Coffee Hand Lettering Design with Printable Template

Erica always has some cool hand lettering designs happening, and this tutorial will help you pay homage to our coffee loving world! A free printable tracing template is included if you need extra guidance to create this project.

Kelly Creates Supplies: Watercolor Inks Set 1, Watercolor Inks Set 2, Watercolor Paper, Palette, Lettering Brushes set of 4, Black Fineliners, pencil & eraser from The Deluxe Lettering Kit.

In the crazy state of the world, I’m trying my best to keep my sanity. More than ever, I try to embrace the simple things that make me happy. And one of the simple things that makes me most happy in life is coffee. (Dark roast, please.)

Coffee is also what is getting me through 2020. Between COVID, politics, social distancing, navigating this whole kids’ school situation and planning for the upcoming holiday season, it feels like chaos around here most days. Since I know so many people are in this same boat, I thought I would use “I run on coffee & chaos” as my theme for this tutorial.

Here is a lettering template you can download and print and use to practice this design or trace it onto your watercolour paper using a light box, window or transfer paper. Click HERE to download or click the image below.

This is how I designed this piece. Begin by lightly penciling your lettering onto the Kelly Creates Watercolor Paper; the lighter you press, the easier it will be to erase. Starting with pencil will allow you erase and adjust your layout.

Three lettering styles are used for this project: script, block, and a ‘grunge’ faux calligraphy.

Once you have your layout the way you want it, let’s make it permanent. I wanted the word “coffee” to look like I used coffee to paint the letters. Since there isn’t a brown ink in the Kelly Creates watercolor line, I mixed my own shade using the Kelly Creates palette and pipette.

2 drops of Blue

1 drop of Poppy

1 drop of Deep Yellow

1 drop of Orange

Then dilute the mixture with several drops of water using the pipette that comes with the Kelly Creates Palette.

There are many combinations that can give you a shade of brown. Play with it until you find the one you like! Use a Kelly Creates watercolor lettering brush and paint over “coffee.” Layer the ink in any area you would like to appear darker.

Once “coffee” has dried, use your Kelly Creates Fineliner 08 to letter the other words. I wanted to adjust the spacing of the top line, so I extended it to the left. Don’t worry that you didn’t trace your pencil marks.

I felt “chaos” needed to look a little chaotic. Instead of adding standard thick strokes to make it look like brush lettering, I gave it a messy faux calligraphy look. Add lines, strokes and dots where the thicks would be.

Now that the “fine lining” is complete, erase your visible pencil marks.

Because the top line looked a little bare to me, I used my Kelly Creates Fineliner 08 to create a faux calligraphy. You could also use a Kelly Creates Fine or Medium black brush pen.

For a fun element, we can add some watercolor to make it look like we sat a coffee mug on the paper.

Grab something round in shape to use as a template. I used a metal ring from a canning jar. Use the same brown mixture we created for “coffee” and sloppily paint around your ring/template. Coffee spills are not nice and neat! Add ink until you like your mess.

Last, create some ‘coffee’ splatters on the paper for visual interest. Dip your brush in the brown ink mixture. Lightly hold the brush a few inches above the paper and tap the brush. I tapped approximately where the metal meets the wood. Repeat until you like your splatters.

Dab the ink splatters with a tissue or paper towel so it looks a little more faded and less consistent. (Who knew making an intentional mess would have so many steps?)

This is a perfect project to frame for a kitchen, coffee bar or even your office (home or away). If you know a coffee lover, this would make a wonderful home decor gift for Christmas or birthdays!

For more coffee-fuelled lettering inspiration, follow Erica on Instagram @ericalligraphy2

Shop the supplies Erica used for this project by clicking HERE or visit KellyCreatesStore.com. If you want to find a local store that carries Kelly’s art supplies, click HERE for retailers worldwide.