Lasso Lettering is a flourished hand lettering style that has an indulgent but not quite over the top feel. The little embellishments on each letter look like lassos! As of a couple of days ago, I have a new Lasso Lettering worksheet in the TPK Catalog, which was one of my goals before going on…
Pointed pen calligraphy is my go-to for a variety of applications: sketchbook pages, cards, mail art — the list goes on! There are some projects, though, that demand something a little different. When the mood strikes or pointed pen calligraphy won’t give you the result you’re looking for, embrace hand lettering! In today’s article, I’m introducing a comprehensive worksheet revamp of “Lasso Lettering”, one of TPK’s most intricate hand lettering styles.
Lasso Lettering features traditional, almost Times New Roman letters — but with considerable flourish. The flourishes are delicate enough not to affect the legibility of words, but they add a considerable amount of artistic personality. I think the coolest thing about this style is when you look at a word, your brain immediately registers what the word is. A split second later, you see (and appreciate) the flourishes!
For best results, you’ll need four tools to create Lasso Lettering:
*Good pen choices include Muji (let the ink dry overnight before erasing pencil guidelines), a fountain pen loaded with a permanent ink such as De Atramentis Document Ink, or a straight pen fitted with a Nikko G nib and the ink of your choice.
Exactly two years ago, an 8-page Lasso Lettering exemplar appeared in the TPK Catalog. At that point, I had a 5-month-old at home, and it was easier for me to make an exemplar than a full-fledged worksheet. Now, the 5-month-old is a 3.5-year-old, and I had (/have) the time to circle back to the original exemplar to transform it into a challenging and fun worksheet!
This new worksheet is 16 pages long. Instead of just showing you how to write characters, like the original exemplar did, the worksheet provides plenty of guided practice.
It’s always best to create hand lettering projects on high-quality paper and use a smudge-proof pen. However, when you’re practicing, there’s no need to get fussy. Print out the Lasso Lettering worksheet on whatever paper is in your printer now, and use your favorite pen or pencil to write!
In addition to a printable version, the Lasso Lettering worksheet is available in a Procreate version. If you prefer the convenience of practicing your hand lettering on an iPad, then you can download the Procreate Edition of the worksheet set!
I love to use this lettering style to make lettering maps. The nature of Lasso Lettering makes certain words pop out at you, and flourishes help to fill in any negative space.
Lasso Lettering is also good for adding whimsy to cards. The style is elegant without being too serious, so it’s ideal for cards that you want to have a lightly refined feel.
This lettering style is also excellent for mail art. It’s flourished enough to be interesting, and legible enough to make it through the mail system. A win-win!
As with all TPK hand lettering and calligraphy styles, what you use this lettering style for is up to you! I’m always amazed when I hop on Instagram and see what people have created using the skills and styles they’ve learned from TPK worksheets and tutorials. Let your creativity lead the way!
TPK maintains a free update policy. If something — say, a course or a worksheet — gets an upgrade, I think that everyone who owns that product should receive access to it at no extra charge. If you purchased the original version of the Lasso Lettering Exemplar (sometime between January 2019 and January 23rd, 2022), you can get the new printable version for free. Just download the Lasso Lettering worksheet from your account, or search your inbox for your original order confirmation email and download the file from there.
Maybe you’re new to this hand lettering style, or maybe the new worksheet will help you to rediscover it! Either way, I hope that you benefit from the practice that TPK’s latest worksheet provides. Thanks so much for reading, and check back this weekend for a creativity-boosting tutorial here on the TPK blog!
Warmly,
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