I have a corollary to my last “Things I Like” post back in March, regarding calligraphy. I have been keeping up with it, putting in at least one hour of writing every day – calligraphy is such an easy procrastinating device! – that I have gotten much, much better since my first post. I have miles to go before my hand looks strong and sure, and it will be some time more before I feel like I have my own style, but nevertheless I’m feeling confident enough now to offer my hand-lettering services to couples planning a wedding, without too much fear that anyone will laugh in my face.
In fact I have a few couples for whom I’m slated to do some calligraphy work. Some are couples whose wedding I’m photographing, and some are not! There will be menus to write on chalkboard, dessert cards for dessert tables, and even hand-drawn cat and dog portraitures (more on that later). Really, any little bit of writing makes me SO HAPPY.
I always knew I would love calligraphy, if I would just sit down and do it! Why I never did until now, I’ll never know. Well, I’m off and skipping and hopping down this path now, and I hope to talk about my calligraphy progress some more on this blog, as well as my inspiration, so I hope you don’t mind if the topics diverge occasionally from that of pet photography!
Here are some samples of fictitious addresses that I had a grand time concocting. (Except for Edward Gorey. He’s real and his illustrations are another source of inspiration.) My stock pile of Crane’s stationery is finally being put to good use. And yes, Jane Austen et al. are totally #1 on the list of Things I Like. I kind of localized all the characters. It is not hard to picture Emma Woodhouse as a Connecticut-suburb kind of gal, or that Rochester might be found brooding away in the bayous of Louisiana…
So if you or anyone you know is looking for calligraphy needs, and you don’t think I stink, let me know! My fingers are itching to write.
Li! This stuff looks really good…although I could be mesmerized by the photographs ;-) ;-)
Totally amazing… you’re such a rockstar.
Oooo! Excellent!!
You have a Gorgeous hand! Quirky and beautiful. I wish I needed to announce something so I would have a good excuse to hire you. :)
Wow, those are lovely!
Wow, you’re really good! I’m totally impressed! It’s so delicate. I gave up calligraphy cuz mine always looked so…. heavy…bulky… i dunno – but I was never really happy with the way mine looked. You’ve got me thinking I need to give it another go. What kind of pen do you use?
You rock! Loved my letter and will def be recommending you!!
you are my hero.
You do not stink at all!
In fact you are good at so many things!
Thank you for inspiring me to get a cat (your pictures of Bunny & Veebs! ;-)
Have a look at my Susie (I’m among Fat Orange Cat Studio’s contacts).
Feline greetings from Milan, Italy!
You know you can do that on a computer?
Just kidding, *love* it!
Li: The Sundara cat pictures are soooo wonderful–they really distill the essence of “cat,” I think! They’d make great art for a wall, even not their owner’s wall, and that’s not always true of pet pics.
And the calligraphy of the addresses is wonderful too. I especially like the Edward Gorey and “Elizabeth Bennett with flowers” ones. Jane Eyre, though: she needs to be up north somewhere–Vermont, maybe?–so she can nearly freeze on that heath! I was thinking that these would make great posters for a classroom, because they’re enticing–what would the letter say? What kind of person would use that kind of paper, or handwriting? I’m thinking that a “design a letter from or to a character” (unfortunately using fonts, not calligraphy!) might be a great book project.
What wonderful work you do. Thanks for sharing!
Wow! Nice calligraphy!
Simply lovely! What do you charge?
I love love love these!! I forgot to say a huge THANK YOU for the card! It’s so beautiful and I will treasure it always and forevermore. :-)