On this tutorial, you’ll uncover the way to create a dynamic, galaxy-inspired hand lettering poster utilizing Affinity Designer. Drawing inspiration from Dr. Sally Experience, the primary American girl in house, we’ll concentrate on bringing her well-known phrases to life:
“The celebrities do not look larger, however they do look brighter”
You’ll be guided step-by-step, from the sketch to a shocking piece of digital artwork, utilizing Affinity Designer’s highly effective options to create a cool lettering design. Whether or not you’re a newbie or trying to improve your abilities, this lettering tutorial will make it easier to uncover some helpful suggestions and methods.
Get your pill prepared and dive into this artistic journey!
Be happy to make use of the sketch I’ve created for this tutorial by right-clicking and choosing Save Picture As… to reserve it.
Step 3
When you’re pleased together with your sketch, scan it or put it aside as a picture file and drag and drop to import it into Affinity Designer. Word that Affinity Designer supplies you with a brief cheat sheet on the backside of the display screen for each device you choose. I really like this function because it makes it really easy to know the way to use new instruments and their corresponding hotkeys.
Step 4
To make tracing simpler, decrease the Opacity of the imported sketch to 25% and Lock the sketch layer.
Step 5
To get a greater view of your complete art work, go to View > New View.
Step 6
The New View window will seem, permitting you to see the entire art work directly. You may preserve this window open in your second display screen to see a zoomed-out model of your poster whereas engaged on specific areas of the lettering design.
Step 1
Choose the Pen Instrument (P) from the toolbar and begin tracing the primary letter of “Greater”. Set the Stroke shade to black and its Width to 0.5 pt within the management panel on prime. Click on to create anchor factors alongside the sides of your letter, and drag to regulate the curve handles for easy, exact traces. Bear in mind to seek the advice of the device cheat sheet on the backside of the display screen.
If you wish to turn out to be more adept with the Affinity Designer Pen Tool, take a look at our complete tutorial that covers every thing that you must learn about this highly effective device!
Step 2
Proceed utilizing the Pen Instrument (P) to hint the letter “B”. Zoom in (Management-Mouse Wheel) for larger accuracy when engaged on detailed areas. Comply with the contours of the sketch intently. You may create separate shapes for every a part of the letter, making them simpler to edit individually.
To control the handles, change to the Node Instrument (A) by holding down the Management key. Use Backspace to take away pointless nodes.
The Pen Instrument in Affinity Designer lets you create exact paths, and switching to the Node Instrument is nice for fine-tuning your paths by adjusting particular person factors and handles.
Step 3
Right here you possibly can see how I’ve divided the letter “B” into two sections to make tracing simpler. Preserve enjoying with the Affinity Designer Node Instrument (A) to regulate the place of the nodes and their handles for a smoother look. The less nodes you’ve, the higher.
Step 4
In case your letter “B” has a number of components, use the Boolean Operations panel on prime to merge them right into a single form. Choose the related components of the “B”, after which click on the Add button within the Boolean panel.
Step 5
Whereas the Pen Instrument is nice for exact tracing and designing, we’ll change to the Pencil Instrument (N) for extra fluid, natural traces so as to add character to our lettering. Set the Stroke shade to black and the Width to 0.5 pt. When utilizing the Pencil Instrument (N) in Affinity Designer, you do not have to hint the whole letter in a single stroke. For difficult parts, activate the Sculpt possibility within the prime management panel. This lets you begin the road and pause at any level. Whereas your line is chosen, you possibly can proceed from there, and the road will join robotically.
You can even allow the Stabilizer operate for smoother strokes. Regulate its power by altering the Size worth to your liking. Draw the letter “I”, following your sketch.
Step 6
Use the Ellipse Instrument (M) to create the dot above the letter “I”. Then, Convert it to Curves by clicking the button within the management panel on prime, and use the Node Instrument (A) to form it extra organically. Consider it as molding a tiny planet to prime off your “I”. This small contact could make a world of distinction to your lettering!
Step 7
Take a step again and have a look at the letter you’ve got created. Having too many anchor factors could make the letter look too noisy and tough. Let’s tidy it up!
Choose your letter and click on the Clean curve Motion within the management panel on prime. It should make the form smoother and extra flowing. However watch out: this device would possibly alter your letter’s silhouette a bit. After smoothing, ensure that to regulate it so it nonetheless matches your authentic idea.
Step 8
Subsequent, let’s deal with the letter “G”. Select your most popular device and begin tracing, utilizing your sketch as a information. When you’re glad with the outcome, it is time for some fine-tuning. Choose the letter with the Node Instrument (A), and search for any sharp corners.
Swap to the Nook Instrument (C) and drag these sharp corners, giving the letter “G” a smoother, extra polished look.
Step 9
Preserve going till you’ve got completed all of the letters in “Greater”. As soon as they’re all traced, it is time to apply placeholder colours to every letter to see which of them are overlapping and in what order.
As for the define, open up the Stroke panel and set it to Spherical Cap, Spherical Be part of, and Align Stroke to Exterior. These settings will give your letters a easy, steady define. Don’t fret an excessive amount of in regards to the Width proper now—we’ll fine-tune that as we progress by means of our design journey.
Bear in mind, within the huge universe of design, group is vital. These steps may appear small, however they will prevent light-years of time as you proceed to develop your cosmic poster!
Step 10
Now, let’s add some celestial aptitude to our design. We’ll create flying splashes across the letters of “Greater”. Choose the Vector Brush Tool (B) from the Affinity Designer toolkit. This device is ideal for creating dynamic, energetic strokes that can convey motion and life to your design. Draw quick, vigorous strokes across the letters.
The Vector Brush Tool in Affinity Designer creates paths with outlines, however permits for extra freehand drawing. Earlier than you begin, take a second to regulate the settings within the management panel on the prime. The Stabilizer is your steady-hand assistant—it smooths out your strokes, making them much less jittery. Experiment with completely different Width settings to fluctuate the thickness of your splashes.
As soon as you’ve got created a splash you are pleased with, go to Layer > Increase Stroke. This converts your brush stroke into editable curves, permitting you to fine-tune with the Node Instrument (A) if wanted.
Step 11
Preserve including splashes to every letter, refining the phrase “Greater” as you go. Use the Node Tool (A) to regulate anchor factors and handles, making certain every letter and splash is easy and cohesive.
This is a professional tip to maintain your design constant: use the Model Picker Instrument (I). You will discover it in the identical drop-down menu because the Shade Picker Instrument in Affinity Designer. This nifty device lets you pattern the stroke, fill, and different settings from one letter and apply them to its corresponding splash.
Bear in mind, after choosing a mode from one letter and making use of it to a splash, that you must deselect the Model Picker Instrument. In any other case, it’s going to preserve making use of the impact you first picked. Watch the cursor icon—it flips from proper to left to indicate whether or not the device is loaded or not.
This system ensures consistency throughout your art work and can make enhancing your design a lot simpler afterward.
3. How to attract letters utilizing the Vector Brush Instrument in Affinity Designer
Step 1
We’re shifting on to the phrase “Brighter”, and we’ll create this in a extra elegant, handwritten model. It is like switching from printing to cursive.
Let’s proceed utilizing the Affinity Designer Vector Brush Instrument (B) to hint the letter “B”. This device is ideal for creating expressive strokes, making it splendid for this a part of the design. Regulate the thickness of your stroke within the Vector Brush choices within the management panel on prime by setting it to about the identical Width as we did for the splashes.
As you’re employed, preserve utilizing the Node Instrument (A) to easy out any tough locations, and bear in mind to eliminate the unneeded nodes.
Step 2
Now that you’ve got crafted a chic “B”, it is time to make it complete. Go to Layer > Increase Stroke to remodel your brush strokes into strong shapes. Then, use the Add Boolean operation within the prime management panel to merge all of the items collectively.
Step 3
Let’s preserve our cosmic calligraphy flowing with the subsequent letter, “R”. Use the Vector Brush Instrument (Shift-B) to hint it, following the curves of your sketch. As you’re employed, attempt to keep a constant stroke width and magnificence for all of the letters. Begin with the stem of the “R”, after which add the bowl (the rounded half), and end with a easy exit stroke. Discover how the curvature of the stem arcs to echo the curve of the “B”. This mirroring creates a satisfying rhythm in your lettering.
Step 4
Preserve that cool lettering design rhythm going as you hint the remaining letters with the Vector Brush Instrument (Shift-B). As you strategy the letters “T” and “R”, you may discover they’re related, making a form of infinity image. Let’s deal with this cosmic conjunction in our subsequent step!
Step 5
Begin by tracing the letter “T” utilizing the Vector Brush Instrument (Shift-B) till you attain the loop the place each letters intersect. Cease at this level and transfer to the letter “R”. It is all about making a easy circulate.
Step 6
As you full the loop of the letter “R”, convey it again to the place each ends meet, returning to its place to begin. Use the Node Instrument (A) to make the nodes align to create a seamless connection.
When you’re glad together with your cosmic calligraphy, it is time for the ultimate fusion. Go to Layer > Increase Stroke, after which use the Add Boolean operation to merge the letters right into a single, unified form.
Step 1
For our subsequent cosmic phrase, “Stars do not look”, we have now two paths to discover in our lettering design journey. We will both create a customized lettering model utilizing our personal handwriting, or we will select an current font that enhances our design.
When you’re leaning in the direction of utilizing a font, head to Envato and discover their huge gallery of script and handwritten fonts. Browse to discover a font that aligns together with your imaginative and prescient and use it as a launchpad to your lettering or as the ultimate design ingredient.
Listed here are a number of strategies that would match our cool lettering design theme:
Need to uncover extra fonts in an identical orbit? Simply kind “Comic Fonts” within the search bar and watch a complete new typography universe unfold!
Step 2
Let’s transfer on to the subsequent a part of the textual content. Choose the Affinity Designer Inventive Textual content Instrument (T) and kind: “Stars do not look”. Along with your textual content chosen, search for the Warp Group icon within the Layers panel and apply Arc – Horizontal to present your textual content a mild curve. You may fine-tune the Warp impact within the management panel as soon as you’ve got utilized it. Set the Worth to about 20% to create a refined arc in your textual content. This impact provides a dynamic, flowing contact to your typography.
When you’re pleased with the outcome, click on Convert to Curves within the management panel on the prime to remodel your textual content into editable shapes.
Step 3
Proceed with the Inventive Textual content Instrument (T) in Affinity Designer to kind out: “However they do look”. We’ll give this phrase a particular cosmic wave impact.
To realize this, we’ll use the Mesh Warp Group. Apply it and use the Node Instrument (A) to maneuver the handles, adjusting the form of the wave. Mess around with it till you obtain a circulate that matches your sketch and enhances the remainder of your design. Bear in mind, we’re aiming for a harmonious steadiness in our cosmic composition.
Step 4
If you wish to add an additional contact of handcrafted attraction to your design, here is another strategy. We will hint the letters of the sketch manually, identical to we did for the phrase “Brighter”.
Choose the Vector Brush Instrument (Shift-B) and begin tracing over the weather of your lettering, utilizing your preliminary sketch as a information. This methodology permits for extra natural, fluid traces that may actually make your lettering pop off the web page.
Step 5
With all of your textual content parts in place, it is time to add placeholder colours to our lettering parts. By color-coding your parts, you may simply be capable to see how they work together with one another. This step helps us preserve the composition organized and visually balanced.
5. Methods to create the background parts
Step 1
Now, it is time to paint the evening sky on our digital canvas by making a darkish background. Begin by choosing the Rectangle Instrument (M) and drawing a form that covers your complete artboard (1080 × 1350 px).
Along with your rectangle chosen, click on on the Affinity Designer Gradient Instrument (G) and navigate to the management panel on the prime to regulate the settings. Set the gradient kind to Elliptical. Click on the colour field to open the colour settings menu and create a transition from a deep violet (R:30, G:10, B:60) on the edges to a lighter violet (R:100, G:15, B:120) within the heart. This gradient will create an phantasm of depth in our cosmic background.
Step 2
Now that we have set our galactic stage, it is time to add some twinkling stars to our evening sky.
Choose the Pen Instrument (P) and click on to put anchor factors, forming a primary star form. Shut the form by clicking again on the primary anchor level, and fill the form with white. This star will likely be one of many repeating parts in our galactic theme, including a sprinkle of stardust to our design.
Whereas we may use the Star Instrument (situated in the identical drop-down menu because the Rounded Rectangle Instrument (M)), for this design, we’re aiming for a extra stylized, cartoony look. That is simpler to realize by drawing it by hand after which fine-tuning with the Node Instrument (A).
Step 3
With the star form chosen, it is time to add a vivid, glowing aura. Open the Fast FX panel (Window > Fast FX) and verify the Outer Glow field to activate the impact. Within the drop-down menu, set the colour to vivid pink, the Opacity to 60%, and the Radius to 20 px. This impact will make the star stand out vividly in opposition to our deep house background, including to the celestial theme of our poster.
Step 4
Time so as to add some cosmic motion to our design! Let’s create a star path that can make it look as if our star is zooming throughout the galaxy.
Choose the Pen Instrument (P) and draw a easy, stylized path behind the star. Consider it as tracing the trail of a capturing star. Fill it with vivid magenta (R:250, G:75, B:180).
As soon as the path is in place, apply the Warp Group impact from the Layers panel and set it to Arc – Horizontal. Regulate the Worth to 25%, gently bending the form to present it a dynamic, flowing look. Remember to Convert to Curves when you’re pleased with the form.
Step 5
Let’s add some extra element to our cosmic path. Utilizing the Pen Instrument (P), add some thinner strokes alongside the path. Apply a light-pink Stroke shade (R:30, G:10, B:60) to those new traces. Head over to the Stroke panel (Window > Stroke) and set the Width to 1.5 pt and the Cap to Spherical Cap. This can give our extra particulars a softer, extra ethereal look.
Step 6
Let’s populate our celestial scene with extra twinkling stars! First, choose each the star and its path utilizing the Transfer Instrument (V), after which group them with Management-G (Command-G on Mac).
Duplicate (Management-J or Command-J) the star group. Click on the Flip Horizontal button within the prime management panel to reflect the copy. Repeat this course of, however this time use the Flip Vertical possibility for some selection. So as to add much more dynamism, experiment with the Rotate Clockwise and Rotate Counter-clockwise capabilities from the identical panel.
Use the Node Instrument (A) to edit the form of the star path above the letter “T” to show it into a mild wave, giving it a extra whimsical really feel. For a contact of selection, play with the colours of some trails. Attempt a lighter pink (R:250, G:180, B:230), and remember to regulate the stroke shade to white.
By various the colour, dimension, and placement of those mirrored stars, we’re making a extra vibrant and layered composition that basically emphasizes our poster’s galactic theme.
Step 7
Time so as to add some constellations to our cosmic canvas! Seize the Pen Instrument (P) and create a zig-zag line with a pink stroke of about 3.5 pt.
Subsequent, let’s add some starry factors to our constellation. Use the Ellipse Instrument (M) and maintain down Shift to create circles at every level of the zig-zag. To make these constellation stars shine, we’ll borrow the glow from our current stars. Use the Model Picker Instrument to pattern the model settings from one of many glowing stars we created earlier.
Step 8
Subsequent, we’ll add a pointy, dynamic contact to our scene with a four-pointed star. We’ll use the Pen Instrument (P) to present it a hand-drawn, natural really feel. Begin by creating 4 anchor factors in a diamond or rhombus form—it will type the define of our star. Then change to the Node Instrument (A) to regulate the place of the anchor handles by shifting them nearer collectively and in the direction of the middle of the form. This can assist guarantee your star is symmetrical and balanced.
Fill your newly created star with a vivid blue shade (R:150, G:230, B:250). This easy geometric star will add a pleasant distinction to our softer, extra rounded parts.
Step 9
Let’s use the weather we have already created to sprinkle some stardust across the central a part of our composition!
Duplicate (Management-J or Command-J) the celebs and sparks we have made. Bear in mind to fluctuate the dimensions, place, and shade of every ingredient to create a dynamic and vigorous design. For tiny stars, the Ellipse Instrument (M) is ideal. Create small circles and use the Model Picker Instrument to keep up constant colours and appearances throughout all of your stellar parts.
Step 10
It is time to make the phrase “Brighter” actually shine!
Choose the Model Picker Instrument and click on on one of many glowing stars to pattern its model and apply it to the phrase “Brighter”, making it the important thing ingredient of our lettering design. This can give the phrase a luminous look that matches our star parts, making a cohesive look throughout the whole design.
6. Methods to create a galactic gradient in Affinity Designer
Step 1
Let’s convey the cosmos to life in our “Greater” textual content by changing these placeholder colours with a vibrant galactic gradient!
Begin by choosing the Affinity Designer Gradient Instrument (G) and navigating to the Gradient panel on the prime. Set the Sort to Linear and click on on the colour rectangle to open the Gradient shade settings menu. We’ll create a three-color gradient, so add a brand new cease within the heart of the Gradient Slider by clicking it.
Now, let’s select some vibrant galactic colours for every cease:
- left cease: vivid cyan (R:30, G:240, B:250)
- center cease: violet (R:150, G:50, B:250)
- proper cease: vivid magenta (R:250, G:70, B:240)
To preview our galactic gradient, let’s create a easy form utilizing the Rectangle Instrument (M) and apply it. This can give us a good suggestion of how our cosmic colours mix collectively.
Step 2
Now that we have now our stellar gradient, let’s apply it to our “Greater” textual content. First, choose every letter of the phrase “Greater” utilizing the Transfer Instrument (V). Group them by urgent Management-G (Command-G on Mac).
With the group chosen, open the Swatches panel and apply the gradient we simply created. You can even use the Model Picker Instrument to select the gradient from the rectangle that we made within the earlier step.
For extra exact management over the gradient’s path, choose the Gradient Instrument (G). Click on and drag from the highest to the underside of the phrase to use the gradient persistently throughout all of the letters. This system provides the whole phrase a cohesive, colourful look that basically pops in our design.
Step 3
Let’s add a easy texture to our “Greater” lettering to present it a refined, cosmic really feel. Use the Ellipse Instrument (M) to attract circles and organize them right into a sample over every letter. When you’re pleased with the association, choose the sample and Group it (Management-G or Command-G on Mac).
Apply a violet shade (R:150, G:50, B:250) to the circles and set the Opacity to 20%. Change the Mix Mode to Multiply on the prime of the Layers panel. This can darken the sample barely whereas permitting the gradient beneath to indicate by means of, making a layered, three-dimensional impact.
To make our letters stand out extra, let’s thicken their outlines. Set the Stroke Width to 3 pt and Align Stroke to Exterior. This can assist separate the letters from one another and add extra definition to our textual content.
Step 4
Time to make our “Greater” textual content actually pop off the background with a drop shadow impact! Begin by Duplicating the phrase group. With the underside copy chosen, transfer it down barely utilizing the arrow keys whereas holding down the Shift key.
Now, let’s model our shadow. Apply a purple shade (R:210, G:70, B:230) to the shadow and set the Opacity to 75%. Swap the Mix Mode to Multiply. This shadow impact will give our textual content extra depth and dimension, making it stand out much more in opposition to our cosmic background.
Step 5
Let’s steadiness our composition by including extra space parts to the background.
Begin by duplicating among the stars we have made earlier than, however this time, make them a lot larger. Add some circles utilizing the Ellipse Instrument (M) and fill these new parts with darkish purple (R:50, G:0, B:50). As soon as all of your new shapes are in place, group them (Management-G or Command-G).
Now, let’s place these new parts. Within the Layers panel, drag the celebs group to the very backside of the layer stack, simply above the background form. This positioning will assist the weather mix naturally with the background, including refined particulars with out overshadowing the principle parts of our design.
Step 6
To present our new background parts an ethereal glow, change the Mix Mode to Display on the prime of the Layers panel. This can lighten the weather, permitting them to work together softly with the background. Subsequent, let’s add a glow impact. Then, apply an Outer Glow impact from the Fast FX panel. Regulate the settings by setting the colour to darkish purple, Opacity to 25%, and Radius to 35 px to create a tender, luminous glow across the stars and circles.
That is the way to create a galaxy-themed hand-lettering poster in Affinity Designer
We’re on the end line! Take a second to assessment your work by zooming out and making any last changes. For instance, I’ve added smaller white sparkles to the phrase “Brighter” to make it shine much more. When you’re glad, save your work and export the ultimate design.
Congratulations! You’ve got efficiently accomplished your galaxy-themed hand-lettering poster in Affinity Designer. All through this tutorial, we have mixed hand-drawn parts with digital methods to create a enjoyable galactic lettering design. We have coated every thing from primary form creation to extra superior gradient and impact functions. Whether or not you are planning to print and show your poster or share it on-line, you’ve got created a bit that showcases your creativity and newfound abilities in vector artwork.
Preserve experimenting with completely different types and results in Affinity Designer, and proceed to refine your methods. The chances are infinite, and each new mission is a chance to develop as a designer!
Need to study extra about the way to create hand lettering designs and discover different instruments and capabilities of Affinity Designer? Try some extra tutorials within the Hand Lettering and Affinity Designer collection beneath.
