Drawing 3-D Letter Name Designs is a non-intimidating way to start art class! Name design drawings also help the teacher learn student names right from the start!
3-D lettering can be used to create name tags, graffiti name designs, sketchbook covers, or art portfolio designs! This tutorial makes drawing 3-d lettering easy and fun! Let’s try it out!
STEP 1: Practice first!
- Let’s start by drawing the letter “E” with a ruler.
- Try to draw your lines with accurate horizontal and vertical lines.
STEP 2: Add diagonal lines
- Draw a diagonal line from each corner on the left side of the letter.
- IMPORTANT: All of these lines need to be drawn at the same length and at the same angle.
- TIP: When drawing the angle of each line, visualize the hands of a clock.
- In the example below, all of the lines could be described as being drawn at the 8 o’clock position.
STEP 3: Repeat the shape of the “E” farther back
- Draw lines that connect the ends of the angled lines.
- Notice how these lines are drawn to match the vertical and horizontal sides of the “E”
FInish by drawing the last 2 horizontal lines:
STEP 4: Try it again! Draw another block letter E
- This time draw the E to show the angles on the right side of the “E”.
- The angles are draw to the “4 o’clock” porition this time
STEP 5: Color it in!
- Once you have the hang of it, color in the side panels to complete the effect!
Some letters are tricker than others! Here is an example of an “S’ and a “A”.
TIP: It’s important to remember is that the edges of the side panels exactly match the angles and curves of the letter
STEP 6: Try drawing your name!
- Start by drawing your name in neat block letters or print your name in an open block letter font. Google Block letter-style Fonts: that will work for this are Staatliches, Russo One, or Archivo Black. (Use Powerpoint: Format Text >Fill white> Text Outline>black ) and practice the angled lines on the printed copy!
Here’s an easy 3-D Letter Name Design optical Illusion to try!
- Color one side black and one side gray or another color
- Trace an outline around your name. Match the shapes of the letters with straight and angled diagonal lines.
- Trace vertical lines from every corner and angled dip from the border of the outline.
- Start drawing lines on each column that match the same angle of the line of the outline.
- This will create an optical illusion that looks like the paper is bending!
- Use colored pencil gradient color blends or patterns to decorate your letters
Have fun adding colorful patterns however you like!
Here are a few shading tips:
- To increase the bent optical illusion effect use cooler, darker colors for the “low” areas and warmer, brighter colors for the “high” areas
- Shade the “creases” with cooler colors
- Remember: Cool colors visually recede and warm colors advance
If you are interested in worksheet tutorials or Name Designs you might be interested in these art lessons!
This Graffiti name design lesson is a student-test favorite!
Includes:
- Step-by-Step Instruction Packet to guide teaching and for student self-guided use or to leave for a Substitute.
- Guided Video to assist your students!
- 4 Art teacher “Must Have” Handouts! Support Handouts to help students develop skills to create a variety of hand-drawn lettering fonts:
- How to Draw Block Letters
- How to Draw Bubble Letters
- How to Draw 3-D Letters with Drop Shadows
- How to Shade Metallic Lettering…and much more!
Related Post: Combine your 3-D name design with optical illusions for even more fun!
HERE’S one more 3-d Name Design Idea!
