Using an Ames Guide to Hand Letter Comic Books

Blambot's Nate Piekos shows you the traditional way to use an Ames Guide for hand lettering comic books. Various styles of pens are explained, and some original samples by lettering greats Todd Klein and Pat Brosseau are presented.

[@LuisDiazArtist]

Thank You! Very Informative.

[@loringbush1455]

Kinda reminds me of the rolling ruler which I still have from the early 90s and it still works!

[@eddysgaming9868]

I've had one of these Ames Guides for years. Never got around to finding out how to use it! Now I know. Thank you.

[@calicodavis1511]

Back when I started my webcomic, I briefly tried to do hand lettering. But I didn't know about the Ames Guide back then, and as you might imagine, I found it enormously frustrating trying to draw consistent lines! I gave up pretty quickly. Now I have an Ames Guide, but I've only played around with it a little. One of these days I'll try out some actual hand lettering.

[@mannypdesign]

Those framed word balloons are amazing!

[@daviddaza5633]

Thanks Nate!

[@paulmatas6914]

Thank you so much for sharing!!

[@cmdrhatchy9611]

Thank-you SO much! I shall be practicing this skill as soon as everything is delivered!

[@Moonster60]

Thank you for posting - fascinating stuff - off to order a Ames guide ! - Also lovely to see those framed examples .

[@zuercher90]

Fascinating video, especially the part where you explain the pens! Will you do a video of you doing some lazy hand lettering? 😄

[@DanielSolis]

Gosh I love this stuff. Thank you!

[@SuryaSureshkumar-th4wh]

how to do this

[@ComicBookCovers]

T-square on the side of the page?! I used to put it on the side of the table.

[@ianchalgren]

I think a benefit of using it on the edge of the paper is that you have more flexibility. You can move the paper around on the desk to whatever angle works best for your arm. In other words, you’re not tied/bound to the absolute squareness of a desk.

[@juanmotoa_]

Hi. Cartoonist Stan Sakai sets his Ames lettering Guide at 3.25. How would you do that? I can’t figure it out.

[@jtzofrea]

Anyone have any good books or written guides on this?

[@monstermikecampbell]

Thanks Nate!