7 Great Places to Find Lettering Inspiration and Ideas

Need some fresh lettering inspiration or ideas?

Here are seven great places to find inspiration as a lettering artist – most are completely free!

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1. Instagram

There’s a ton of lettering art inspiration to be found on Instagram.

Just start searching for lettering topics, or look for new artists to follow.

There are a lot of beautiful and inspiring accounts that I enjoy following myself.

Instagram is also a great place to find lettering challenges to participate in, which is the perfect way to stay motivated to keep doing lettering.

The community of lettering artists on Instagram is really supportive, so you’ll be sure to make some lettering friends if you want to start posting your own artwork!

I’ve been sharing my art on Instagram since 2019. Of course, the platform has changed a lot since then, but it can still be a lot of fun.

Just be careful because it’s easy to get caught in the comparison trap – and to focus too much on numbers 🙂

If you aren’t on Instagram but you’re on Facebook, you could look for Facebook pages or groups. (Here’s my Facebook page.)

2. Pinterest

Pinterest is another great platform to find inspiration and ideas on.

Try searching for “hand lettered quotes” or “lettering ideas” to get inspo for new styles, layouts, journal spreads, or creative ways to use pens and markers.

Saving all the lettering ideas you like to boards categorized by topic makes it easy to come back to them whenever you need to.

You might also like: Creative Ways to Use Hand Lettering (15 Project Ideas)

3. Skillshare classes

Skillshare is an online learning platform with classes on many different topics, taught by lots of different people.

There’s a great assortment of hand lettering and calligraphy classes on Skillshare taught by people you may already love following on social media.

Just use the search bar or categories to find your favorite topic and see what classes are available.

These classes are a fun way to expand your skills and try new lettering styles, which is one of the best ways to stay motivated and inspired!

You can get your first month on Skillshare for free.

4. Books

There are lots of books out there about all kinds of calligraphy, lettering, and typography.

If you love books, this is a great way to always have inspiration within your reach!

Some lettering books are more about the historical or technical side of the art, but others are full of colorful pictures, examples, alphabets, and project ideas.

Here are some calligraphy and lettering books that look really interesting:

• The Big Awesome Book of Hand & Chalk Lettering
• Brush Lettering Made Simple
• Chalk Art and Lettering 101: An Introduction to Chalkboard Lettering, Illustration, Design, and More
• Hand Lettering Ledger: A Practical Guide to Creating Serif, Script, Illustrated, Ornate, and Other Totally Original Hand-Drawn Styles

You can also check to see what books are available at your local library or art stores.

5. Fonts and typography

Taking inspiration from the fonts and typography you see around you in everyday life is a totally free way to find new ideas!

I like looking at the fonts and typography I see on books, packaging, magazines, and other things that come in the mail.

You might also find interesting typography on signs, products in stores, menus, or websites online.

Sometimes just looking at different font styles and designs sparks a new idea for something you could try.

6. YouTube

We all know YouTube is a great source of free videos and tutorials.

There are lots of fun lettering and calligraphy tutorials that you can take advantage of, either to make something new or just learn more about it.

Here are a few lettering/art YouTube channels I recommend checking out:

• By Heidi Grace YouTube channel (that’s me!) – lettering and watercolor tutorials
• The Happy Ever Crafter on Youtube – calligraphy and lettering
• How to Hand Letter on Youtube – more calligraphy and hand lettering

7. Your old work

Yep… your own work can be a fantastic place to find inspiration if you’ve been doing lettering for a while.

When you’re feeling stuck, try pulling out one of your old lettering pieces from years past and reworking it with a fresh perspective.

Or, if you’re like me, you have lots of unfinished lettering drafts stashed away for “some other time” that you could pull out.

It’s often easier to continue working on something you already started than to make something from scratch.

This is why I make sure not to throw everything away – I always save some things so I can revisit them later!

How do you find inspiration for your lettering? I hope these are helpful when you need some new ideas!

You might also enjoy: 21 Fun and Easy Ways to Embellish Hand Lettering