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You know that calligraphy is fun to make — but you may not have realized how useful it can be! In this post, we’ll discuss seven practical utilizations of this versatile art.
I recently received an email from a reader asking me about the practical uses for calligraphy. This reader works in the corporate world, and she was having trouble justifying taking the time to learn the art. I get it! We constantly have to make choices about how to manage our days, and oftentimes you can’t justify indulging in an enjoyable creative pursuit. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that calligraphy can be incorporated into your day-to-day with good reason! Here’s what I came up with:
Hardly anyone can fail to notice a beautiful envelope and meticulous writing. This makes calligraphy a great medium by which to help yourself stand out from other candidates for a job or an internship. After your interview, send a thank you note to the interviewer in a neatly calligraphed envelope. The recipient won’t likely forget you soon, and they’ll be impressed by your attention to detail!
One of the most practical uses for calligraphy is turning your skill into some healthy pocket change! If this sounds like something you’re interested in, you’ll enjoy the following articles:
Have an Etsy shop? Include a calligraphed “thank you” in the order. Work for a café? Calligraph cards to let people know what each pastry is (or better yet: calligraph the menu!). Have an Airbnb? Make a chalkboard to welcome your guests. There’s always a way to use calligraphy to help make a brand stand out, whether you work for yourself or for someone else!
We are constantly connected via computer/phone — which is both good and bad. The perk, of course, is instantaneous and more abundant communication. The drawback is that the quality of that communication can be lacking because it’s so easy. Now more than ever, taking the time to write someone something by hand shows a thoughtfulness that will make his or her day! So, next time you want to show someone how much you care, make them some mail art. Write a note and slip it inside; you’ll be surprised at how much they appreciate the gesture!
In the US and many other countries, we have a real “workaholic” mentality. For many of us, there’s constant pressure to achieve, and to give more of ourselves to our work than perhaps is healthy. If you enjoy creating calligraphy, letting yourself dedicate time to the art can help you to counterbalance that pressure.
I believe that a handmade gift is worth much more than a store-bought gift. It tells me that the giver spent time, energy, and thought to make me something — which is more precious than money. Next time you want to give someone a gift, consider something meaningful that involves calligraphy! You can find a list of DIY gifts in the 8 Creative Handmade Gift Ideas post.
For years, I literally used calligraphy to pay our bills. When we lived in an apartment, I sent a seasonally-appropriate calligraphed rent check envelope every month. It was a great creativity/calligraphy exercise for me, and I found out later that it meant a lot to the landlord as well! You can find a year’s worth of “rent check envelopes” (and read about the landlord’s reaction) in this blog post.
I hope that you enjoyed this list of practical uses for calligraphy! I think there’s always a reason to go for it if you’re interested in learning how to create eye-catching lettering. For me, the most important reason is life balance! After a stressful day, there’s nothing I enjoy more than putting on a good podcast and making calligraphy. What do you think the best practical use of calligraphy is? It doesn’t have to appear on this list!
Thanks very much for reading TPK, and I’ll be back on Friday with an introduction to the new Amy Style calligraphy worksheet and video course! Remember that the price of these learning resources will increase by $5 apiece ($25 total cost versus the current $15), but those who purchased the worksheet/course prior to Friday will be “grandfathered in” to the new versions. If you have any questions about this, you can email me at [email protected] or comment on this blog post!
Have a great week, and happy writing!
Warmly,
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