{DIY} Chalk Hand Lettering Tutorial

I have always been in love with the look of hand chalk lettering seen on chalkboards all over from restaurants, birthday parties and weddings. I admire the charming mixture of typography and decorative elements so much that I even tried to duplicate the look myself...and failed. I realized this graphic designer has no skill at freehand drawing. However, I am very skilled on the computer!  By creating your own design or finding one off the Internet, you can duplicate the hand chalk lettering look yourself using just a few simple materials. Follow my tutorial to learn how easy it can be!

For my friend's birthday I thought it would be fun to give her a chalkboard with a creative message written on it. I decided on an inside joke of ours regarding pie crust. I knew this would make her laugh and would be displayed proudly in her kitchen. To download the free template of this design, click here.

  These are the materials you will need for this project:

• Pencil sharpener with a jumbo opening (large enough for a piece of chalk to fit)
• White chalk, about 3 pieces depending on how large your design is
• Saral transfer paper in white, available here at amazon.com
• Ball point pen, preferably in blue ink
• Full size image template to fit your chalkboard

 

Assembly Instructions:

1.  If your chalkboard is brand new you will need to prime it first to avoid chalk outlines remaining when ready to erase your message. To do this, rub the long edge of your chalk into the chalkboard surface until it is completely covered. Erase.

2.  Scale your template design and print it to fit the size of your chalkboard. If the image is larger than what your printer can print, you will have to "tile" your printout. For instance, the chalkboard I used was 12" x 16" so I had to tape my template together and then trim it down.

3.  Cut the Saral Transfer Paper to the size of your template and tape to the two together in a few places at the top to secure. Make sure the chalk side of the transfer paper faces down towards your chalkboard. You can tell which is the chalk side by feeling the paper for a "film" of chalk.

4.  Tape the template/transfer paper combo to your chalkboard making sure the image appears to be centered.

5.  Now, you will begin the transfer process by tracing your image. Using a ball point pen, trace over the outlines of the text and imagery on your template. Check the chalkboard underneath the template first to make sure the transfer paper is working.  I recommend sitting down to a favorite movie or reality show marathon as the process of tracing and filling in with chalk can take a couple of hours. This is both relaxing and fun for me!

6. You're almost there! All that's left to do is to fill in the outlines you made on the chalkboard. It is very important to sharpen your chalk every few minutes as this will help ensure clean lines, plus it makes the filling in process on small areas go much more smoothly.

Now that you are finished, display your finished product proudly! Everyone will be so impressed with your handy work, they will ask you, "How did you do that??". You can share this easy method with them or keep it to yourself! ;)

For more inspiration, head over to Canva to see a beautiful compilation of hand lettering design examples. You'll also find some valuable lessons and design tips on how to improve your craft!