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3-D Block, or "shadow effect," as the title suggests, are a great alternative to your ordinary letters. This article will show you how to draw them.
Steps
Sample Alphabets
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Start with simply drawing out your desired letter. Try to make the lines as straight as possible, or you can use a ruler. Just be sure that the lines are light, as you are only using them as a guide and will erase them later. (note: the lines will appear dark in the illustration, for visual purposes.) -
Outline the outside of your letter. Don't forget to do the inside "holes" in A,B,D,O,P,Q,R,etc.Advertisement -
Draw a line off of either every right, left or down facing corner of your letter. Make each of these lines the same length.- Don't forget the inside holes.
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Connect all of the lines as shown in this illustration. -
Erase your guidelines that you drew in step 1. Remember to draw it on paper first -
Consider shading or outlining. You can stop at this point. Alternatively, you can shade the sides in and/or outline the edges, as shown here: -
Finished.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionAny 3D drawing tips for a growing artist?Community AnswerUse a #1 pencil for the guide and first step, then a #2 pencil for the rest. If you don't have a #1 pencil, you can use a #2 pencil really lightly.
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QuestionCan you show how to draw the letter "F" in 3D block letters?Community AnswerIt's the same as all the other letters. First, the angle for the area you want shaded, then shade just like normal. If you have any additional problems, just look up images of the letter "F" in 3D block letters and copy those.
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QuestionHow can I draw a letter U with a 3D effect?Community AnswerIt may be best to start with a single character until you get confident. It is relatively easier to add the 3D effect on some characters than others. The easier characters to start with are those with straight edges such as I,L and T. Characters with curved edges such as R,S and Q are relatively more difficult.
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Video
Tips
- Work on shading the side parts for a more 3D effect.Thanks
- Try making a rough draft before you do the real thing.Thanks
- If you happen to have some spare time in a seminar class, you can always pull out a notebook and a pencil and practice!Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Learning to draw shadows is hard because shadows change depending on how light hits an object. To get the shadows on your letters right, you'll want to master drawing other 3D objects with shadows first, like an apple on a table in dark room with a line shining on it from above. Move the light around to see how the shadows change. When you draw your 3D letters, think about which direction the "light" is shining on those letters to make the shadows as accurate as possible.
- Start by drawing 3D letters you find in pictures on websites or in magazines. Try to copy the letters exactly as you see them until you get them right. Give this a try with several lettering styles to practice different shadowing techniques.
- Start with a pencil at first so you can erase the lines you mess up. When you're finished, you can go over the pencil lines with a felt-tip pen or markers.
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Warnings
- Make sure when your drawing it you double check that you're doing it correct.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Pencil
- Eraser
- Pen or SHARPIE Marker for outlining (optional)
- Crayons, colored pencils, colored markers, etc. (optional)
- Paper
- Ruler (optional)
About This Article
Article Summary
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3D block letters are easy to draw and instantly make your text stand out. Start by drawing out a letter as you normally would for a guideline. Then, make an outline around your letter and inside any holes. Once you’ve made an outline, draw short, diagonal lines off of the corners of the outline. Draw straight lines to connect these diagonal lines you’ve drawn to finish the 3D effect. Make sure to erase the original guideline letter you made. To learn how to shade your block letters, read on!
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 744,832 times.
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