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C in Bubble Letters

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

Capital C
Lowercase c

Rendered in the Bagel Fat One typeface, an open-source font. It is a reference shape, not a hand-drawn letter.

C looks like the easiest letter in the alphabet, a single curve, but it is the one that most often turns into a bad O. The capital is an arc open on the right, and the lowercase c is the same arc scaled down. In bubble lettering the two ends of that arc become rounded caps, and the whole skill lies in leaving a clear opening between them.

Outline version to colour or trace

Open in the bubble letter generator →

How to draw a bubble capital C

  1. 1Draw a thin C-shaped arc covering about three quarters of a circle, with the opening facing right and centred on the middle height.
  2. 2Make the opening at least as wide as the stroke will be after inflation, because the two end caps will grow toward each other.
  3. 3Inflate the arc into one even tube, keeping the same distance from the skeleton on the inner and outer curves.
  4. 4Cap both ends with full semicircles, not squared cuts, so each end looks like the tip of a sausage.
  5. 5Erase the skeleton and shade along the lower left of the curve, with one short highlight on the upper left.

Tip: Pencil two tiny dots where the terminals will end and check the gap between them. A good rule is a gap of about one stroke width after inflation.

How to draw a bubble lowercase c

  1. 1Draw a smaller arc at x-height, with the opening on the right, slightly narrower than the capital's opening.
  2. 2Check the arc's proportions against a nearby lowercase o: the c should be the same height but a little less wide.
  3. 3Inflate it into a tube and finish both ends with round caps, making the top cap a hair larger to suggest a small ball terminal.
  4. 4Trace the outline in pen, keeping the inner hollow as a crescent that stays visible along the whole curve.
  5. 5Erase the pencil and add a short highlight on the upper left of the curve.

Tip: A lowercase c has the same shape as a capital c at a smaller size. In a word, show the difference with the proportion of the opening rather than by changing the curve.

What makes C awkward or easy

C has no crossbar and no joins, so the only structure is an arc and its opening. That opening is both the letter's identity and its weak point: widen the outline and the terminals touch, which forms an O. The inner space is a crescent rather than a hole, so it never feels cramped, but it can look empty next to heavier letters unless you add shading along one side.

Variations

A graffiti C often curls its top terminal inward into a spiral. A cute version draws the opening as a smiling mouth, with one eye above it. Outline-only C works well on colouring sheets because the large crescent invites patterns. For 3D, extrude toward the lower right and shade the inner curve to emphasise the tunnel shape.

Common mistakes with bubble C

  • The two ends touch and the C becomes an O.

    Leave a wider gap in the skeleton than you think you need. After inflation the opening should still be about one stroke width.

  • The terminals are cut flat, like a pipe.

    Round each end into a semicircle. Draw a small circle at each tip first and join the curve to it.

  • The curve flattens on one side and looks like a bracket.

    Draw the arc from a light full circle guide. Remove the right quarter of the circle instead of freehand bending a curve.

  • The inner crescent is a different width at top and bottom.

    Measure the stroke at the top, the left and the bottom with your pen tip, and nudge the outline until all three match.

Ideas for bubble C

Capital C suits names such as Chloe, Carlos or Caleb and works well as a letter for Christmas and Carnival banners. Because it is so open, a bubble C is a good home for a small drawing: a cat's face, a cloud or a candle. In a monogram, the opening can cradle a smaller initial.

Printable bubble C sheet

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

Bubble letter C c Name: ____________________ · coolletteringgenerator.com

Bubble C you can copy and paste

Ⓒ and ⓒ are the circled forms of C, and 🅒 is the black-circled capital. The copyright sign © looks similar but is a different character, so do not use Ⓒ when you mean a copyright notice; search and screen readers treat them differently.

Bubble C: questions

How do you draw a bubble letter C?
Draw a thin arc like a three-quarter circle, opening to the right. Inflate it into an even tube, cap both ends with semicircles and keep a gap between them. Erase the skeleton, then shade the lower left of the curve and add a small white highlight.
How do I stop my bubble C from looking like an O?
Leave a bigger gap in the pencil arc than looks right, because outlines widen each end. After outlining, check the opening is at least as wide as the stroke. If it is too narrow, erase some of each cap and redraw it shorter.
What does a lowercase bubble c look like?
A smaller version of the capital: an open arc at x-height with rounded caps on both ends. It should be a little narrower than a bubble o so the opening still shows. Many artists make the top cap slightly bigger than the bottom one.
Is the bubble letter C the same as the copyright symbol?
No. A circled C, Ⓒ, is a letter in the enclosed alphanumerics block, while © is the copyright sign. They look alike but are different characters. For a drawn bubble C, neither matters, because your letter is a hand-made shape with no circle around it.

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