DIY Hand Lettered Banner

Using these tips, techniques and free printable hand lettered phrase page, you can create a DIY hand lettered banner perfect for your home.

One of my favorite companies, Tombow, makes the best pens and adhesives, and I was sent some product to use to create a project for my entry in their design team selection.  All the ideas, pictures and tutorial are my own.

This post contains affiliate links which mean I make a little something if you purchase through the link with no extra cost to you.

Being able to sit down and create something I love is such a wonderful feeling.  Not everything I start to work on turns out perfect or even good.  But sometimes things come together and a project turns out.  It’s even more fulfilling when your hard work can bless or brighten someone’s day.  When I started working on this hand lettered banner, I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out and where I was going to put it if it did.

As I was working on them, I remembered that my sweet niece was going to be going into surgery and would be in the hospital for a few days.  An inspirational banner would be the perfect addition to her hospital room.  And if one was good, 3 would be better. 🙂  Plus I like things in odd numbers.  To get started, you will need the following supplies:

Smooth Mixed Media Paper (I used 5.5 x 8.5 size, this one doesn’t tear up the tips of my pens)

Tombow Dual Brush Pens

Tombow Monotwin Permanent Marker

Tombow Twin Tone Markers and Irojiten Colored Pencils (optional)

Tombow Multi Mono Liquid Glue

Tombow Xtreme Permanent Adhesive

watercolor paint brush

twine

Cricut and cardstock for cutting hearts, flowers, stars, anything you want to add to your banner

To get started on my hand lettered banner, I choose 3 light colors of the dual brush pens to create a watercolor effect background.  I simply added color on my mixed media paper in random areas, trying to cover the entire surface.  Next, I took my wet watercolor paint brush, and went over the colored area to blend the colors together.  Since the dual brush pens are water based, they blend together really well to create a watercolor effect.  Then I let the paper dry before I trimmed the bottom to a slight point.

To add my inspirational phrase, I used 2 pens in the same color that would give good contrast to the watercolor background.  I used the lighter color to write out the phrase.  If hand lettering isn’t your thing, I created a free download with the 3 hand lettered phrases I used in my banners.  You can print it off and use a light box, or bright pad, to trace the phrase onto your banner.  Once I had the phrase written on the banner, I added the darker color onto the top of my letters, just on the top half.  Then I used the colorless blender to pull the dark color through the rest of the letters, blending the two colors and creating a lovely blended phrase.  I’m an outliner, so I used the small tip of the monotwin permanent marker to outline the letters.

Now on the other banners, I tried a couple different variations for the outline.  On this one I created a shadow effect with the monotwin, then filled it in with the Irojiten colored pencils.  These colors from the tranquil pack were perfect with the purple.

On this one, I used a similar colored twin tone marker to outline the letters.  I used the small tip to outline, then created a shadow effect with the bigger tip.  So you could keep it simple when you outline your letters or add some fun flair using a couple other supplies.

I used a scoring tool along the top 1/2 inch of my banner.  I needed to create a way to hang them.  I made a line of the Multi Mono liquid glue along the folded flap.  I placed the ends of my twine along the inside of the flap and then folded it over to create a seal to keep the twine in place.

I used my Cricut Explore Air 2 to cut out some flowers, hearts and stars to add to my banners.  I used both the Xtreme Adhesive and the liquid glue to glue the flowers and hearts together.  Then I used the Xtreme Adhesive to attach them to the banners.

 I can’t decide which one I like the best!  They all turned out different and unique.  Just like my niece who would be receiving them.  I hope they will brighten her hospital room and her spirit and eventually her bedroom when she gets to go home. 🙂

You may have gathered that I am a huge fan of hand lettering.  I have been practicing hand lettering for almost 2 years and I still keep learning and changing my style.  Don’t let the hand lettering of these banners deter you from making one.  I think there is character in imperfections.  Just get started, and if you don’t know where to start, you can check out my free printable hand lettering practice sheets or my free brush lettering practice sheets.  Tombow also has some great resources on their site for those looking to get started.

Happy Creating!

Liz