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We live in a fantastic day and age where thanks to the internet, learning something new is more accessible than ever.
In this article, we are going to look at some of the best online classes for both hand lettering and calligraphy.
The best part is,
you can start watching them right now totally free!
These classes are great for both beginners and more experienced lettering and calligraphy artists.
This list is divided into 3 sections –
- Hand lettering classes
- Calligraphy classes
- Classes for both hand lettering and calligraphy
In case you are not familiar with the difference between hand lettering and calligraphy, you should check out this post here.
If you’re a complete beginner, check out the calligraphy beginner’s guide.
Let’s get started.
Free online classes for lettering and calligraphy?
I know,
Every time you hear that something is free, you probably think that it’s some crap or something shady, but not this time.
All of the classes on this list are being taught on a platform called Skillshare, and if you’re not familiar with it, let me give you a quick brief of what Skillshare is.
Skillshare is an online platform (and community) with nearly 30,000 classes in also sort of different creative fields such as –
- Art
- Business
- Design
- Entrepreneurship
- Illustration
- Technology
- Etc.
Basically, a whole bunch of professionals from different industries joining on a platform and sharing their skills, (hence the name).
One of the best features of this platform is that you get unlimited access to all of the classes for a flat fee.
Wait for a second, what flat fee? I thought you said it’s for free!?
Indeed I have!
Lettering Daily is part of the Skillshare ambassador program that allows us to offer 2 whole weeks of premium unlimited access on the platform.
That’s 14 days of free online video classes you can start watching right away, and in case you change your mind in this period you can quit with 0 restriction or any hidden fees.
I’ve learned so much through this platform, and it has been a game changer in learning new skills and improving existing ones.
If you’ve been reading our content or following us for a while, you know that we would never recommend you something that we didn’t believe in.
That all been said, let’s get started with our list!
Hand lettering classes
1. Hand lettering essentials for beginners – by Mary Kate McDevitt
Starting this list strongly with the most popular lettering course on Skillshare – with more than 60+ thousand students already.
In this class, Mary Kate will guide you through her whole process, showing you how to come up with concepts, sketching and finalizing your work.
What makes this class great?
- Ideal for beginners (even if you have 0 experience)
- A clear overview of a process that can be applied in all sort of different projects
- Not too long and not too short – the class covers a lot of ground, and Mary Kate delivers the content very efficiently
2. The golden secrets of script lettering – by Martina Flor
This class is taught by one of the best artists in the lettering community.
As the title says, this class is focused on script lettering, and basically, Martina will guide you from start to finish on how to create a final piece departing from your own handwriting.
What makes this class great?
- Great for beginners – no previous experience needed
- You will learn the fundamentals rules about letterforms, spacing, proportions, etc.
- The course is only 1 hour long which is great for those with a strict schedule
3. Illustrated Lettering: Drawing Intricate Floral forms – by Gemma O’Brien
This class is taught by the insanely talented Gemma O’Brien (a.k.a @mrseaves101) who is famous for her vast detailed filled and jaw-dropping murals that we see on Instagram.
In this class, you will be focused on combining floral illustrations with lettering (on a single letter to be more precise).
Gemma will share her process from start to finish, and this class is filled with lots of helpful tips along the way.
If you want to learn how to effectively combine illustrations with typography, this is definitely the class for you.
Here is what makes this class great?
- Very easy to follow
- Learning about illustrations
- Great tips on shading to add depth
- Short but concise (a bit more than an hour long)
4. The Golden Secrets of Hand-Lettering: Create the Perfect Postcard – by Martina Flor
This is another class by the talented Martina Flor, and this one has a more general overview in comparison to the first one.
This is a great class for both beginners and lettering artists willing to expand their knowledge, and as Martina says – ‘’After this class, you’ll see typography in a completely different way.’’
What makes this class great?
- Training your typographic eye
- Covering both analog and digital aspects of lettering
- Fundamental concepts
- Learning from a lettering master
5. Hand Lettering Techniques: Exploring Letterforms Through Monograms – by Will Pay
Will is a hand lettering artist based in New York, and in this class, you will learn how to create a hand-lettered monogram.
For those who don’t know, a monogram is a combination of 2 or more letters that are overlapping each other and thus creating a unique and recognizable mark.
Will will show you how to draw inspiration not only from other already existing monograms but also by going outside and exploring various architectural elements.
Here is what makes this class great?
- You will learn the anatomy of a letter.
- Understanding embellishment and other decorative elements
- How to design a monogram step by step
6. Illustrated Wordplay through Typography – by Rylsee
In this course, Cyril Vouilloz, aka RYLSEE is going to teach you a slightly different approach compared to the other classes on Skillshare.
Rylsee has a very unique, mind-bending style when it comes to lettering, and in this class, Rylsee will teach you how to find inspiration everywhere around you and how to transfer that inspiration in a playful lettering composition.
What makes this class great?
- Learning a different approach to finding inspiration
- Learn how to sketch and organize your ideas
- Great inking tips to improve your workflow
7. Lettering for Designers: One Drop Cap Letterform at a Time – by Jessica Hische
A good starting point for beginners! This class is taught by Jessica Hische, and its purpose is to give a basic introduction to hand lettering by designing a single letter.
Even if you are a more experienced with hand lettering, this class is excellent because Jessica is a professional lettering artist with lots of experience, and she will teach you her process that you can, later on, apply on any project you are working on.
What makes this class great?
- Learning from a real industry professional
- Diving into both analog and digital aspects of lettering
- Learning how to critique your own work
8. Hand Lettering for Chalk Murals – by Lauren Hom
This is the perfect class for anyone who wants to learn how to large scale chalk murals.
Lauren Hom will teach you everything you need to know from materials, gathering inspiration to sketching and transferring your work on a wall.
This is a rather short class, but Lauren made sure to pack it with value!
What makes this class great?
- Learn how to work with a different medium (chalk)
- Understanding the importance of hierarchy and sizing
- Great tips on how to add depth and details to your lettering
9. Hand Lettering Techniques: 5 Ways to Better Work – by Mary Kate McDevitt
Mary is indeed a great teacher, and she has several hand lettering classes on Skillshare.
The class is a bit more oriented towards more experienced lettering artists; however, you will be able to follow along even if you are a complete beginner.
This class is all about self-critique, and the goal is to create a hand lettering piece while paying attention to the 5 common mistakes.
What makes this class great?
- Learning how to avoid common mistakes
- Training your typographic eye
- Great tips on how to use colors effectively
10. Logotype Design: Create Brand Marks with Typography – by Mackey Saturday
Learn how to design stunning logotypes from one of the best logotype designers out there.
For those who are not familiar with Mackey’s work, he is the designer behind Instagram’s new (script) logotype, Unsplash, Oculus, and other logotypes for global brands.
The scope of this class is to create a hand drawn logotype of your favorite brand, and here is what makes this class great –
- Learning from a top designer in the industry
- Understanding fundamental design concepts (balance, symmetry, form, proportions, etc.)
- How to do client and market research
- Sketching, refining and finalizing your logotype
Best calligraphy classes
11. Calligraphy Essentials: From First Script to Final Flourish – by Seb Lester
Even if you don’t know who Seb Lester is you’ve probably seen his viral calligraphy videos online.
Seb is a calligrapher and designer based in the UK, and after years of watching his jaw-dropping videos on youtube and Instagram, I was so excited to see that he finally made an online class for calligraphy.
In this class, Seb will teach you how to get started with Italic calligraphy, and you will learn things like
- The tools needed
- How to hold your pen
- Warming up exercises
- Constructing both the minuscule and majuscule alphabet
- Flourishing techniques
- And the final assignment
Seb also included a free downloadable workbook that you can use simultaneously with the video lessons.
All in all, this is excellent and very well taught online course, and if you are interested in learning the Italic script, this is definitely the class for you.
Here is why this course rocks –
- A clear and concise class
- Flourishing fundamentals
- Feedback on your final assignment
- Free downloadable workbook and guidelines
12. Calligraphy for Beginners 1 – The Foundational Styles of Calligraphy – by Jackson Alves
The foundational hand is an ideal starting point for calligraphy beginners mostly due to its distinct shapes and letterforms.
This class is perfect for beginners, and many calligraphers recommend the foundational hand to be the first style that beginners should learn.
Another great thing about this course is that you don’t need any special pens because Jackson will teach you how to make your very own DIY calligraphy pen.
What makes this class great?
- Ideal for calligraphy beginners
- Learning the foundational hand will give you insights and knowledge that can be applied on different calligraphy scripts
- You will learn how to make your very own DIY calligraphy pen
13. Beginner Brush Lettering with Debi Sementelli
Debi is also part of our online community in our Facebook group (that’s how we met) where she is always sharing her work along with helpful tips and feedback to other members.
In this class, Debi will teach you everything on how to get started with brush lettering – from basic strokes and foundational concepts all the way to flourishing and creating your own custom pieces.
What makes this class great?
- A complete beginner overview from start to finish
- You will learn basic concepts such as whole arm movements and basic strokes
- More advanced techniques such as flourishing
- Downloadable templates that will help you practice along with the class.
14. Brushpen Logo Design: Develop Your Signature Style – by Matt Vergotis
In this class, you will learn how to create a custom signature logo.
This is a beginners course, and in the first part of this class, Matt will teach you the basics of brush calligraphy, how to build muscle memory, how to create the brush effect without a brush pen (with a regular pencil) as well as some tips for those who are left-handed.
The second part is all about transferring your work to Illustrator, vectorizing your work and applying a mark along with a tagline.
What makes this class great?
- For beginners as well as more experienced artists
- Great tips for left-handed artists
- Alternative techniques if you don’t have a brush pen
- Vectorization and how to apply complementing elements
15. Calligraphy for Beginners 2 – The Elegance of Italics – by Jackson Alves
Learn the fundamentals of the Italic script in this class with Jackson Alves.
This class is very well structured so even beginners will have a pleasant and smooth learning experience.
You will learn everything from how to hold your pen and prepare your writing surface, to how to construct the alphabet and flourishes.
Here is what makes this course great –
- Very well structured and easy to follow
- Teaches also how to construct numbers aside from the letters
16. Calligraphy for Beginners 3 – The Brush Pen Letters – by Jackson Alves
The third and last part of the Calligraphy for Beginners series is all about brush lettering.
As mentioned, if you are a complete beginner, then I would suggest watching all the classes (starting from the 1st) because it will give you a better understanding and a foundation for this last course – as Jackson says – ‘’Walk first and then run’’.
What makes this class great?
- Teaches you about the different brush pens
- Covers the basics about brush lettering
- Everything you need to know on how to get started
17. Strong Lines 3: The Gentle Gothics – by Alice Young
This class is all about Gothics with the parallel pen. Gentle Gothic is a custom developed script by Alice Young influenced by the traditional Gothic scripts.
Although they share certain similarities, the Gentle Gothics have a more modern approach in their structure.
Ideal for beginners, Alice provides you with downloadable and printable practice sheets that you can use along with her videos lessons.
What makes this course great?
- Great for beginners who wish to learn the gothic script
- Learn additional concepts such as balance and spacing
- Free downloadable practice sheets that help you practice along with the videos
18. Modern Calligraphy: Pointed Pen Basics – by Audrey Ko
This is the ultimate course for learning modern calligraphy with a dip pen and ink.
Audrey will guide you throughout the whole process in this quite long 3+ hour class.
You will learn what modern calligraphy is, the basic strokes, tips & troubleshooting and the whole uppercase and lowercase alphabet.
Basically, in this class, you will learn everything you need to know – even if you are a complete beginner to calligraphy.
What makes this class great?
- Very beginner friendly – no previous knowledge or experience is required
- Troubleshooting section – working with a dip pen is not as simple as a brush pen marker, so this section is beneficial
- Downloadable practice sheets are excellent and provide a better learning experience
Classes for both hand lettering & calligraphy
19. Hand Lettering to Refined Vector – by Lindsey Meredith
Vectorizing is a skill that can be applied to both hand lettering & calligraphy.
There are several classes on Skillshare that teach how to vectorize your lettering, but this one stood out because it will show you not 1 but 3 different methods.
Here is what makes this class great –
- Learn 3 different methods of vectorizing your work
- Short but straight to the point!
20. The Business of Calligraphy: Pricing, Marketing & Freelancing for Lettering Artists – by Molly Suber Thorpe
Do you want to start monetizing your lettering & calligraphy skills, but you don’t know how and where to get started? Do you feel lost in the world of freelancing?
If so, this is the perfect class for you!
In this class, Molly will answer to the most frequently asked questions when it comes to pricing your artwork and it will give you a solid understanding on how to get started as well as additional insights in case you are already in business.
Here is what makes this class great –
- Learn how to set prices
- How to advertise your work on a budget
- Dealing with client issues
- and more
21. Hand Lettering in Motion – by Jake Bartlett
Do you want to learn how to make cool lettering animations?
Well, this class is all about creating smooth and awesome looking animations with your own lettering/calligraphy.
The project for this class is to animate a greeting card that you can send to a friend, and Jake will guide you through the whole process step-by-step.
The whole thing is done in Adobe After Effects, and even if you don’t have any previous experience, you will be able to follow this class with ease.
What makes this great?
- Beginner friendly (no previous experience needed)
- Learn different ways of animating your artwork
- Learning a unique skill
Conclusion
Ok, we finally made it to the end!
I know this seemed like a long list, but there are more than 500 different classes on lettering and calligraphy that you can start watching today.
Skillshare is a fantastic platform that is making a positive impact on education and changing the way we learn new skills.
As mentioned at the beginning, you have two whole weeks for free, and if you still don’t find it useful (which I doubt you will), you can cancel your subscription with 0 consequences or any hidden fees.
There are classes in so many different fields, imagine how much you can learn by taking a few classes every week!
Hope you enjoyed our recommendation, and if you have any question, feel free to reach out at any time.
Until the next time,
Stay AWESOME!
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About the author
Hey, I’m Max Juric, and I’m deeply passionate about calligraphy and hand lettering.
I’ve spent years honing my skills in the art of lettering, working with hundreds of clients from all over the world on design projects such as logotypes, branding, custom lettering, murals, and more.
But my journey doesn’t end there. I’ve also dedicated myself to sharing my knowledge and expertise with others, creating a wealth of resources including tutorials, articles, and podcasts.
It’s been incredibly rewarding to see thousands of people engaging with my content each month. Knowing that I’m helping fellow enthusiasts grow and develop their skills makes me really happy.
Welcome to Lettering Daily, your hub for all things lettering and calligraphy. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, I’m here to inspire and guide you on your lettering journey. Stick around, and let’s explore the world of letters together!
Thank you, Max, I appreciate your post. I took a class from Alice Young (Gentle Gothics) on Skillshare long ago, and I think very highly of her. I learned quite a bit with her class. Keep up the good work!
Max thank you for compiling the info for your site viewers on so many different topics, including this one. There is so much information provided here, with links to more resources and information, plus other experts who contribute. Your efforts save so much time, both in just finding resources but also comparison shopping. Throw in the perks like two weeks, no risk, to try Skillshare and you have given visitors to your site so much value! The Crate, the tutorials and articles, all of this is really a lot of work and yet you respond to the comments on the articles yourself. Much appreciation and respect to you! Thank you for Lettering Daily and for being such a nice, professional, and sincerely helpful person.
WOW! Holy smokes! Thank you so much for the super kind comment 🙂 It really means a lot, and I’m so glad you are enjoying my work and everything that I do here.
I’m a beginner and your post is very helpful. There are so many classes that I felt lost. Thank you so much!
Glad to hear that 🙂
Thank you so much! Do you have any recommendations for copperplate calligraphy class on skillshare?
Hey thank you for your comment. Unfortunately at the very moment, it doesn’t really seem like there are a lot of copperplate courses on Skillshare.
However, if you are interested in learning more about Copperplate calligraphy, you can check out this tutorial here.
It would’ve been nice to include “Skillshare” in the title. I think we all know that you’re being paid for promoting them (which is totally fine, dolla dolla bills y’all) but the way this article was worded made it feel more like “21 websites with tutorials” or something. I just feel a bit miffed that this was essentially an advertisement under the guise of a helpful blog post. Readers aren’t stupid, and while it’s a great list of *skillshare* classes, I would’ve liked to see a little more transparency up front. You don’t even mention it’s something you need to put your cc info on until the end of the post, and that felt like a violation of my trust as a reader. I hope you take this feedback to heart- it’s not coming from a bad place I assure you, because I love Lettering Daily, but I’m pretty disappointed in this attempt to sell without selling.
Thank you so much for your feedback! I appreciate the honesty and I’m sorry you feel that the title was misleading. I figured that the term ”classes” would make it obvious enough. Before we start to mention any of the classes, I explain that the classes are taught through skillshare, and how it exactly works, and it does say at the beginning of the post that there is a flat fee for their platform – like I did at the end of the post (perhaps you missed the first one) The reason i didn’t fit the word ”Skillshare” in the title is because we have a limited amount of characters we can use in our article titles (from an SEO pov) and it’s already reaching the very limit as it is. Despite all of this, i completely understand your point of view and i will definitely take this in consideration for our future posts and be more transparent about it – especially if we end up promoting an external service/product.
Thank you so much! This will be so helpful. Really appreciate your hardwork.
Would be awesome to have a list of tutorials/clasess on how to vectorise your lettering and transfer to making stationary and other products…maybe in the future! Thanks
You are very welcome! One of the classes on this list teaches you how to vectorize your artwork and there are several more available on Skillshare that we did not cover in this post. As for the second part where is to transfer them to stationery products i am not 100% sure, but you can browse through their website and see if they have something. In case they don’t, feel free to reach out via email or our social platforms and i will personally assist you with this 🙂 Let me know if there is anything else i can do. Cheers!