hot cocoa bar chalkboard sign - brit +...

BRIT.CO/LEARN

Valerie McKeehan

Hot Cocoa Bar Chalkboard Sign

Design Guide + Instructions

Valerie McKeehan


MATERIALS NEEDED:- Chalkboard (16 x 20 size is ideal for this project) - White anti-dust chalk - Pencil sharpener - Microfiber cloth - A pencil eraser - Cotton swabs - Ruler - Felt eraser

TAKE MY ONLINE CLASS!

INTRO TO CHALK LETTERING

What you’ll learn in this class: - How to choose lettering styles and design

principles for your layout - How to draw sans serif, serif and script

letters - How to add embellishments, flourishes and

dimensions to your design

Learn how to draw words, phrases and illustrations with chalkboard artist Valerie McKeehan.

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https://www.brit.co/shop/catalog/intro-to-chalk-lettering-online-class_41087/?utm_source=commerce_post&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=free-download-chalk-lettering

Valerie McKeehan

DESIGN TEMPLATE:


Valerie McKeehan

1. Season

If you’re using a brand new chalkboard, be sure to first season it by rubbing the side of a piece of chalk over the entire surface. Then, erase! The chalkboard is now ready to be used.

2. Add Guides

Adding guides to your board will help make sure the design stays centered and everything fits. Measure and mark your top and bottom center points, side center points, and the true center of the board. Sometimes I also like to add margins in the four corners.

INSTRUCTIONS:


Valerie McKeehan

3. Draw A Double Banner

A double banner begins with four lines in a slight S-curve shape. The top two lines will form the top banner and the bottom two lines will form the bottom. Stagger the lines so that the bottom two aren’t directly below the first two.

4. Close The Banners

Once you are happy with your curve shapes, draw vertical lines to close off each banner.

INSTRUCTIONS:


Valerie McKeehan

5. Connect The Banners

Connect the two banner shapes by extending the curve of the top banner until it touches the bottom banner. Similarly, extend the curve of the second banner until it touches the top banner.

6. Add The TailsAdd a tail to each banner by looping the curve toward the center then looping it back around away from the banner. Keeping a similar width to the body of the banner, add another line coming off of the closed banner to form the rest of the tail. Close these two lines with a cut-out triangle shape and connect the loop shape to the body of the banner with a vertical line.

INSTRUCTIONS:


Valerie McKeehan

7. Draw The Mug

Draw the mug centered to the bottom of your board. Right now we are just worrying about placing the main elements of the design for spacing. We will go back and fill it in later.

8. Finish Placing The Design

The last main design elements are the two curved lines, which will hold the words “warm up”. Place these between the banner and the mug. Now that everything is placed, we can start polishing the design from the top-down.

INSTRUCTIONS:


Valerie McKeehan

9. Banner Shading

To add shading to the banner, first add diagonal lines into the looped portions of the banner as well as the section where the two banners meet. Scribble dust onto the side of the banners as well as the tails to give the appearance of a curved shape.

10. Smudge The DustUse your fingers to smudge the dust toward the center of the banner. This will create a soft, ombre shading effect. The goal is to have the sides of the banner remain white with chalk, but then gradually become gray as it moves to the center of the banner. If you over smudge, just add more dust! Smudge the banner in the tail as well, being careful to leave an untouched space between the tail and body.

INSTRUCTIONS:


Valerie McKeehan

11. Repeat Shading

Repeat the same technique to the other side of the top banner. Add dust and then smudge it to create the effect. Add any additional chalk lines for more texture.

12. Add Hot Cocoa

Add the words “Hot Cocoa” to the banner in a sans serif style. This is the skeleton of the letters. Once they are placed where you want them, go back and thicken the downstrokes.

INSTRUCTIONS:


Valerie McKeehan

13. Remove Dust For Shading

Since we are placing the letters on a dusty banner, we can remove some of the dust to create a 3-D effect and make the letters stand out. Drag a pencil eraser on the left side and bottom of each letter stroke to remove the dust.

14. Repeat For Banner #2

Repeat the process of shading and adding diagonal lines to the bottom banner. We are working in a top-down approach so that you can rest the side of your hand on the board to anchor it.

INSTRUCTIONS:


Valerie McKeehan

15. Add ‘Bar’Draw the word “Bar” into the second banner in a script style. Use the pencil eraser technique to remove the dust as we did with ‘Hot Cocoa’. Soften the shadows using a cotton swab.

16. Add ‘Warm Up’Draw the words “warm up” in a script style into the previously drawn lines above the mug.

INSTRUCTIONS:


Valerie McKeehan

17. Draw Marshmallows

Begin chalking marshmallow shapes into the mug. Overlap some of them for interest.

18. Smudge The DustAdd dust onto the sides of the marshmallows and use your finger to produce a gradient as we did with the banner shading. Be careful not to smudge too much. You want to be able to see the shape of each individual marshmallow.

INSTRUCTIONS:


Valerie McKeehan


19. Add Dimension To The Mug

Use the ‘adding dust/smudging dust’ technique, begin shading the mug. Add thickness to the lip of the mug, and gradient the chalk on the cup and handle.

20. Draw A Highlight

Using a heavy pressure, draw a highlight on the mug. This will help give the appearance of dimension and shape.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Valerie McKeehan

21. Time For Snowflakes

Give the mug a snowflake decoration! I like drawing snowflakes in many different ways, but mine always start with 3 lines to create 6 ‘arms’.

22. Anchor The Design

Anchor the design by giving the mug some lines for grounding. This will balance the top and bottom of the sign.

INSTRUCTIONS:


Valerie McKeehan

23. Draw Steam

Chalk works perfectly as steam because you can smudge it and get that wisp effect!

24. Contrast The Steam

Contrast the steam with drawn swirl lines. This will give the piece interest and also fill in spaces to achieve balance.

INSTRUCTIONS:


Valerie McKeehan

25. Step Back

Take a step back from your design and evaluate the holes that need to be filled. Roughly chalk in snowflakes to fill some of these unbalanced portions.

26. Add Details

Finish drawing the snowflakes and add more swirls to further fill-in the unbalanced portions of the design.

INSTRUCTIONS:


Valerie McKeehan

27. Finishing Touches

Tiny dots and circles are a great filler to use with drawn snowflakes. They will give a snowy, textured look to the finished design.

28. Enjoy Your Work!

This cozy, snowy chalkboard sign is perfect for your holiday parties! Enjoy!

INSTRUCTIONS:


hot cocoa bar chalkboard sign - brit +...

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