A few calligraphy firsts

This is the first time I’ve written in white ink on kraft paper. I tried about 4 different brands of white ink, each less opaque than the last. The one I settled on is extremely opaque, almost too thick that it gooped in some spots. But I bent it to my will.

The envelopes will house save-the-date invites that stationer Sarah Parrott will be creating. The couple is having their wedding this fall on a tiny island off North Carolina (I want to be there!!).

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This is the first time I’ve calligraphed Icelandic characters. I met with the groom, who is from Iceland, to go over how to write some of the glyphs, such as Eth’s and Thorn’s. I learned that all Icelanders surnames are literally “Son of Jon” or “Daughter of Jon” – son or daughter of the father’s given name – and that is how lineage is traced. It is very Lord of the Rings! More than a quarter of the guests will be coming from Iceland. It’s only like a 5 hour flight from Boston…hmmm…

Their wedding is this fall in the bride’s hometown of Philadelphia. To go with the fall theme and the colors they chose for the invites, I used an ink color in “burnt sienna.”