Letter Like a Lefty | Episode 3 | Tips & Tricks

[@jae9899]

HALLELUJAH! thank you so much for this series! I'm a leftie too.

[@SunshineStationery]

+Jade Johnson you're welcome! Gotta spread the lefty calligraphy love 💛

[@tatianamata7989]

Thanks from a lefty from Costa Rica!!!

[@monicaguzman4245]

OMGosh! You write just like me in the sense that your turn page at an angle to write. I've never seen another lefty do that.

[@50sRockChick]

This series is so helpful to a lefty like me. Thank you

[@SunshineStationery]

You’re so welcome! 💛

[@dotydiva]

I'm a lefty and I am glad I found you. This is dated 2017 so I hope you are still around and giving tips. I am just learning to do this. Thanks

[@kayleeamber609]

I have been lettering for a little while now and I never realized why it was so hard for me to letter sometimes and why my fonts/styles looked strange. This video definitely helped me and encouraged me to keep practicing. Thank you!!

[@SunshineStationery]

I’m so glad it was helpful!! Happy lettering!

[@MakeupMobster]

Yes I’m having so much trouble with this because I’m lefty! Thank you for this!

[@mariannekeller7504]

Great tips!! Thank you so much! Thank you also for referencing the materials as well a showing us what you have used,

[@marialata1]

Thank you so much! I’ve been trying to learn lettering for awhile but it’s been difficult to follow along with videos of right handed people

[@rubyali4218]

THANKK U LETTERING IS SO HARD FOR ME AS I AM A LEFTY

[@SunshineStationery]

We can do it!! Don’t give up - lettering as a lefty is totally possible & so much fun!! 💛💛

[@alezizukii9944]

Yep

[@demigough2040]

Wow I am so glad I found you!!! Beautiful lettering.....there is hope for me 😊 I thought I was the only leftie who wrote with the paper on the side and my hand below so I wasn’t dragging my hand over the writing, so glad I’m not the only one. It is going to take a lot of practice for me to start writing from the side thou now.....40 odd years of writing the same way is going to be difficult to train myself out of! But after watching you I know I can do it, it is possible 😊😊😊😊 and it’s great to know you don’t have to do just drills all the time too as they just got boring and I just wanted to write!!!! So a huge thank you from a new subscriber in cold sunny Cornwall 😊🌞🌺

[@SunshineStationery]

Thank you! And yes!! Lefties can letter!!! 💪🏼💪🏼💛 happy lettering!

[@ayanachan2977]

People always told me my handwriting is soooo ugly even though i am a lefty. Now, thank you for your tutorial and i will definitely follow your tips

[@SunshineStationery]

People can be a bit thoughtless...All handwriting is unique and I love the look of lefty writing! I wish you luck in your lettering 💛

[@teachhoustontoswim]

Thank you!! This video would’ve been helpful in elementary school but better late than never!!

[@safala]

I did not know I had already watched your channel earlier. A few weeks after I started lettering (about to give up, because although I learnt everything about upstroke, downstroke, etc., and practicing many words, I couldn’t write any better) I stumbled upon your channel and this is where I learnt tips that would suit the style of the lefties.

[@SunshineStationery]

I hope you won’t give up! It definitely took me a while before I finally had a moment where things clicked & I was able to see improvement! (I’m still improving, tbh!)

[@Linda-qq5mg]

Thank you so much for all of your lessons and lefty tips. It is a wonderful series!

[@SunshineStationery]

You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

[@eileendooey7015]

This is really good advice for a lefty

[@dawnanderson1009]

Yes! Thank you for sharing your experience! I've been a professional traditional calligrapher for decades, wanting to try the new modern brush lettering style, but it's been a struggle. Your tips and suggestions are exactly what I need to keep going! Thanks so much!

[@SunshineStationery]

You’re so welcome! (And how cool that you’re a professional calligrapher! That’s something I’m not at all comfortable with yet!)

[@anap2916]

This is awesome. I’m lefty and I want to learn calligraphy. Thanks !

[@Aya-yo2mo]

I am right-handed but this video is really clever!! However, I can use these tips in writing Arabic as it starts from Rt to Lt. 👏 Thanks a lot for these amazing tips. ❤

[@SunshineStationery]

+Aya Hamza thank you!! And I can't believe I didn't think about the right-->left writing + being a righty combo!! Welcome to the smudge club 😂 I'm glad the tips were useful for you! 💛💛

[@DustinHern]

When I studied Arabic it felt like my revenge on righties. All of a sudden, I became the only one in the room without ink/lead all over the side of one palm. Also, being able to see what I've been writing instead of my hand covering it up contributed to the neatness of my handwriting, I think. My, how the tables turn...

[@staceycoates1418]

I am in the stage of researching before I really start practicing so I am very thankful for finding someone to watch who is left-handed! I am wondering how this will work for me because I tend to write downward. It would always amaze people how legible my writing was because I had my paper turned completely sideways to write. (Right-handed desks don't leave much room for lefties to write and have a text book open.) And I still do that if I am printing , though if I am writing in cursive I tend to want some sort of angle.

[@SunshineStationery]

I’m happy to help! And I was the same way in school (right-handed desks were the bane of my existence...also...who can work on that small of a space?!) but I’ve found that learning to letter has helped me gain more control & I’ve been able to play with my writing angle more ☺️

[@AvoryFaucette]

Love this series! The thing I'm still struggling with as a beginning leftie letterer, though, is how to actually form the shapes of the letters. When I watch videos from righties on how to form the basic shapes, it's hard to mentally translate that to a pen held at the opposite angle. In other words, should my curves look the same as a right-handed person's would, or is the appearance actually different on the page? It's the transitioning from a bold downstroke to a light upstroke (or vice versa) that I really can't mentally parse. I notice that you actually write parts of letters, then lift your pen and continue, at least in these examples--I'm wondering if that's something most lefties have to do, or if it's possible to write in one unbroken line.

[@SunshineStationery]

+Avory Faucette Thanks! So, letter shape is tough...part of it is practice (that downstroke to upstroke transition took me ages to master! And I still sometimes get notches in my curves that I have to go back and fill in...I think it’s a lefty thing....) and part of it is figuring out your style and how you want your letters to look. There are some lettering styles that I see that are AMAZING...but they aren’t very compatible with how I, personally, letter....When I was starting, I would make note of any particular letters that I liked from different folks, practice and tweak them to suit me, and eventually compiled a full alphabet in “my” style. (I hope that helps?....). Also, I’ve seen people (lefties and righties) letter both ways - as a word or as parts of a word - and I think it’s mostly personally preference. I know that I tend to go too fast if I letter the word as a unit, so I get a cleaner end result if I work bit by bit... ☺️☺️

[@camiii2305]

It definitely happens to me all the time too! For example, I could never learn how to knit from my mom cause it's so difficult for me to translate a right-handed person's movements into my own, I never know which way to go and if I have to make any loops or something I ended up giving up. I'm so glad I found this channel with some tips for us lefties!

[@barbellsandglitter924]

This is what I'm struggling with. I love these videos but finding a resource for a true beginner like just how to form the letters is proving impossible :(

[@judithmorgan1718]

you just made me realize why i 'hate' crocheting and knitting... i just couldn't process the steps as a lefty. i prefer drawing anyway even as i appreciate work of other genres. one day...i want to learn weaving...maybe...

[@demigough2040]

Camila Zamora I’m also a lefty but do knit and my mum, who is one of those weird right handed people 😃, taught me by just sitting opposite me and I just copied what she did mirror image style. I love knitting please don’t give up, there are lots of helpful tutorials here on you tube for us lefties and I’m sure you won’t regret it. 😊🌺 x

[@judithmorgan1718]

i have been mirroring righties with some results, shifting paper angle to maintain correct point of pen direction for the most part. Finding 'cheap' practice paper seems to be the biggest challenge as pens are easier to find, so i decided to stick with tracing paper and canson marker pads til i improve. i appreciate all the tips and effort you put into these tutorials, finding it amazing to 'fall in love again' with writing/drawing. i'd like to incorporate lettering into zentangling, using inspirational, encouraging words and short phrases. so many people are discouraged, or broadcast the 'same old different day' attitude, and i have to make it fresh daily or i wilt. so...finding fun and challenging 'new' ways of being encouraged and re-inspired keeps me from getting drug down by other's heaviness. Thanks for being part of my journey. p.s. yes i'm a lefty, but two years ago, a serious slip-and-fall broke a bunch of bones from left arm to ankle...using drawing became my physical therapy for both hands, which, as it turned out, was like being a beginner in kindergarten. if i can learn from scratch...anyone can. slowing down the speed literally is what's working for me right now, as i have pushed myself to stay in motion and not argue for my limitations.

[@SunshineStationery]

Thank you so much for your comment! I love all your ideas for introducing lettering into other aspects of your art! I’m honored to have been a part of your journey, especially as it’s not just “art for art” but “art for healing” 💛💪🏼

[@judithmorgan1718]

p.p.s. you've got me thinking about combining learning basic french and renewing spanish using calligraphy/lettering. i found some pigma calligraphy pens with nylon nibs, quite nice...and that too is a challenge as a lefty. these pens ink dry fast, and your first tip reminded me to keep hands off the paper...even when i write or draw as a righty, i forget that whatever is on my skin can cause any pen to skip (with the exception of another favorite pen, any Bic ballpoint...).

[@TheLadybughug]

Thank you for this video. As for gripping your pen, think of it as holding and using chopsticks! 😇 and I also found (I am just just starting as well) I often have to remind myself to think light, as in light strokes (currently using an actual 00 sable brush and watercolors until my stuff comes in but it would apply to any markers). This is great! Also an awesome excuse to get more pens (yes I totally have a pen fetish). I have a question about the watercolor brush pens (the last two you showed). Do you fill the reservoir with ink or? I think I have some here, got them with my watercolor kits. Again thank you and merry Christmas!

[@SunshineStationery]

I have one water brush pen with black ink; the rest I fill with water and just use with watercolors!

[@safala]

I write the same way, too. Have since I was a little kid. That’s one of the reason I had problem handlettering as well. I tried to letter the same way I used to write normally, and people, it’s not easy. I don’t know if it’s my personal experience, but I’ve noticed that my downstrokes look a lot thinner if I write on a slanted paper than it would when I write with the paper straight.

[@SunshineStationery]

Definitely do whatever works for you! It’ll add personality to your work 💛

[@Agusai89]

Pentel touch pens are life or lefties! ♥

[@SunshineStationery]

+Agusai89 agreed! I also just got a Fudenosuke soft tip and it's amazing!!

[@judithmorgan1718]

yes!!! i fell in love with them a couple of weeks ago...now i know why i hesitated with tombows, and just bought two of their black pens for notan and zentangle accents. the koi brush pens are smaller and feel better in my hand so i used the 40% coupon at hobby lobby for the 6-pack grey scale set for practice and shading.

[@ameliaroque3854]

Agusai89 - what you like about pentel. Nib, fast drying, or ...?

[@safala]

I got Sakura ones (those are the only ones I can find here in my country) and they’re great as well. I have a small nib size (same as pentel touch) and getting that nib size was the BEST decision I’ve ever made.

[@Nalublu]

After 30+ years of printing only, I’m relearning cursive. Loving it! Just to be weird, I lean my letters to the left.

[@SunshineStationery]

Are you a righty who leans left? (Things only people who like handwriting ask? 😂😂)

[@janjcks]

My letters lean to the left too, when I was at school ( a long time ago), I am 63, the teachers tried to make me write RH but in the end they gave up because my writing was unreadable

[@Nalublu]

I’m a lefty. It eliminates the smear.

[@ladydede88]

I started using brush pen or paint pens from dollar tree( there huge). I really like brush pens I find other pens are too stiff. Also I notice write backwards works but ugh so difficult

[@skylitroom]

Can you please maybe do a feature where you go into detail on filming tips for lefties? I want to do overhead filming of my handlettering but no one would be able to see anything!

[@SunshineStationery]

I’ve written it down as a video idea but I’m not sure when I’ll get to it! One thing I sometimes do is film with a second angle - the editing process is fussy, but if you film from the side, you can see the lettering a bit better!

[@inyaaa_]

i relate to having notches on my letters. thank you so much for this

[@SunshineStationery]

Those dreaded notches! And you’re so welcome 🥰

[@marcialinico7558]

Okay I’m struggling hear. What is the name of the first pen you used. I can’t read the name of it and I think I’d like to start with that. I purchased a Stabilo brush pen and I don’t have good control of it. I’d like to try the first one you used. If you could please give me the name of the first pen you used. Thank you

[@catiehoppe]

I love this series, it's so helpful! But one thing I never do is use a palm paper. Even if I write very fast, it never smudges.

[@SunshineStationery]

I’m so glad! And lucky you! I don’t use one all the time, but it can be very useful ☺️

[@palomamorales9870]

Hii! I’m just starting now and I’m noticing I destroy the tip of the pen when I’m doing a movement left to right because I’m moving towards the tip… is there any specific pen you recommend to avoid this? I don’t know if a harder or shorter tip will help. Thanks!!

[@SunshineStationery]

Hi! So this is something I struggled with, too. I would say 1) make sure you’re not holding your pen vertically; it needs a bit of an angle and 2) starting with a pen with a smaller/shorter nib could help - I used the pentel sign pens a ton when I was learning (still do!) and I find they stand up well to my lefty writing! Hope that helps!

[@marcialinico7558]

I see you listed them. Thank you

[@shanetan2570]

What if your hand lettering on a book how do you use the paper?

[@SunshineStationery]

If I’m lettering on something “taller” like a notebook, I’ll often use another book the same height so I can rest my hand on it...I would then just use the paper under my hand as normal!

[@0ceanOfStorms]

the reason the ecoline and windsor and newton pens are so wet are because they are filled with liquid watercolour instead of ink. This gives them beautiful colours but a long drying time and a lot of bleedthrough on thinner paper (like the leuctturms)

[@SunshineStationery]

Oh! Thank you, i wasn’t sure why they were like that!

[@dwansac1]

THANK YOU!!!

[@carolinashirk7658]

What would you think about the Tombow Fudenosuke? I started with that one and it has less ink than the dual brush one.

[@SunshineStationery]

Yeah, I noticed that - my fudenosuke started running out of ink a lot faster than my dual brush pens...but I really like the nib size!

[@evestaley5113]

Hi! I'm a beginner, and I'm having a hard time being left handed and making sure my pen is at the right angle. Do you have any suggestions for me? I'm stuck please help 🤔😟

[@SunshineStationery]

The angle you need may be specific to you - I recommend trying to hold your pen different ways until find a way that gets you the writing style you want! (I’m sorry I can’t be more specific...it can really depend on the person!)

[@evestaley5113]

@@SunshineStationery thank you! I'm finding that if Im not holding it right the marker/pen won't write at all🤷

[@elenavrionis5474]

I feel this is really silly of me to ask. But as a leftie my hand writing can get quite messy(pain in my butt. My normal writing is so messy) did you have to somehow make regular writing less of a mess (if it was a mess before.) I don’t know. My lettering tends to be messy and I’m not sure what to do.

[@SunshineStationery]

Not silly at all! It’s annoying advice, but really, just work at it 😅 I found that my normal handwriting has improved over the years that I’ve been Bullet journaling. I started writing in all caps because it forces you to slow down; now my handwriting is generally much more legible! Lettering is also just practice...we don’t push/pull the brush pens the same way righties do, so it can sometimes take some experimentation to get an end result that looks ok...don’t give up! It’s definitely possible!! 💪🏼

[@No1PlutoSupporter]

My death grip is so tight too ugh when I attempt to letter it’s difficult

[@SunshineStationery]

Loosening your grip takes practice (I had to learn, too!) but you’ll get there! Good luck!

[@joelleturnes9945]

Hi, i would like tips for fine pens for people who writes with force and the tips worn out fast

[@SunshineStationery]

I actually switched over to fine gel pens for that reason 😅😅 (I keep fineliners for spreads, but I don’t write much with them so they last longer) but I’ll add it to my list of videos to film! Thanks!

[@Jooleeana]

thank you sooooooo much

[@akashmaurya1856]

I want to know that how to hold pen

[@SunshineStationery]

How you hold the pen depends on how you write - you may need to try holding it different ways to get the look of lettering you want

[@lifewithlel2526]

How did you learn to write letters like that?

[@SunshineStationery]

Lots of practice and looking at inspiration on ig and trying to imitate and then adapt my own variations ☺️☺️

[@TheCatwoman610]

I'm a lefty I know what you mean having the paper side way I've always had to explain to someone and yes it does gets so annoying 😂

[@SunshineStationery]

+Florecita Rockera 😂😂 right?! I don't mind writing that way (unless I have to use a tiny writing space...yikes!), but I could leave the odd looks because I "write at a funny angle" 🙈😅

[@veronikasparks7021]

As a lefty, it has been really hard for me to perfect the thick and thin strokes

[@SunshineStationery]

It definitely took me a while - just keep at it, it’ll happen !

[@ayeshanoman6310]

The video starts at 1:15. I’m not trying to be mean!

[@manonnielsen4940]

To be fair the water brushes are actual brushes with a water reservoir, not brush pens. So the bristles are meant to do that :-)

[@SunshineStationery]

+Manon Nielsen true! And for people who paint and such, I'm sure it's great that they do that! ...but I'm a letterer, so it was an aspect I had to work around and thought it would be useful to include in the video in case other people want to letter with watercolors 😉

[@priscillaose5772]

Im mot a leftie, but i still find this video quite helpful. I want to improve my lettering :)

[@SunshineStationery]

+Student Boss I'm so glad! Happy lettering!!

[@kimmieyun]

Thank you, Caitlin! 😊 Your videos helped me get started almost 2 years ago. Brush calligraphy is now my favorite hobby! Fellow lefties, I’d love to connect on Instagram (@leftysharonletters) if i can help with anything (including cheering you on!) 😊

[@SunshineStationery]

Yay! (And I followed! Can never follow enough lefty letterers 💛)

[@kimmieyun]

Sunshine & Stationery thank you so much! It means a lot to me :)

[@sakurastudies169]

I *just* posted a video!! It's bujo related so I hope you all drop by to watch it ♡

[@Saucyakld]

I don't need the paper under my hand, I write underhand

[@SunshineStationery]

I don’t use the paper all the time but with brush lettering long words or longer quotes, I do...in case 😂

[@Saucyakld]

@@SunshineStationery Good idea, I have to sometimes too. But the right pens are hard to find in New Zealand xx

[@SunshineStationery]

Ditto....I ordered a bunch of gel pens from Jet Pens a while ago and the shipping from the US is nuts! 😭 next time, I’ll time it for a trip so I can ship them to my parents and then pick them up 🤦🏻‍♀️😅

[@jfaycomedy]

Okay so any other lefties have an issue with Tombow Brush pens fraying very easily?

[@SunshineStationery]

Mine did at first but now they hold up relatively well (they probably still fray faster than for a righty, but they last awhile). I think what helped me was figuring out the right angle for me when I letter- when I started, I think I held the pen more vertically and it really stressed the brush tip

[@marcialinico7558]

When you name the pens can you say them more slowly. I’m not hearing the name clearly. Sorry and thank you.

[@pleasestopleavealone2981]

im an under writer sobs

[@SunshineStationery]

Don’t give up!! 💛

[@sherichazdon2573]

We are either ‘hookers’ or ‘pushers’. !!

[@SunshineStationery]

😂😂 yes!