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  • Welcome to TPK! This is your first of 2 free articles. For unlimited access to tutorials and articles, join TPK Premium for less than the cost of a latte.

    ✨ Making Magic with TPK: Celebrating Reader Projects

    August 22, 2023

    by

    Lindsey Bugbee

    Inspiration, Roundup

    One of the most rewarding aspects of running this website is seeing the ripple effect of creativity. It’s one thing to provide a tutorial, but it’s a unique joy to see that knowledge absorbed and transformed by someone. Today, we’ll dive into several TPK-inspired projects that capture the spirit of art and community.

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    Abby S. (@thescriptedpost on Instagram) used Circus Style lettering to make these *fabulous* envelopes.
    Abby S. (@thescriptedpost on Instagram) used Circus Style lettering to make these *fabulous* envelopes.

    For me, a big part of the fun of the TPK website is seeing reader projects. It’s so gratifying to provide instructions and see them being put to use, especially when people add or subtract elements to make a project their own! Today, I’m taking a little break from working on my book to share some of my favorite TPK-inspired creations from Instagram — courtesy of the TPK community.

    1. Illuminated Letters Birthday Gift

    CoCo K. knocked it out of the park with this project! She used the Easy Illuminated Letter Tutorial as a base, pairing two letters together with an innovative color scheme and calligraphy as a birthday gift for her dad.

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by CoCo Kelly | The Audacious Woman (@shewhoisaudacious)

    MAKE YOUR OWN ILLUMINATED LETTER

    2. Flourished Reindeer Holiday Card

    Bernice did an amazing job replicating Maureen Vickery’s flourished calligraphy reindeer — complete with a red nose — as part of her holiday decor. Bleed Proof White ink is a must if you want that festive, snowy look on black paper.

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by Bernice (@bernice_lettersandthings)

    READ THE FLOURISHED CALLIGRAPHY REINDEER TUTORIAL

    3. Colorful Marinera Dancer

    For Peruvian Independence Day 2022, I shared a Marinera Dancer Calligraphy Drill Worksheet. Larissa took her dancer to the next level by embracing the traditional Peruvian color scheme of red, black, and white!

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by Larissa (@larigraphy_tas)

    DOWNLOAD THE FREE WORKSHEET

    4. North Carolina Illustrated Map

    Mindy J. put in the work to make this map by enrolling in the Watercolor Illustrated Maps 101 eCourse. A piece like this takes several days to make, but the process is magic. It’s amazing how making a map allows you to “travel” to a place … mentally, you feel like you’re there! If you’re serious about making maps, enroll in the course; or, for an overview of the process, see this tutorial.

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    A post shared by Mindy Jameyson CZT (@penwithzen)

    ENROLL IN THE WATERCOLOR illustrated MAPS 101 ECOURSE

    5. Letter Art Farewell Gift

    Anamika says: “I wanted to gift [my ex-coworker Matthew] something that will always remind him of us, a part of Non Human Primate Reagent Resource (NHPRR). Those who don’t know we work in vaccine development and it’s related to primates hence I wanted to include our beloved animal Macaca mulata aka rhesus monkey. This art piece has everyone’s name who is a part of the group along with most special ppl/things/ objects in his life.” She created this piece using the Personalized Letter Art Tutorial.

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    A post shared by Anamika Banerjee (@artwork_by_anamika)

    MAKE PERSONALIZED LETTER ART

    6. “Bee Mine” Card

    Nikkei’s brilliant Valentine’s Day card pairs the Flourished Bee Calligraphy Tutorial with metallic ink and “Bee Mine” calligraphy for a visual treat.

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    A post shared by Ruby Red Riding Hood (@rubyredridinghood)

    DOWNLOAD THE FREE FLOURISHED BEE WORKSHEET

    7. “JOY” Holiday Card

    Jennifer D. created this simple but festive card with the help of the “Joy” Elegant Gold Christmas Card Tutorial. I love how she used a gold border to complete the look!

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    A post shared by Cursively Written (@cursivelywritten)

    make a “joy” greeting card

    8. “Silent Phantoms” Halloween Quote

    Philippa elevated the “Silent Phantoms” Halloween Calligraphy by writing her quote on aged, torn paper using walnut ink. These modifications make the piece especially perfect for up-leveling your Halloween decor!

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by @pippaj3

    DOWNLOAD THE “SILENT PHANTOMS” CALLIGRAPHY WORKSHEET

    9. Hand-Drawn Vintage Roses

    Anna is right: it’s amazing what you can do with a pen and some ink. Try creating a vintage roses illustration yourself! Like Anna (and me), I suspect you’ll find that this motif presents a relaxing and pleasant challenge.

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    A post shared by Anna | Cracow Calligrapher (@flourishing_corner)

    LEARN HOW TO DRAW VINTAGE ROSES

    10. Woman’s Silhouette Calligraphy Artwork

    Paulina re-imagined TPK’s Calligraphy Artwork Tutorial: Woman’s Silhouette to include clear, monoline calligraphy and a favorite song. I love how she states that the TPK Blog makes you “want to try all the things” — that’s what I love to hear!

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    A post shared by 𝑃𝑎𝑢𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑎 • 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟 (@goldprintcalligraphy)

    make a calligraphy silhouette

    I so appreciate everyone who has shared their creations on Instagram for me to see. It’s an amazing cycle of inspiration: when you read a tutorial and share the result, I feel that creative spark that fuels this website. Thanks so much for growing your creativity with me, and please feel free to scroll through other TPK reader-created projects to see even more reader projects!

    Happy creating,

    Lindsey's Signature | The Postman's Knock
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About the author

Hi, I’m Lindsey Bugbee, the illustrator, calligrapher, and author behind The Postman’s Knock (TPK). Since 2012, the TPK Blog has been a vibrant creative space filled with tutorials and lessons on modern calligraphy, hand lettering, and illustration. After publishing The Calligraphy Book, I wanted to elevate the quality of content even further—so I launched TPK Premium. You can join here to receive access to some of the internet’s best creative inspiration and project tutorials.

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2 responses

  1. Solar Avatar
    Solar
    July 29, 2024

    This post is very helpful. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

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  2. gorilla tag Avatar
    gorilla tag
    March 28, 2024

    Larissa elevated her dancer to the next level by donning the classic Peruvian tricolor of white, black, and red!

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🎁 These printable gift tags are one of my favor 🎁 These printable gift tags are one of my favorite free printables on the TPK site. Just download, print, cut them out, and — if you want to — reinforce them with a bit of cardstock.

Inside the PDF you’ll find four designs: Festive Frida, Flourished Tree, Pine Boughs, and Merry & Bright. They’re all hand-drawn, and they make even the simplest wrapping look bespoke and artistic. 🎨 

Pro tip: If you’ve got a bit of extra time, add a pop of watercolor or some gold dots; and consider mounting the tag on a contrasting piece of cardstock for extra oomph.

They’re free to download at: thepostmansknock.com/free-super-cool-hand-drawn-printable-gift-tags/ (or visit the link in my stories today). Happy holidays!

#handdrawn #gifttags #printablegifttags #freeprintables #holidayprintables #christmascrafts #holidaygifts #papercrafts #snailmailinspo #mailart #creativegiftwrapping #diyholiday #diygifttags #artistsoninstagram #illustrationartists #thepostmansknock #tpkcommunity #calligraphycommunity #stationerylove #creativecommunity
There’s something extra fun about a card that do There’s something extra fun about a card that doesn’t just open … it comes to life. ✨ This little stand-up tree might look fancy, but it’s totally approachable — relaxing to make, satisfying to embellish, and (my favorite part) it folds up perfectly to pop in the mail. 💌🎄

If you’re looking for a holiday project that feels creative and doable, this is *such* a good one. The printable template does half the work for you, and you can customize the rest with flourishes, white ink, ornaments, or whatever feels festive to you.

The full step-by-step tutorial is waiting for you on the TPK website; just head to the link in my bio and tap “Blog.” I think you’ll have as much fun making this as I did. ❤️

#calligraphy #calligraphytutorial #holidaycalligraphy #flourishedcalligraphy #moderncalligraphy #calligraphycommunity #calligraphypractice #calligraphyart #letteringcommunity #letteringart #papercraft #papercrafting #diycards #handmadecards #holidaycards #christmascards #christmascrafts #snailmail #snailmailrevolution #snailmaillove #creativecommunity #stationerylove #makersgonnamake #thepostmansknock
I love it when I can make simple pointed pen pract I love it when I can make simple pointed pen practice on cardstock ... and it magically turns into a festive card! Find instructions + a printable template for making this “Loop-de-Loop” tree in the TPK 2025 Holiday Calligraphy Worksheet set. 🎄 (Link in bio, then navigate to the Blog!)

#pointedpen #calligraphy #calligraphypractice #pointedpenpractice #holiday #christmastree #treedrawing #doodles #goldwatercolor
Every November since 2016, I’ve looked forward t Every November since 2016, I’ve looked forward to sitting down with a cup of something warm ☕️ and sketching out ideas for the TPK holiday worksheet. This year was no exception, and I think you’ll be pleased with the motifs! They’re designed to bring calm, beauty, and (sneaky) pointed pen practice to your holiday season. 🎄Visit the TPK Blog (link in bio, then navigate to Blog) for details!
The other day, I was thinking about sending out ho The other day, I was thinking about sending out holiday cards, and I immediately dismissed the thought with, “I have zero time to calligraph envelopes for those.” ✍️

... But is that true? I put it to the test for the latest article on the TPK Blog. Using some time-saving tricks I’ve learned over the years (like using a watery ink, a bouncy calligraphy style, and minimal pencil guidelines), I timed myself making three envelope concepts. Two of them took 5 minutes or less. The most time-intensive took 5 minutes, 30 seconds. The envelopes still turned out looking elegant, especially with the help of some artistic postage stamp collages. 💌

For clear step-by-step tutorials detailing how to make these envelopes and sourcing pretty postage, visit the TPK Blog (link in bio, then navigate to “Blog”)!

#snailmail #mail #calligraphy #pointedpencalligraphy #happymail #snailmailrevolution #mailbox #postage #vintagepostage
After I chose this music to accompany this reel, i After I chose this music to accompany this reel, it dawned on me: drawing a calligraphy medallion is like, well, Belle’s arc with the Beast. 

At first, it’s a bit of a weird situation. Strange shapes, questionable structure, possibly some growling (à la “YOU WILL JOIN ME FOR DINNER. That’s not a request!”) when the inevitable ink smudge happens. You keep thinking, “I’m not sure why I’m doing this ... should I hop on Felipe and gallop away?” 🐎

But something shifts as the medallion starts to come to life. And when you finish that last detail and pull back, the music swells. Light bursts from your paper like it did from Beast’s digits as he transformed into a stunningly beautiful prince. ✨ You’re practically in a ballroom celebrating, and, wait, did your furniture just turn into an adoring crowd that’s celebrating your fortitude and skill?

(And now you know how my mind works 🧠 ... I love a good metaphor, no matter how weak it may be!) 

To learn how to make a calligraphy medallion, just search for “calligraphy medallion” on the TPK site (link in bio). You’ll find both free Blog tutorials and detailed premium worksheets.

... I’ll show myself out now. 🙈

#pointedpencalligraphy #calligraphy #handwritten #pointedpen #dippen #calligraphymedallion #calligraphydrill #calligraphypractice
My favorite autumn projects are the ones that remi My favorite autumn projects are the ones that remind you how cozy this season can be. 🍂 This project definitely fits the bill ... create it with a hot, comforting drink nearby and an excellent audiobook, and you’re in for a treat! ☕️ ✍️ The tutorial on the TPK Blog (link in bio, then navigate to Blog) is super detailed, with mini tutorial videos to guide you every step of the way.

#autumnart #watercolortutorial #arttutorial #handpainted #paintingtutorial #pointedpen #dippen #flourishing
Happy Halloween! 👻 This year, I’m pretending Happy Halloween! 👻 This year, I’m pretending to be ... someone who writes calligraphy quickly! (No, just kidding — not about the video being sped up, but the choice of costume. I actually picked up a skeleton PJ set at Goodwill. 💀)

Even if you won’t be indulging in candy, remember to treat yourself this season, starting this weekend! The holiday season can be hectic, and it’s important to claim some relaxing time for yourself. Cheers to the “holidaze”! 🥂

#halloweencalligraphy #calligraphy #pointedpen #dippen #handwritten #writingvideo #calligraphyvideo
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