Hand Lettered Wood Slice Art

The best part about hand lettering is its versatility- you can write on so many surfaces, and I almost always have a pen and paper with me to write on the go. But sometimes it is fun to really take things up a notch and make an impact with my designs. One of my favorite things to do with my hand lettering is to put it on a painted wood slice. They are not as hard as one might think, either! I wanted to give a little more info on how I create mine so you can try it too.

THE WOOD: I have found my wood slices at stores like Michael’s and Target (which totally surprised me!), but you can also get them online on Amazon and other craft stores. I’ve used several brands, but Walnut Hollow is a great brand of wood slices and they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

THE PAINT: After I make sure the slice is smooth and clean, I simply paint a base color with a simple acrylic craft paint- usually it takes a few coats- and then add the other decorative designs.  I have been collecting a decent amount of craft paint colors for these wood slices!

THE LETTERING: The easiest way to actually do the lettering is to sketch it out directly on the painted base lightly with a pencil (if I’m concerned about making my quote fit, I will trace the outline of the wood slice and practice sketching inside of that first) and then go over it with a paint pen (I use the Sharpie brand) in “faux calligraphy” style- write it out in monoline, and then fill in the heavier downstrokes afterward (This Post from Laura Hooper explains faux calligraphy nicely).  Any stray pencil lines can be erased when all the paint is dried..

I love adding soft floral details to a wood piece- they are both natural elements, but one is rough and textural, and the other is soft and light. I love how each piece is different, and beautiful in its own way. You should try adding your own art to wood pieces too!