Hand Lettering: The Basics

Part 5: Keeping Your Letter Sizes Consistent

Giving your words a natural rhythm.

Now that we know how to keep our writing sitting on a straight line, the next simple trick to make your handwriting look neatly presented is consistency in size. When your letters are all roughly the same height, your text instantly becomes easier to read and feels incredibly grounded.

When I was practicing my letters on a standard, single-lined sheet of paper, I found it incredibly helpful to mentally break that single line space into thirds. It is a fantastic trick that completely prevents your sentences from looking squashed, crowded, or messy.

Here is exactly how to divide that single line space as you write:

• The Bottom Third: This is your baseline. Short letters like a, e, i, o, c sit here, taking up just the bottom third of the line space.
• The Middle Third: This is where your tall letters like h, l, t, b, d reach up into.
• The Below-the-Line Third: This is for your hanging letters like y, j, g, p, q. Let them drop partway down into the empty space below the line you are writing on, keeping them neat and controlled.

By keeping your letters tucked into the bottom and middle thirds, you are intentionally leaving the top third of your line space completely empty. That empty top third acts as a safety buffer. When the loops and tails from the sentence above drop down, they fall safely into that empty space, meaning your lines of writing will never crash or sit right on top of each other.

Please remember: perfection isn't key here. You don't need to pull out a microscopic measuring tape. The goal is simply to be aware of these spaces and slow down enough to let your hand find that natural rhythm. Just having the awareness in your mind as you write will transform your page.

Your Next Project: The Note of Appreciation

To practice your letter sizes, your project is to create a small card or slip of paper featuring a message of appreciation or warmth for someone else. This is completely open—it could be a simple "Thank you" card for a helpful neighbour, a cheerful "Happy Birthday" note for a family member, or a short message letting a friend know you are glad to have them in your life.

Grab a piece of neat, lined paper or lightly sketch single straight lines onto a blank card. Write out your chosen words slowly. Focus on letting your small letters occupy the bottom third, your tall letters stop in the middle third, and your tails drop safely below. Once your ink dries and you erase any pencil marks, you'll be left with a beautifully balanced piece of writing that shows love through both your words and the deliberate care you took to write them.