The skeleton
Two verticals, then a shallow curve connecting them at the bottom. The join should be broad — if it narrows to a point the letter becomes a V. Draw the curve first so the two stems can be made to agree with it.
What happens when you inflate it
The interior of the bowl closes from the bottom, exactly where the curve meets the stems. Both junctions need to stay open, which means the inner curve has to be flatter than the outer one. If they are parallel, the counter closes as soon as you add weight.
What usually goes wrong: A deep join. It is the mistake that turns U into V, and it nearly always comes from drawing the bottom as an arc rather than as a flat-bottomed bowl.
Letters U sits next to
U belongs with V, W, J and O. Because it has two vertical stems and a curve, it can drop into a piece either as a straight-edged letter or as a round one, which makes it a useful joint between two halves of a word.
One thing to try
Make the two stems different heights in handstyle — one slightly longer. Real tags almost never have a level U, and the asymmetry gives the letter a bounce that a symmetrical U cannot.
How to draw the letter U in four steps
- Sketch the skeleton. Two verticals, then a shallow curve connecting them at the bottom. The join should be broad — if it narrows to a point the letter becomes a V. Draw the curve first so the two stems can be made to agree with it.
- Inflate the strokes. The interior of the bowl closes from the bottom, exactly where the curve meets the stems. Both junctions need to stay open, which means the inner curve has to be flatter than the outer one. If they are parallel, the counter closes as soon as you add weight.
- Check the neighbors. U belongs with V, W, J and O. Because it has two vertical stems and a curve, it can drop into a piece either as a straight-edged letter or as a round one, which makes it a useful joint between two halves of a word.
- Add your own twist. Make the two stems different heights in handstyle — one slightly longer. Real tags almost never have a level U, and the asymmetry gives the letter a bounce that a symmetrical U cannot.
Questions about the letter U
Why does my graffiti U keep looking like a V?
The bottom curve is too tight. A U needs a broad flat-bottomed bowl; once the join narrows to a point the letter has become a V regardless of how tall the stems are.
Should the stems of a U be parallel?
In block and bubble styles yes, or very nearly. In handstyle they usually diverge slightly at the top, which is what makes the letter look written rather than constructed.