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U in Graffiti Letters

By Maya Chen, lettering designer and type educator · Checked by Jordan Hale · · How we review content

Capital U
Lowercase u

Rendered in the Sedgwick Ave Display typeface, an open-source font. It is a reference shape, not a hand-drawn letter.

U is a cup: two posts joined by a curve, with the opening facing up. In graffiti it is a very stable letter, because the round bottom sits on the baseline like a bowl on a table. It also leaves a big open space at the top, which can hold an arrow, a highlight or part of the next letter. The challenge is making the cup look drawn, not like a plain magnet shape.

Outline version to colour or trace

Open in the graffiti generator →

How to draw a graffiti capital U

  1. 1Draw two leaning posts and a curve joining their bottoms, with the curve deeper than a half circle.
  2. 2Make the right post slightly taller than the left, so the letter has a lean and a high point.
  3. 3Thicken the posts and the bowl to the same width, letting the bowl swell where it turns.
  4. 4Outline the body and keep the inner counter an open, rounded shape with a clear mouth.
  5. 5Tip the posts with arrows or cuts, fill, highlight the left post and the bottom curve and add a block under the bowl.

Tip: Round the inside curve more than the outside curve. A tighter inner curve gives the U a heavy base and keeps the counter open.

How to draw a graffiti lowercase u

  1. 1Draw a left stem and a bowl at the bottom, then a right stem that rises to the same height.
  2. 2Extend the right stem down below the baseline for a tail, which turns the U into a typical lowercase u.
  3. 3Thicken the strokes and keep the inner bowl open.
  4. 4Outline and give the tail a flick or an arrow.
  5. 5Fill and highlight the bowl and the left stem.

Tip: In many styles the lowercase u is just a smaller capital U with an extra stem, so you can learn them together.

What makes U awkward or easy

U has a deep open counter that looks empty beside tight letters, and its two posts need to be the same weight as the bowl. The bottom curve is the only point of interest and can easily look like a bucket. Because the top is open, U is a letter that other letters can nest into, and it is a natural partner for A and O.

Variations

A tag U is a single looped stroke, sometimes with a flat top. A throw-up U is a fat bowl with two stubby posts. A piece U may have arrows on the posts, a split-colour bowl and a deep block shadow. Wildstyle U wraps one post around the neighbour and turns the bowl into a ribbon.

Common mistakes with graffiti U

  • The posts are perfectly vertical and parallel.

    Lean them in the same direction as the word and vary their height slightly.

  • The bowl is a flat bottom with sharp corners.

    Round the bottom into a smooth curve and thicken it so it carries weight.

  • The counter is too large and the letter looks empty.

    Thicken the posts and tighten the inner curve until the body is as wide as the hole.

  • The posts end with identical cuts.

    Use two different terminals, such as an arrow and a flat cut, so the U has character.

Ideas for graffiti U

U starts names like Uma, Uri and Una and appears in words such as Unity and Crew. Try drawing a word that has a U between two round letters, such as OUO, to practise how a cup nests into curves.

Printable graffiti U sheet

Trace the outlines, then fill the empty rows with your own letters.

Graffiti letter U u Name: ____________________ · coolletteringgenerator.com

Graffiti U you can copy and paste

No graffiti alphabet exists in Unicode. For the nearest copy-paste forms use bold gothic 𝖀 𝖚, black squares 🆄 or bubble letters Ⓤ ⓤ. They are fixed glyphs, so the bowl cannot be deepened or leaned like your drawing.

Graffiti U: questions

How do you draw a graffiti letter U?
Draw two leaning posts joined by a deep curve, with the right post slightly taller. Thicken all three parts evenly, outline and keep the counter open. Tip the posts with arrows, fill the body, highlight the left post and the bowl, and add a block under the curve.
How do I make a U look less like a bucket?
Lean the posts, vary their heights and round the bowl into a swelling curve. Add different terminals to each post, and tighten the inner curve so the counter is not a plain slot. These small changes make the U look hand-drawn.
How is a lowercase u drawn in graffiti?
Draw a left stem, a bowl and a right stem, then extend the right stem below the baseline as a tail. Thicken the strokes, keep the bowl open and flick the tail toward the next letter. Highlight the bowl and add a block along the right.
Can U connect to other letters?
Yes. The open top lets the neighbouring letters tuck in, and the right post can extend into an arrow over the next letter. Keep the link simple, with one overlap per pair, and check from arm's length that both letters still read, so the word stays readable.

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