Full disclosure: I’ve never been to Mexico, but I have always been in love with Mexican art. In general, it’s colorful, eye-catching, and playful! That’s why you can find Talavera Mexican tile motifs (and actual tiles!) throughout my house, from the basement …
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When it comes to being cautious with my work, I’ve learned a lot of things the hard way! From smudges to ink spills to water-damaged mail, a lot of disasters have befallen this girl. While I can’t claim consistent savviness in preventing facepalm-worthy situations, I try my best! In today’s article, I’m (hopefully) going to help you avoid some of the mistakes that I’ve made in the past. Keep these tips in mind next time you sit down to write!
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I am a big calligraphy medallion fan. I love how calligraphy medallions offer a creative way to practice calligraphy without actually writing, “A, A, A, B, B, B” ad nauseam! There’s also the coolness factor: calligraphy medallions look awesome on the backs of envelopes, as part of invitation designs, or in sketchbooks. Today, I’m going to show you how to make a springtime-themed medallion … just in time to celebrate the beginning of spring, which was March 20th!
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In 2012, I officially became a calligraphy beginner. Filled with the unique type of excitement that results from a Pinterest binge, I lit off to a big box store, and I bought a random calligraphy kit and some ink. Like most calligraphy beginners, I expected to pick up a pen and immediately be able to create cool things! When I got home, though, I tried writing on some printer paper. Surprise! My “calligraphy” looked terrible.
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A couple of months ago, I resolved to be more active on YouTube. Calligraphy is such a visual thing, after all, and I love to watch it come to life via video! My favorite types of videos to make are “musical calligraphy” videos. Basically, I find a classical piece of music and create calligraphy to it. These types of videos are helpful for two reasons. First, you get an idea of what a realistic writing pace looks like! Second, any calligraphy video can help you glean visual tips. For example, you might feel inspired to re-evaluate your grip or try out some flourishes! Today, I’m writing to Bizet’s “Habanera”, which is an aria from the opera Carmen.
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A friend recently gave me Last Chance to See, which is a book written by Douglas Adams. The novel details Adams’ adventures as he travels to various remote locations to find endangered species. I initially prepared myself for a dry, educational read. Instead, I’ve found adventure and comedy! In short, lush and exotic locations have been on my mind; and when I came across this motif by illustrator Viktoria on Pinterest, I was inspired to create some watercolor mail art! Today, I’ll show you how to whip up an envelope like this one. Of course, you can modify the concept to use it on bullet journals, sketchbooks, invitations, or whatever else you feel like making!
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If you want to enjoy a few minutes of zen, there is nothing like painting a watercolor wreath! The action of combining colors and shapes into a flowy border is relaxing and satisfying, the perfect way to hone your watercolor skills. In today’s tutorial, I’m going to walk you through how to make a floral watercolor thank you card using watercolors and hand-lettering!
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I first released this simple brush pen worksheet in 2015. Little did I know that it would become one of the most popular printables on TPK! With 131,500 downloads and counting, many a brush pen enthusiast has worked through the exercises in this worksheet. Today, I want to talk about what you can learn from filling out the Free Brush Pen worksheet, as well as other brush pen resources that you can take advantage of on the TPK site!Continue reading…