Eraser for smaller details
A couple of instructional products from the shop with full details on writing complete Blackletter alphabets and creating geometric designs.
Process
Check out the video for a visual demonstration of the key steps in creating the art.
Here’s a summary of the process:
- Create the guide structure
- Add the lettering
- Add the outline
- Wait and erase
Step 1: Create the Guide Structure
Creating the guide structure for a design this detailed can be quite a challenge because of the mental gymnastics needed to figure out the shapes and the spacing between guides.
The best approach, I’ve found is to first build the structure digitally with a design program like Affinity Design or Adobe Illustrator.
This method makes it easier to work out how the structure will look and how to set up the spacing before putting pencil to paper.
Once the draft version of the structure is build, use measurements from the program to find key anchor points in the design (like where the circle centers are, the distances between them, etc.), then build the guide structure around these key points.
Step 2: Add Blackletter Calligraphy
Now, it’s time to add the Blackletter magic to the design. I typically start with one of the sections with the longest continuous line of text and begin writing with the larger 3.8mm pen first.
While writing, occasionally dip the pen in the secondary color to create the wonderful color gradient effect. To emphasize more of the secondary color (yellow in this case) dip more frequently. Dipping less frequently will emphasize the cartridge color in the pen more.
After completing all of the text with the larger pen size (remember to be careful of smudging while writing!), complete the writing with the smaller 2.4mm pen.
Step 3: Add Outlines
This is the longest part of the process, but it’s a step that I really enjoy. Relax, and enjoy the fun of adding outlines to the letters.
I usually start by adding the finest detailed outlines around the individual letters (usually with a really small pen size – typically 005 or 01 from the Pigma Micron range of sizes).
After the smallest detail outlines have been added, add the thicker border lines (the pen size I use for these border lines vary – usually anywhere from the 02 to 08 sizes)
Step 4: Wait and Erase
Waiting is a key part of this step because we really want to avoid smudging all of the hard work we’ve just finished!
Usually I’ll let the work dry for at least a day before erasing any of the pencil guide lines that might still be visible.
Be gentle while erasing (this is why I recommend soft erasers) and take your time.
Note: This post and the photos within it may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a commission at no extra charge to you.
Visit the Shop
Check out the collections of Procreate brushes, calligraphy instruction toolkits, mockups, and more by visiting the shop.
Whether you’re picking up a pen for the first time or have been writing for years, learn all the skills you need to enjoy the magical art of broad nib calligraphy with The Blackletter Masterclass. With over 10 hrs of video instruction and lifetime access, comfortably explore the massive library of content and learn at your own place
