The Easy Way to Make a Huge Hand Lettered Sign + Free Template

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: