U in Bubble Letters

Outline version to colour or trace

How to draw a bubble capital U

1. 1Draw top and baseline guides and a thin skeleton shaped like a U: two vertical lines joined by a half-circle at the bottom, touching the baseline.
2. 2Inflate the left arm as a capsule from the top guide down to where the curve begins, with a rounded top end.
3. 3Inflate the right arm in the same way, then draw the bottom curve as a thick U-shaped tube that joins both arms smoothly.
4. 4Draw the inner U as a rounded channel, leaving the same wall thickness at the base as along the arms.
5. 5Erase the skeleton, and check that the inner channel is as wide at the top as at the bottom, with no bulge or pinch.

Tip: Let the bottom curve dip slightly below the baseline guide. Round bottoms look short next to flat ones, so a tiny overshoot makes the U stand level with the letters beside it.

How to draw a bubble lowercase u

1. 1Draw x-height and baseline guides and a thin skeleton: a left arm, a round bottom, and a right stem that rises to the x-height and drops again to the baseline.
2. 2Inflate the left arm as a capsule from x-height down into the curved base, as thick as your capital stems.
3. 3Inflate the bottom curve as a short rounded tube joining the left arm to the right stem, then inflate the right stem as a straight capsule.
4. 4Round the right stem's foot into a small half-circle at the baseline, or add a short tail that curls out to the right.
5. 5Erase the guide lines through the joins and draw the inner channel with the same thickness as the arms.

Tip: Keep the right stem of lowercase u as thick as the left arm. A thinner right stem makes the letter look like a half-finished n turned over.

What makes U awkward or easy

U is an easy letter that shows off consistency. Its two awkward spots are the transitions where the straight arms turn into the bottom curve, because the outline there often bulges outward and thickens the base. The inner channel needs to stay parallel to the outer edge. For lowercase u, the extra stem on the right raises the issue of its join with the bowl: the curve needs to flow into the stem at the lower half, not at the very bottom, otherwise you get a flat, boxy foot.

Variations

A narrow U with a deep curve looks like a test tube, while a wide shallow U looks like a bowl or smile. Cartoon U can have a face drawn into the channel. For a graffiti feel, tilt both arms and add a heavy shadow along the right side. An outline-only U makes a convenient shape for drawing patterns inside. A tall U can also stand in as a magnet in themed lettering.

Common mistakes with bubble U

• The arms lean outward, so the U looks like a funnel.

  Draw two vertical guidelines before the skeleton and keep both arms parallel to them.

• The bottom is flat instead of round.

  Draw the base as a half-circle whose diameter equals the distance between the arms, and let it blend into both arms without corners.

• The bottom wall is much thicker than the arms.

  Draw the inner U last and measure the thickness at the base, then redraw until it matches the arm thickness.

• Lowercase u has a stem that reaches below the baseline and looks like a y.

  End the right stem on the baseline with a round foot, and keep any tail short.

Ideas for bubble U

U is a friendly letter for names like Uma and Ursula, for 'Unity', 'Up' and 'Umbrella', and for smiley designs, where its curve makes a mouth. On birthday banners, a bubble U can hold a candle or a balloon string. In classrooms, U is a good partner to n for showing how the same shape flips.

Bubble U: questions