Our own drawing, from the Alphabet Atlas letter set.
Bubble letter Y (and y)
A bubble letter Y is the plain letter Y 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.
Y and y in 6 colours
About the bubble letter Y
Bubble Y and y sit at position 25 of 26 in the alphabet. In English text y is the 18th most common letter, making up about 2% of the letters, so you will draw it often.
The lowercase y has no closed hole, which makes it one of the easier bubble letters: one fat tube, rounded at both ends. Its tail drops below the line, so leave room underneath the row before you start.
The capital Y is built from straight lines that meet at sharp points. In bubble style those points are rounded off, and where two strokes cross, the outlines merge into one shape.
How to draw it, step by step
- Sketch a thin, light Y in pencil. Start on the top line at the left side. Draw a straight line straight down, ending on the dashed midline at the middle.
- 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 dashed midline at the middle.
- Lift your pen and start again on the top line at the right side. Draw a straight line straight down, ending on the dashed midline at the middle.
- 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 middle.
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 Y
More about this letter
See the same letter in other styles: cursive y, cursive capital Y, print y. Or use the bubble letters generator for a whole word.
Questions about the bubble letter Y
How do you draw a bubble letter Y?
A bubble letter Y is the plain letter Y 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 Y free to use?
Yes. The y 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.