How to do Custom Lettering without a Fancy Machine

I keep seeing so many amazing projects that people are making using their Cricut, Sillouette or other "fancy" machines.   While I love the results (and would definitely love to get one of those machines myself at some point), I often use an "old school" technique to achieve similar results.  I can do my own lettering in just about any font, any size and any color using nothing fancier than a regular computer, printer, lead pencil and acrylic paints.  It also works for simple graphics and pictures as well.

Check out these cute nameplates I made for some new Bedside Bookshelves for my kids.  The lettering is a lot nicer than I could do just freehand, but I was able to do it without a special machine. 

NOTE:  I've been told that the Curlz MT font ranks up there with Comic Sans, Papyrus and others in the "fonts to hate" category  ;)  However, my girls love the "letters with the curlicues" out of the limited fonts I have to choose from, so it still works fine for us!  :) 
 

Here's what you do:

1.  Find a font that you like on your word processing software and adjust the font size so it's as large as you need it to be.  Then print it out on regular paper.

2.  Cut out the name or word you'll be using, then turn it over.  Using a pencil, rub over the back side of the paper.  ( You don't have to cover the whole paper, just over the letters.)

3.  Turn your paper over and place it on the surface where you want your word or image to be.  Here I put it on the wooden slats I was using for the name plates, but I've done it directly on a wall before too.  Using your pencil, trace over the letters applying medium pressure.

4.  Lift up your paper and you'll see that you now have a copy of the word on your surface.

It's light, but you can see the outline of all the letters.

5.  Using a stiff, fine-tipped paintbrush and acrylic paints, paint your letters using the guidelines you just made.

6.  For this project, I used a ruler to add a frame around the edge of each name plate and then painted that too.

Obviously, this transfer technique wouldn't work on fabrics or other porous surfaces, but it's a great option for wood, walls or any other smooth surface.

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