8 Ways to Make Your Handwriting Look Fancier
So maybe you don’t have the best handwriting…
…but did you know there are simple tweaks you can add to make it look a little more fancy?
Whether you need cute writing ideas for your journal, want to write nicely in greeting cards, or are putting together a handmade gift, here are some simple tricks to elevate your everyday writing.
1. Add a swash to the ends of words
Adding a simple swash (swirled line) at the ends of a word makes it look so much more elegant – even if your writing isn’t very elegant!
Fonts with this feature are popular lately, but you can easily add it to your own handwriting for the same effect.
Just make a swash come off the first and last letter of the word.
The key to making this look good is to keep the swashes smooth and flowing.
It’s best to make them go up at one end and down at the other.
The smoother the swirled line is, the better this will look. You can make the swash as long or as short as you like!
2. Make loops bigger
Any letter that has a loop (for example, b, d, h, g, y) can be exaggerated to make your writing look cuter.
Just look for any loops and make them much bigger than usual.
To make it look even cuter, keep the other parts of the letters smaller to accentuate the big loops even more.
3. Add a flourish to letter tails and crossbars
What do I mean by letter tails?
They’re the extending parts of letters like y and g.
You can take those tails and add a little swash or flourish coming off them.
Here are some ideas:
Similarly, you can add a little swirl or flourish whenever you have to cross the letter “t.”
Forget the boring straight line and add a bit of elegance instead!
I love crossing a t because you can have so much fun with it.
Once again, the smoother and more natural you can make the swirls and lines look, the better.
4. Make it skinnier
Often just by making your writing more skinny you can make it look more refined.
This is especially true with cursive handwriting styles, but you can also apply it to print writing.
Make the letters thinner and a little taller if you need to. This is an easy way to make your writing look different.
5. Add curls to the ends of a word
Another way to make your writing look a little more pretty is to add curls to the ends of words.
Similar to adding a long swash, you’ll start the first letter with a rounded curl and finish the last letter with one, too.
Imagine that you’re wrapping these around a circle shape to keep them rounded and elegant-looking.
6. Surround it with a banner
This can be super easy.
You can write the word(s) first and then draw the banner around it, or start by drawing the banner first.
Either way, here’s how to draw a simple but cute banner:
- Draw two parallel lines of the same length.
- Close off the ends by drawing two lines to make a V shape.
You can even make the banner curved if you want to change it up.
This idea is great for headers in your bullet journal or even just writing someone’s name on an envelope!
7. Write at a slant
One simple way to change how your writing looks is to make it slanted.
This is just like switching to the italic version of the font you’re using!
Of course, this will look best if you keep the angle consistent instead of all over the place.
Sometimes I will just angle the paper and write as usual to make it slanted.
8. Use a very fine pen
A really fine pen tip can make your writing look more fancy, light, and almost “lacy” in appearance.
This works best for a cursive style of writing.
Here are some fine-tipped pens you can try (affiliate links):
- Sakura Pigma Micron Fineliner pens have really tiny tip sizes, and the ink is high quality too.
- These Sharpie gel pens are rollerball pens with fine tips.
- For colored pens, I like using these Staedtler Fineliner pens with a 0.3mm tip.
If you’re shopping for pens, just look for “fine tip” or “fine liner” pens. Those are great for detailed drawing and small writing.
Just these simple touches make your handwriting look a bit fancier and more special without spending a ton of time practicing!
Save these ideas for later ⬇️
