Everyone loves a good throwback every now and then and these 3 easy steps will have you creating decade-inspired happy mail in no time! Hey y’all! It’s Lauren of @renmadecalligraphy and I’m here to share a fun lettering project. What’s your favorite decade? I love the retro style of the 50’s as well as the flare and neon that came with the 80’s and 90’s. This week the Design Team has been making the old new again and I’m excited to show you how to create a handlettered envelope with the lettering tools, color palette, and style perfect for your favorite decade!
1. PICK YOUR FAVORITE DECADE & LETTERING TOOLS
Before you get started, you’ll have to pick your favorite decade and the right tools to complement it. Here’s a list of the major lettering tools you’ll need for each decade.
- 50’s-Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens
- Create quirky lettering with retro details
- 60’s- Tombow MONO Drawing Pen
- Make bright lettering with Dual Brush Pens and doodle inside
- 70’s- Dual Brush Pens
- Create curvy letters with the brush Tip and create a groovy colored design inside
- 80’s- Dual Brush Pens and Monotwin Permanent Marker
- Create bold lettering outlined in black
- 90’s-Dual Brush Pens and Monotwin Permanent Marker
- Draw in bright shapes in the background with black monoline lettering and doodles
Mix and match your favorite tools to create a unique style true to your favorite decade!
2. THROWBACK THE COLORS
Colors give us a true feeling of a time period. The 96-Set of Dual Brush Pens offer a plethora of possibilities when it comes to creating color palettes inspired by a certain time. Above is a color guide of Dual Brush Pens that go with each decade. The 50’s are all about clean and pastel colors, the 60’s and 70’s are bright, bold, warm, and groovy, and the 80’s and 90’s are neon with black accents. Keep the palettes fun and adventurous to showcase your favorite decade on an envelope! Now, we are ready to use the color inspiration to make a throwback lettering style.
3. MAKE OLD STYLES NEW AGAIN
Now it’s time to get inspired. Go Pinterest-searching for some decade inspiration. Look up advertisements, pictures of that time’s pop culture, and the color story of that time. After searching, create your own style incorporating all of these ideas into one fun styled envelope. Be bold and adventurous… I’ll leave this up to you. Create your own styles true to your favorite time.
Once you’ve planned it all out, it’s time to create some fun mail using the inspiration. Here are my envelopes inspired by the 50’s, 80’s, and 90’s. Can you tell which one belongs in which decade? Now it’s your turn! Go for it and have fun! To purchase all of these lettering tools go to TombowUSA.com and make sure to head over to Instagram and say hi on @tombowusa and @renmadecalligraphy.
Happy Lettering!
Lauren