3D Rockstar Lettering For Our Frontline Heroes

Show your gratitude for those ‘rockstars’ and ‘superheroes’ on the front lines of the pandemic with Erica’s fantastic lettering tutorial….which includes a FREE printable tracing template!

Kelly Creates Supplies: Dream Pens Set 1, Aqua Brushes, Multicolor Bullet Tip Pens, White Card stock from the Project pad, Black Fineliners, Deluxe Lettering Kit (pencil, eraser, ruler)

This is a crazy time we are living in. Did any of us ever think we would see something like this pandemic in our lifetime? Nearly the entire world is in the same boat. While we are facing so many unknowns, I can think of two things that are for sure.

1. We will have a new normal. We can’t go back to exactly the way we were. And I truly think we are going to see some wonderfully good things that come from all this.
2. We have a LOT of rockstars on the frontlines of this pandemic: Doctors. Nurses. Police. Firefighters. Grocery workers. Truckers. Food service workers.

So for the rockstars who continue to risk a lot for all of us, this is for them! And if you happen to be one of those rockstars…THANK YOU!

We are going to letter the word “star.” But what makes this tutorial different is not the word; it’s all the stars we will add with a three-dimensional effect!

Start by lettering the word ‘star’ or any other word or quote that you prefer. I used the Kelly Creates Dream Pen in Sky. I chose this color simply because liked the way it looked with the yellows and orange we will use in later steps. I used a simple brush lettering style with a slight bounce.

 Using the Kelly Creates 1.0 Black Fineliner, add a simple shadow to the right of each stroke.

For a lack of a better term, add a bubble outline around your lettering using the same Kelly Creates 10 Black Fineliner. I added a second outline so I can add a little color in later steps.

Now for the stars. You can free hand your stars or you can use a stencil. I free-handed mine using the Kelly Creates 10 Black Fineliner; the older I get, the less I mind a few imperfections. For visual interest, I used different sized stars, and I kept the placement random.

It’s time for the 3D effect! If this looks intimidating to you, it’s actually very simple!

Find a reference point in your word or in the bubble outline. You will use your ruler to draw a line from the points of the star to that reference point.

I used various reference points, but you can certainly use the same reference point for all the stars. Those lines create a tail for each of your stars.

Once you have all your lines drawn, begin adding color! Use the Kelly Creates Dream Pen in Sunshine for the stars and the bubble outline.

Using your Kelly Creates Aqua Brush in Sunshine, color the tails of your stars. I used this brush because the ink appears darker than the Sunshine Dream Pen. You could also use the orange ‘Sunset’ Dream pen. I added one additional line that went from the reference point to one random point in the bottom of the star so I could add an extra stripe of red with the Kelly Creates Multicolor Bullet Tip pen in Hibiscus.

And there you have three dimensional stars shooting from your star lettering!

You can do this with any shape…even letters!

Here is a helpful tracing template if you need more guidance with this technique. Click HERE for the template or click the image below.

Wishing you health, happiness and fewer unknowns in the days to come. I would love to have your feedback about this tutorial….feel free to leave a comment 🙂

For more lettering inspiration and creative ideas, follow Erica on Instagram @ericalligraphy2

To shop the supplies Erica used, click the affiliate links below or visit www.KellyCreatesStore.com

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