If you can find the font you like on the internet, print it out at the size you need for the project.
Put a piece of carbon paper underneath and trace it. Now Use the carbon lines as a guide when you paint.

Didn't answer your question, but you'll be pleased with the final results. I've been painting names of hostas on rocks for years using this technique and they always come out great.

One of my favorite things to make is signs. A lot of people use the stencils but I do my stuff by hand. I start by trying to decide what look I want and then I either look at lettering on something else (I use the Country House catalog a lot for inspiration! LOL) or I type up what I want in Word Perfect and keep changing the font until it's what I want. Then I look at the lettering and try to write it out the same. Usually it looks quite similar but I do change a few letters here and there.

The dots on the end isn't that hard. I'm assuming you want the "messy" look instead of a perfectly printed out word. Again, look at other items for inspiration (Seach ebay for primitive signs or stitchery). See which letters they make longer and copy that. The dots really change the look of it, too!

GL

eBay! It has become the "standard" for so many things!!

I hadn't thought about using carbon paper, either! For my projects, that would work fine and be quick, too.

Thanks, ladies!
Carol

Tufaleaf - you can find books on lettering at Michael's, Joann's, Hobby Lobby, etc. May I suggest a Donna Dewberry One-Stroke Lettering Book. I started decorative painting with her books and hers explain more on where to put the brush, how to handle the brush, which way to stroke it, etc. Although I've never bought it, I'm going to guess her lettering book is more simplified than others.

Dian - thank you so much for the carbon paper idea - I have printed out words with different fonts, enlarged them and then cut out of the adhesive stencils but you're idea is so fantastic. I can never get the alphabet stencil correctly spaced on words I want to stencil.

Sal