A Guide on How to Draw Bubble Letter A-Z

If you’ve been searching for how to draw bubble letters, scrolling past a lot of “tutorials”, and wondering why they all make it sound harder than it needs to be, I have good news for you: you’ve found a guide that’s going to finally teach you how to draw bubble letters without drawing weird geometrical shapes. No more weird, confusing steps. Just clear and simple instructions. Let’s get started!

Bubble letters bring a lot more to the table than just retro vibes or graffiti cred. They’re an awesome addition to any creative project because they’re bold, versatile, and full of personality.

Bubble letters are great for making posters, logos, or just doodling. Overall, it’s a great way to add that extra pop.

Image courtesy of Artribune. Original article: Addio a Phase 2: Pioniere dell’Hip Hop, Il Mondo del Writing Perde un Fratello e Maestro”

Bubble letters showed up in New York City in the early 1970s, sparked by the legendary graffiti artist Lonny Wood, better known as Phase 2. He’s widely recognized as the creator of the bubble letter style—what he originally called “softies.” With his work, graffiti took on bold, rounded shapes, introducing puffy, marshmallow-like letters that left a lasting mark on urban art.

PHASE 2 graffiti piece, utilizing the “bubble letter” style. New York City circa the early 1970s. This photograph is copyrighted by Jack Stewart

By 1972, he had polished the style to the point that other graffiti artists started imitating it, each putting their own twist on the look. Phase 2 also introduced variations such as the “bubble drip” and “bubble cloud,” decorating his letters with stars, arrows, and other playful details. The clear, bold shapes made graffiti easier to spot and read from a distance, helping it stand out in public spaces. These ideas pushed bubble letters beyond New York, spreading them around the world and securing Phase 2’s place as a true pioneer of street art.

By the 1980s and 1990s, bubble letters had moved beyond graffiti and into mainstream culture. As hip-hop exploded in popularity, the style naturally followed, appearing on album covers, in music videos, and across streetwear. Brands started adopting bubble letters for their logos, and children’s shows like SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer embraced the fun, rounded lettering in their titles and merchandise, giving everything a playful, upbeat vibe audiences connected with.

Another standout example is Churchward Marianna, a rounded, cheerful typeface created by Joseph Churchward in 1969. In a memorable backstory, he named it after his daughter Marianna, who he affectionately described as “a bit plumpy” at the time, perfect inspiration for what he called a “fat design.”

As Churchward himself explained, the name came directly from that playful connection between his daughter’s nickname and the typeface’s soft, chunky shapes.

Churchward Marianna later found its place in print, showing up in catalogs such as Berthold’s E1 in the early 1970s. More recently, it has been revived digitally by Churchward Type and BluHead Studio, proving just how timeless and adaptable bubble-style fonts continue to be.

Big Babol gum, a hit from the late 1970s, became famous in the ’80s for its bright bubble letters on packaging. The bold, playful lettering style became iconic in the world of branding, proving that bubble letters could stand out and capture attention of the costumer.

Writey makes creating bubble letters super easy and fun. You can see the pictures from the app below. Download the app and try it yourself. I promise it’ll be a belnd of learning and having fun. Here’s a simple guide to get you started:

Before jumping straight into drawing letters, you need to train your muscles to get familiar with the movement. Think of it like stretching before a workout, it makes everything smoother and easier. Writey has training  exercises in a designated section to help you get used to the curves and strokes of bubble letters. Practicing these first will make drawing the actual letters feel natural and effortless.

Once your hand is warmed up, it’s time to start learning the individual letters. Head to the Learn section in Writey, where you can follow guided strokes to practice each letter step by step. This helps you get the shape just right and makes sure your letters look clean and even. When you’re comfortable, you can move on to forming words, practicing how letters connect and flow together.

When you’re drawing bubble letters, the tracing order really matters. Trust me, this will save you a lot of frustration.

Each bubble letter is meant to be traced in a specific order. You start at one point, follow the curve, go all the way around, and come back to where you began.

Tracing in the right order keeps that flow, which is basically the secret sauce of good bubble letters.

It also helps with control. When your hand knows where it’s going next, the curves come out cleaner and the thickness stays consistent.

Notice how we’ve make it much easier to draw the letters instead of drawing a lot of line and then connecting them like some other tutorials show you? Drawing bubble letters isn’t about geometry and making it difficult! It’s about being relaxed and creative.

After learning the basics, the Create section is where the fun really begins. Here, you can type in any word you want and experiment with different styles. Writey lets you trace, adjust, and personalize your bubble letters to make them uniquely yours. Play around with different effects until you find a look that matches your style.

Take Advantage of Writey’s My Texts Feature

Writey’s My Texts feature is one of those tools that quietly does a lot of work for you. You add any text you want, a single word, a quote, a name, a full sentence, and then you get to play with it however you like.

You can turn your text into any bubble letter designs with any pen or colo.

In My Texts, you can add any text you want and practice it and you style it in a way that matches your taste.

Add the text and design it your way. 

Once you’re comfortable with the basics, try adding some variety:

3D Bubble Letters give your letters extra dimension by adding shadows, making them pop off the page. Doodles and patterns inside your letters, like stars, swirls, or stripes, can make them even more fun and expressive. Gradient fills bring a smooth transition of colors that add a vibrant touch. Shadow effects, when placed correctly, create depth and give your bubble letters a bold, professional look.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Take Your Time. Rushing can make your letters look uneven. Slow down and focus on shaping each one.
• Stay Consistent. Use lined paper or Writey’s guidelines to keep your letters straight and even.
• Practice Matters. Skipping the training means missing out on mastering those smooth, bubbly curves!

Bubble letters have an cute, playful vibe that makes them perfect for posters, notes, social media, and more. They’ve traveled from street walls to the digital screen and a lot of designs, so they’ve basically proved that their charm and adaptability are timeless.

With Writey, learning and creating your own bubble letters will be so easy. Give it a try, play around with the styles, and find what works for you.