Hand Lettering Basics & Printable Hand Lettered Gift Tags

Want to add some personal flair to your holiday packages? Today we’re going to learn to make some simple hand lettered gift tags that require no special skills or supplies. Plus, I have a free printable for you with six different tag designs that you can print, cut, and use on your favorite gifts. Ready? Let’s get started!

You’ll need:

Cardstock or Bristol Board

Tag Punch {or scissors/paper cutter}

Fine tip black marker {mine is a Tombow Mono Drawing Pen 05}

White Gel Pen {mine is a Sakura Gelly Roll}

Pencil and Eraser

Step 1: Cut or punch the tags in your desired shape.

I have a really cool Fiskars punch that makes the shape, then also punches a hole in the top for you. If you don’t happen to have a punch, though, you can easily cut simple rectangles or any other shape you like using scissors or a paper cutter.

Step 2: Write your word across the tag, leaving a little more space between your letters than normal.

I’m using the word “joy,” because it’s short and sweet, but you can use whatever holiday word{s} you like. Some festive ideas are: wish, merry, believe, peace, love

Now it’s time to give your word that beautiful brush-lettered look! The key to this style is that each letter is made of a mixture of thick and thin strokes. So, we’re going to leave some of our lines alone, while making other ones thicker. Ready?

Step 3: Draw a second line everywhere in your word that a downstroke appears.

What’s a downstroke? Simply put, when we move our pen to write, it’s always moving either up {away from us}, down {toward us}, or horizontally. A downstroke is anywhere we were moving the pen toward ourselves while writing. The trick to that pretty brush-lettered look is to have thick downstrokes while leaving our upstrokes and horizontal strokes thin. In the word “joy,” the downstrokes are on the stem of the “j,” the left side of the “o,” the left of the “y,” and the stem of the “y.”

Step 4: Color in the space between the double lines.

I colored mine in with the same black marker, but you can create a totally different look by using a different color, like red, green, or gold!

That’s all there is to it! You can stop right here with a simple and beautiful tag.

If you want to take it an extra step, though, here’s how to add a simple but eye-catching doodle! First, you’ll want to make sure to write your word on a diagonal, leaving plenty of space for you to draw.

Step 5: Sketch the outline of half a Christmas tree in pencil, then trace over it with black marker and color in the shape.

You can use any other shape too, like a star, a heart, or anything else that reminds you of the holidays.

Step 6: Add details using a white gel pen.

I drew a few simple spirals on my tree. You can also try polka dots, lines, or other patterns.

Now your gift tags are ready to tie on to packages! Just write the recipient’s name on the back, add a string, and you’re ready to bring lots of cheer this holiday season.

Free Printable Hand Lettered Gift Tags + Tutorial

If you’re running short on time and just need some ready-to-use tags too, here’s a free printable you can download. Just click the link, save the file to your device, and print out as many as you need. Cut them apart, and they’re ready to decorate your packages.

DOWNLOAD GIFT TAGS HERE

Free Printable Hand Lettered Gift Tags

Whether you use mine or create your own, they’re sure to make your gifts look extra-festive under the tree! I’d love to see your favorite gift wrapping tips and how you’re using the tags on your own presents. Be sure to share your photos in the Amy Latta & Friends Facebook group so we can all be inspired.

If you liked this project, don’t forget, my books Hand Lettering for Relaxation and Express Yourself make great holiday gifts to teach you and/or your loved ones all the basics of lettering. Happy gifting!

Don’t forget, friends, if you like it, then you oughta put a “Pin” on it!

Hand Lettered Gift Tags Tutorial + Free Printable

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