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I grew up in Raleigh at a time when the nuns taught at Our Lady Of Lourdes. They lived out back of the school and wore those imposing yet Holy Habits that commanded your adoration, attention, and, quite frankly, your fear. So, when they asked you to "sit up straight" with your "feet flat on the floor" and compose your letters properly according to the Palmer Method of Handwriting, you did just that! I believe it was at that impressionable age that I became infatuated with the formation of letters. When I was introduced to calligraphy in 1978, it was no wonder I fell in love with this beautiful art form. My first taste of the calligraphic world lasted no longer than one hour. The instructor turned a piece of chalk on its edge to form calligraphic works of art from A to Z on the chalkboard. That was that! But it was all I needed to fire the embers that had been sparked in elementary school. Watching the slow, rhythmical shaping of those letters was like listening to classical music. It was not until 1997 that I enrolled in my first formal calligraphy class. Boy, were my eyes opened! I knew I had a lifelong road of learning ahead of me. It's been 38 years since that white piece of chalk was laid on its side. I am still learning. Come learn with me!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

The G


Got to share some creative time with some other calligraphy gals. One of them had been experimenting with dropping in color onto a watered letter. Let me explain that! Instead of forming your letters with ink, watercolors, etc., they are first formed with water on your brush or nib.

I used an automatic pen. Dipped it in water, then formed the "g" on watercolor paper. Very quickly, before the water could dry up, I then dipped my brush in watercolors and dropped the colors into the wet water, turning the card up so that the color would drip down the letterform. You don't have to worry...the color won't venture outside of the wetness.

To add a bit more interest, I then took a le Plume brush marker and added the green touches.
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