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  • Intertwined Script and Block Lettering Tutorial (Part II) by Nico Ng

    by

    Lindsey Bugbee

    , , ,

    In Intertwined Script and Block Lettering Tutorial (Part I), Nico Ng showed you how to make clean and orderly block letters. Today, you’re going to apply that knowledge in order to make an eye-catching intertwined script and block lettering phrase!

    Intertwined Script and Block Lettering Tutorial by Nico Ng
    Welcome to Part II of Nico Ng’s Intertwined Script and Block Lettering Tutorial!

    Hello again! Nico Ng here, and I’m back with the second and final installment of the Intertwined Script and Block Lettering Tutorial. In Part I, you learned how to draw clean block letters using a grid technique. Today, we’re going to apply that knowledge in order to create a compelling black, white, and gold piece. Here are the supplies that I recommend for this tutorial:

    1. Draw Your Block Letters

    Grab your black cardstock, then use your white pencil and a regular ruler to draw center vertical and horizontal lines as guides.

    Dividing a piece of paper into four pieces

    Reference the draft you made using Part I of this tutorial. Measure the width of the word “LOVED”, and mark the starting point for the first letter on your cardstock. Then, use a grid/letter ruler (from the Grid Ruler Bundle) to draw the letter boxes.

    Drawing Letter Boxes
    As we determined in Part I, “L” and “O” should only be one unit apart, while “E” and “D” should be 1.5 units apart.

    Now, use a grid/letter ruler — as shown in Part I — to draw the letters “L-O-V-E-D”.

    Drawing a block lettering draft
    Remember: you want the “O” to go a little bit above and below the guideline. For the “V”, go ahead and draw the apex (bottom triangle); you’ll erase part of it later.

    2. Add a Script Lettering Draft

    Now, write the words “you are” in script/cursive over the block lettered “LOVED.” Ensure that this script lettering is centered, then add flourishes for an intertwined effect. Once you’ve written those words, you can use the Edge Measurement Guide to add consistent weight to the downstrokes in the script.

    Drawing "you are" in script lettering

    Once you finish, your lettering should look something like the draft below.

    Drawing "you are" in script lettering
    You’re essentially using the faux calligraphy technique to draw “you are” here. If you don’t know how to create faux calligraphy (or how to identify downstrokes), see this tutorial.

    3. Create an Intertwining Effect

    To create an intertwining effect, carefully choose parts of the script lettering to place behind the block letters while still maintaining readability. The best parts to hide are flourishes, stroke extensions, and letter connections.

    Adding an intertwined effect to block lettering
    While you can do this part with a regular eraser, a monoline eraser (or the eraser on the back of your mechanical pencil) gets the job done with more accuracy.

    Here’s a photo of the lettering parts that I chose to hide:

    Planning out an intertwined script and block lettering layout
    I erased two parts of the tail on the “y”, the ascender on the “r”, and to parts in the tail of the “e”.

    4. Add Ink

    Lindsey’s note: I would recommend doing this part with a straight pen, Nikko G nib, and white ink + gold watercolor for a more vivid look. If you prefer markers like Nico, though, feel free to use those instead. 

    Now, use a white marker to trace over “you are”.

    Drawing over "you are" with white marker

    Then, use a gold marker to trace over “LOVED”.

    Adding gold marker to "LOVED"

    Once the ink has dried, erase your pencil guidelines. Then, fill in the gold letters.

    Filling in gold block letters

    Finish up by filling in the white letters.

    Intertwined Script and Block Lettering Tutorial by Nico Ng

    5. Add Shadows for Depth

    To enhance the intertwining effect, you can add shadows to the bottom layer of letters using a fine-tipped pen and a stippling technique.

    Intertwined Script and Block Lettering Tutorial by Nico Ng

    Stippling Technique on Block Letters

    Once you like the look of the stippling, you’re finished!

    Nico Ng's Intertwined Script and Block Lettering Tutorial (Part II)

    Tutorial Notes

    I hope you had a blast following along with this intertwined lettering tutorial! I know that you’ll be able to create some amazing projects with this technique, whether it be on a greeting card or a nice lettering poster for your cozy space. Don’t forget to download my free Grid Ruler and Alphabet Layout Worksheets to practice drawing monoweight letters. This is just one of the many amazing lettering styles you can effortlessly create like a pro with the help of the my Grid Ruler Bundle!

    Intertwined Script and Block Lettering Tutorial by Nico Ng
    I can’t wait to see what you come up with! If you share your work, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@nicong.co) so I can admire your creativity.

    Remember: you can modify any tutorial to suit the tools that you have at hand. If you don’t have a grid/letter ruler, you can draw your own grids or — if you don’t mind not being able to erase your grid — draw on gridded paper. White and gold markers can be swapped out for white ink and gold watercolor. If you don’t have a white mechanical pencil, a regular pencil will do. The point of creative projects is to tap into your creativity and unapologetically make substitutions!

    Let’s continue to spread the love for lettering and have a blast while doing it! 😊

    Write on,

    P.S. If you’re feeling a little intimidated by drawing your letters, don’t worry! Check out my “The Consistent Lettering Course” to master the alphabet and bring your lettering to the next level.