Unfiltered Thoughts
by Jessica Molina
My Lettering and Illustration Process
As a professional lettering artist and illustrator for the past few years, I thought it was high time I gave you all an inside look at my full process for creating my lettering and illustration pieces. This particular piece was client work created for Bloomscape as part of their Artist Program for Instagram.
4 Steps to Better Lettering: Finalizing
In Step 3 of my 4 Steps to Better Lettering series, we went from simple thumbnail sketch to outlining the skeleton of our sketch, adding weight to the letters, and finalizing the sketch for the next phase.
In the fourth and final step of my series, I’m going to go over my process for adding color, shadows and highlights, and texture to make the finished artwork look polished and professional.
4 Steps to Better Lettering: Sketching
In Step 2 of my 4 Steps to Better Lettering series, I showed how you can use thumbnail sketches to quickly create multiple layouts to choose a composition for your final artwork.
In this next step, I’ll go over how to take your chosen thumbnail and build up to create the final composition.
4 Steps to Better Lettering: Thumbnails
In the first step of my 4 Steps to Better Lettering series, I explained how to establish hierarchy in your designs to create beautiful and visually interesting compositions.
In this next step, I’m going to explain how to quickly ideate on several layouts in order to get the best composition you can.
4 Steps to Better Lettering: Hierarchy
Designing beautiful lettering compositions can be mystifying to a beginner hand lettering artist. Seeing all these amazing artists on Instagram coming up with such seemingly perfect layouts can be just as intimidating as it is inspiring. So, how do you level up your lettering to make your compositions more visually interesting?
Holiday Handlettering Workshop
I am SO excited to announce my upcoming online class, Holiday Handlettering Using Apple Procreate! I’ve teamed up with fellow professional lettering artist Caroline Staniski to bring you this online workshop to teach you the basics of digital lettering plus tips on how to level up!
More GIFs for Instagram Stories
SUPRISE! Even MORE custom GIF stickers for Instagram Stories, and 2 of these were trending, bringing my total GIPHY views to over 110 million! 🎉 Be sure to tag me in your Stories if you use any of them 😊 What other phrases would you like to see me create?
Free Black Lives Matter Posters
Our fellow black Americans are being murdered with no justice being served. They are tired. WE are tired. We've reached a boiling point and thoughts and prayers aren't enough. We need ACTION from police and politicians. MAKE THIS SENSELESS KILLING STOP.
Shop Small Collaboration
SHOP SMALL: 25 artists coming together to showcase the beauty of small business 🛍️ Click here to shop this unique t-shirt design 👚
New GIFs for Instagram Stories
I created my first set of custom GIFs especially for Instagram Stories! I’ve titled the collection “Working Hard” for those times you want to share what you’re working so hard on. The “Making Magic” GIF was trending on GIPHY, and I have over 30 million views on the entire set already!