Once you've drawn your guides, rough the lettering into the comic in pencil. This is the time to check for grammar and spelling problems. Corrections will be much easier to accomplish before the mistakes are set in ink.

The two most common tool choices for lettering are markers and pen and ink. Some brave souls use a brush, but the practice demands masterful handling. Markers with nibs measuring 0.35mm to 0.55mm work well. Pen nibs with rounded tips such as Speedball's B5 and B6 are also good choices.

Just as important to your type's “voice” is the confidence and consistency of your lines. Keep your main strokes parallel and perpendicular to your guide lines, and try to keep them all the same thickness. Don't slant the letters unless you're trying to emphasize a word.

Common Hand Lettering Errors

Lettering errors harm a comic's legibility. The following is a list of letters that tend to be drawn incorrectly:

As you practice lettering, these shapes will become more and more natural. Be sensitive to the particular needs of different letter shapes. For example, letters with curved strokes (O, Q, C, U) should fall slightly below the baseline to visually compensate for the white space trapped inside. Letters with intersecting strokes (K, X, Y) do not intersect right in the middle of the shape.