How To Do Chalkboard Lettering

Reasons to Have a Chalkboard

If you like signs, you will love a chalkboard.
Chalkboards provide art that can change seasonally, for free.
Chalkboards are a place to practice your lettering skills.
Did I mention seasonal decor?
Chalkboards are a fun way to make your kiddo feel special on their birthday.
Doing any type of art has been shown to relieve stress. (art=therapy & self-care)

Secrets for Making Chalkboard Lettering that Looks Good

We see signs and chalkboards with beautiful lettering everywhere. Literally.all.over.the.place. But did you know that you- yes you!-can make those signs and chalkboards look like that too?

How to People DO That?

Curious how some people get their chalkboard lettering so….perfect? Chalkboard lettering doesn’t have to be difficult. In this blog post, I’m going to show you how to do chalkboard lettering and chalkboard art the easy way. You don’t need anything special (no fancy equipment like a Cricut); only a few things and you are set to learn this cheater method!

When “Just Looking at Something” Doesn’t Work

My mom has mentioned many times that she “can’t believe I can just freehand letters on a chalkboard and make them look good.” I’m always quick to tell her that I “look at something” while I am doing it.

(If you want to see a few of the no-fuss chalkboards I have done, scroll down my Instagram feed and you will come across several!)

While I find it fun to look at a pretty font and try and recreate it, a lot of people would look at me and think, “Fun?! This girl is off her rocker!” (And they would probably be right, but that’s neither here nor there. wink.)

Chalkboards are for Writing On & Kitchens are for Dancing In

A chalkboard isn’t happy unless it has some chalk on it. Without any words on it, it just looks like some dark black abyss….

My chalkboard in this picture says, “This kitchen is for dancing.”

Music is on a lot at our house. I absolutely love music and song lyrics. If I realize I am feeling anxious or stressed, putting music on always helps improve my mindset. Plus it’s free fun! (And gives your ten year old something to roll her eyes about, so there’s that as well.)

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You Don’t Have to Have Pretty Handwriting

I want to show you how to rectify this STAT. Don’t worry, you won’t have to just look at something and recreate it.

I’m going to show you how to copy something easily using a FREE printable template. Why is this important? Well, you no longer have to have beautiful handwriting to get that “hand-lettered chalkboard sign” look. You can get it regardless of your artistic ability. Woot woot! (Yes, I just said “woot woot!” I never claimed I was cool….) Keep reading below to see how to create your own chalkboard lettering you can be proud of.

Materials You Need For Chalkboard Lettering

chalk
OR chalkboard pens
chalkboard (you can mount with 3M Command Strips–> they are my GO TO!)
template (Go here to sign up for the FREE Printable Resource Library!)
printer
copy paper

How to Make Pretty Chalkboard Lettering

First, you will need to print the 4 page FREE printable template. (You’ll need to cut the border of the paper so that the font matches up on all edges. Tape together.)

2. Next, flip your template over to the backside and heavily rub chalk on the back. This is what will transfer to your chalkboard. I used blue so you could see easily in the picture, but just use white! 🙂

3. Tape the template to your chalkboard and start tracing the letters. Press firmly with a pencil to trace completely. (This will cause the chalk on the back to transfer onto the chalkboard.)

4. You can trace the letters two ways: either coloring in the entire letter or tracing the outer edges of each letter. (I show what each technique looks like in the image below.) This won’t be perfect…yet.

5. The last step is to go back over the transfer with chalk to make your letters and design more “crisp” and polished. (This took me longer since I had used blue chalk to show up for the transfer. Use whatever color on the back of the template that you want for your finished color.)