Capital letter · 24 of 26
Bubble letter X
Bubble X is two fat strokes crossing in the middle, with four round-ended notches between the arms.
- The font
- Modak. Round, puffed up. Free to use, from the catalogue.
- Step by step
- 1Rough in two slants crossing a little above the middle.
- 2Fatten both strokes evenly and round off all four ends.
- 3Keep the four notches open; the upper and lower ones run deepest.
- 4Darken the right sides of the two lower arms and under their feet, with shine on the two upper ends.
- Watch for
- Fat strokes swell into a lump where they cross. Cross them a little above the middle and keep that crossing no fatter than the arms.
- Mixed up with
With the lower left arm missing a bubble X reads as a Y, and with its left arms joined into one straight back it is a K.
- Practise with
- Xavier · Xmas · Xena · Xylophone
01 / In other fonts
X in 4 more fonts
Titan One draws the widest X for its height and Bagel Fat One the narrowest.
02 / To colour in
A page to colour
On US Letter the sheet prints the X 134 mm tall and 129 mm wide, 5.3 by 5.1 inches, with about 143 cm² to colour; on A4, 130 by 125 mm. The alphabet sheets print A to Z or your own name.
One page: the X big and hollow in Modak to colour in, and the same X in the other fonts under it. Crayons, markers or paint; or trace it.
In the print dialog choose Save as PDF to keep a file. The sheet fills one page of US Letter at full size.
Preview · 1 page · Modak
03 / Questions
Bubble X, answered
A 3D bubble letter is its outline drawn twice, the copy a little down and to the right, the corners joined.
Where does the depth go on a 3D bubble X?
In 3D an X shows its edge below the crossing on its right and along the outer edges of both lower arms.
What turns a bubble X into a bow?
Its four ends have swollen bigger than its middle, so the arms read as loops. Modak draws its X that way on purpose, four round lobes around a narrow waist; by hand, keep the crossing as fat as the arms.
How do you colour a bubble X?
Colour the stroke that falls to the right first, then the other across it; with two colours, the second crossing over shows which is on top.