In this post: Here’s the easy way to make a huge hand-lettered sign, even if you have no hand-lettering skills of your own!
I am a huge fan of typography. I’m fairly certain I’ve mentioned that before. Fonts of all kinds always catch my eye and draw me in. Maybe it’s because I used to be a graphic designer years and years ago. Maybe not. ButI think that’s why I absolutely adore the hand lettering trend that’s happening in art right now too. Regardless, my love of typography led me to create this huge hand-lettered sign – the easy way!
Not all of us are gifted with beautiful handwriting and hand-lettering skills. If you are, so awesome! But if you’re not, like me, here’s how to get the look yourself the easy way!
Obviously, I’ve chosen lyrics from a worship song and displayed my hand lettered sign with Christmas decor. But you don’t have to.
DIY Hand Lettered Canvas
I purchased a 24 in. x 24 in. canvas with a coupon at Michael’s and Dean made me a “floating” wood frame. By floating I mean the frame just slides over the canvas and isn’t attached to the canvas at all. Easy-peasy!
Supplies
To create the artwork:
- large canvas (mine is 24″x24″)
- printer
- paper
- pencil
- paint brushes (two small to medium craft brushes and one large paint brush)
- Fusion Mineral Paint Paint in Coal Black and Champlain
- Fusion Mineral Paint Sandstone
- Fusion Mineral Paint Antique Gilding Paste
- sandpaper
To make the floating frame:
- 2 – 1 in. x 1 in. x 26 in. wood
- 2 – 1 in. x 1 in. x 24 in. wood
- 4 – small screws
- dark walnut wood stain
- lint free rag, or old tea towel
- gloves
Instructions
To create the artwork:
1. Download our free template here.
2. Open template and go to Print. Select Poster to print full size on multiple pages. Print and tape together.
3. Shade the BACK side of printed paper. We’re going to use the pencil transfer method!
4. Place right side up (penciled side down against the canvas), and carefully trace over each letter. The pencil from the back will transfer to the canvas, giving you a neat outline to follow for painting!
5. Mix together one part black paint and two parts Sandstone. Using a small paint brush (like the craft kind, not the wall painting kind!), carefully fill in your letters with the coal black paint/Sandstone mixture. The Sandstone medium give the letters a raised rough texture. (If you want your letter darker, go over your letters again with just black paint.)
6. Lightly sand entire surface of canvas to give the letters a worn look.
7. Next, dry brush Antique Gilding Paste over entire canvas. Make sure to “unload” most of the Gilding Paste onto a napkin, so you don’t make your canvas too dark.
8. Using a really large paint brush, dry brush Fusion Paint in Champlain over entire canvas. Again make sure to “unload” most of the paint onto a napkin.
To make the floating frame:
1. Gently sand wood if necessary.
2. Screw frame together.
3. Wipe stain onto frame. Let sit for five minutes and then wipe of excess. Let dry.
4. Hang canvas on the wall and slide the frame over top. Voila!
Hannah Lee Ward
Love this!
Lisa Hanson
Love!!!
I want this….
So neat! Where is your tree pillow from? Love!
It’s from my friend, Lucy.
Tree/car pillow from craftberrybush.com I have the free printable photo of it.
where did you get the joy sign? love your decorations:)
Love this…..it works perfectly above the piano!
Wonderful tutorial! And I love this song.
Love this, what a great idea for transferring letters too!
Incredible! LOOOVE this
Thank you for the great tutorial! It can be SO intimidating to put that first bit of paint onto a new canvas! This will make it not so frightening!
That looks soooooooooo good over your piano!!! Thanks for sharing the tutorial.
I am in LOVE with this!! Thank you for the easy-to-do tutorial! I WILL be making this!
Let me know how it turns out!
Thanks for this wonderful tutorial!!!!! Did you also painted the beautiful pillows with the red car and the x-mas tree on the top?????
Thanks and best new years greetings from Italy
tanja
Glad you like it! And no, my friend Lucy from http://www.craftberrybush.com painted those pillows!
This sign rocks. I also love typography. What font did you use for this sign?
I absolutely love typography, and this is an awesome project! Thanks for the tutorial! I would love to know the name of that font. It’s great!
Dang! I can only get it to print the very first page at scale for me!!
Thanks for sharing!Looking ford to trying out Fusion Mineral Paint.Is it a permanent pigment?
Where can I download other sayings.
Unfortunately we don’t have any other sayings, Meredith. We wrote the tutorial and used just the one saying. You can create your own on the computer though.
Fabulous! Thanks!
You’re welcome!