Today’s “Let’s Go to Paris” greeting card tutorial offers the perfect springtime hello. It’s artistic and creative, and plays to two (arguable) truths: first of all, springtime brings out the travel bug in a lot of us. Second, Paris is absolutely stunning this time of year! To make this card, you’ll just need a printer, paper, scissors, and some glue.
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In 2012, I decided to start an Etsy shop called “The Postman’s Knock”, and I quit my day job (read the full story here). The idea behind the Etsy shop was this: I could design stationery and write out custom envelope calligraphy for people, which they would be delighted to receive when they heard “the postman’s knock” at their door. Eventually, the Etsy shop evolved into so much more than that — now, TPK is mainly a blog and learning resource — but, like everyone, I started somewhere. I tried a lot of things and put myself out there before I felt completely ready, which is just what you have to do! Here are some of the items that I used to sell, some of which you may be surprised at. Without these now-retired items, TPK as we know it wouldn’t exist!
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Today’s tutorial isn’t for the faint of heart — but I promise that you can do it! An illustrated watercolor map usually takes a couple of days to make, and it requires some artistic judgment calls. Still: the creation process is so enjoyable, and the unique results justify any time and effort spent to make it.
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When I first developed an interest in calligraphy, I perused a lot of calligraphy photos online. Those photos featured a recurring theme: a strange-looking pen with a “thingy” sticking out of its side. After some intensive Googling, I found out that the “thingy” is called a “flange”, and the pen is called an “oblique calligraphy pen”.
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I think that a lot of people would like to try making mail art, but, due to time constraints, it never happens. Just like any artistic pursuit, though, you can choose how much effort you put into your envelopes! Today’s three short tutorials will give you options for making cool pieces of mail art even when you are pressed for time.
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If your calligraphy ink is bleeding, know that you’re in good company. Virtually every calligrapher runs into this issue at some point! When you notice the edges of your calligraphy spiderwebbing out, don’t despair: there’s always something that you can do to fix the problem.
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Every time I make a tutorial like this watercolor cactus + quote artwork, I wonder why I don’t make more watercolor pieces. There’s a certain satisfaction in watching a blank piece of paper transform into a vibrant, eye-catching work of art! I know that many people find watercolors to be intimidating, but there’s a secret to using them: embrace mistakes and run with them! Watercolor seems to have a mind of its own, and that’s the basis of its beauty. Understand that, and you’ll enjoy making artwork like this. Here’s how to do it:
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For as long as I’ve been writing about calligraphy, I’ve been encouraging people to DIY their own calligraphy kit. It’s very easy to find pre-made calligraphy kits in big box stores, but manufacturers are — rightly — concerned with pricing. As a result, commercial kits are attractively priced. However, in lieu of high-quality materials, most kits include cheap tools that are ill-suited for a beginner. At the same time, I know from emails that I’ve received over the years that DIYing a calligraphy kit isn’t for everyone. It was a problem that I discussed with Tona Bell, owner of the Paper Seahorse, when I was in Tampa a few months ago to teach a workshop at her store. As a solution, we designed two amazing calligraphy kits, which Tona made available just in time for the release of the Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course.
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After months of work, I am so proud — and a little nervous and excited — to announce that the TPK Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course is live! You can find it by clicking here. In this post, I want to take you through what the course is, what prompted me to create it, and what to expect next.
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If you’re confident in your calligraphy abilities and want to use them to make extra cash, it may be time to address envelopes for clients! If you’re at that point, I’d recommend reading two articles first: How to Make Extra Income Selling Calligraphy and 8 Tips for Starting a Calligraphy Business. Once you’ve read those articles, you should be ready to start advertising your services! But what do you do once someone reaches out to hire you (and ultimately decides to work with you)? This article endeavors to answer that question!
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