Our own drawing, from the Alphabet Atlas letter set.
Bubble letter R (and r)
A bubble letter R is the plain letter R puffed up into a rounded tube with a dark outline, and the quickest way to draw one is to sketch the thin letter first, outline it one finger-width outside, round every corner and erase the first line.
R and r in 6 colours
About the bubble letter R
Bubble R and r sit at position 18 of 26 in the alphabet. In English text r is the 9th most common letter, making up about 6% of the letters, so you will draw it often.
The lowercase r has no closed hole, which makes it one of the easier bubble letters: one fat tube, rounded at both ends. It sits between the baseline and the midline like most lowercase letters.
The capital R has an enclosed shape too, so the same rule applies: draw the outline around the outside, then a second smaller outline inside the hole.
How to draw it, step by step
- Sketch a thin, light R in pencil. Start on the top line at the left side. Draw a straight line straight down, ending on the baseline at the left side.
- Draw a second line about a finger-width outside the first, all the way round. If the letter has holes, draw a smaller line inside each one.
- Round every corner and merge the outlines wherever two strokes meet or cross.
- Erase the first sketch, add a short curved highlight near the top left of each stroke, then colour it in and darken the outline.
The thin letter underneath
Every display letter starts as a plain letter. These are the strokes of the thin version:
- Start on the top line at the left side. Draw a straight line straight down, ending on the baseline at the left side.
- Lift your pen and start again on the top line at the left side. Curve straight down, ending on the dashed midline at the left side.
- Lift your pen and start again on the dashed midline at the middle. Draw a straight line straight down, ending on the baseline at the right side.
Tips for bubble letters
- Fat letters need space: leave about a quarter of a letter-width between neighbours.
- Keep the outline the same width all the way round; it is the detail that makes the letter look professional.
- A highlight on the same side of every letter makes a row of bubble letters look lit from one direction.
Words that start with R
More about this letter
See the same letter in other styles: cursive r, cursive capital R, print r. Or use the bubble letters generator for a whole word.
Questions about the bubble letter R
How do you draw a bubble letter R?
A bubble letter R is the plain letter R puffed up into a rounded tube with a dark outline, and the quickest way to draw one is to sketch the thin letter first, outline it one finger-width outside, round every corner and erase the first line.
Is the bubble letter R free to use?
Yes. The r on this page was drawn for Alphabet Atlas, so you can print it and use it for school projects, posters, cards and notes. Please do not resell the artwork as a font.
How do I make a whole word in bubble letters?
Open the bubble letters generator, type your text, choose colours and download a PNG with a transparent background.