Filigree Easter Card Tutorial by Maureen Vickery

In today’s tutorial, artist and calligrapher Maureen Vickery walks us through how to create a detailed Easter greeting card. If you’re dubious about your lettering or illustration skills, don’t fear: this project includes a printable template!

In 2020, Maureen Vickery created a reindeer-themed holiday card for TPK. People loved it so much that I couldn’t help but ask her to contribute another tutorial! The result is this gorgeous filigree Easter card, inspired by Monika Fällman’s filigree work in Issue 13 of Calligraphy Crush Magazine. With its intricate florals and pastel colors, this card celebrates the season … and makes you crave chocolate.

1. Gather Your Supplies

Below this photo, you’ll find a list of the supplies that you need in order to make this Easter card. Feel free to adapt this tutorial to the supplies that you have at home!

Maureen’s Filigree Easter Card Instructions + Templates printable (it’s free!)
White or light-colored cardstock or watercolor paper, cut to 5” x 7”
Pencil + eraser
Light box (or graphite paper) for tracing the design
Pearlescent watercolors (Maureen used an inexpensive pan set of Yasutomo Pearlescent Watercolors)
Small paint brush (Size 0 or 1)
Small container of water for cleaning your brush
Paper towels or cleaning cloth
Sepia Micron 05 pen

2. Make a Pencil Draft

First, get out your light box or your graphite paper. Then, trace the Easter card template of your choice onto white cardstock or watercolor paper. (Use the first template if you want to customize the florals. Use the second if you’d like to trace over the entire design.) You can find two printable templates in the Filigree Easter Card Instructions + Templates printable.

Tracing the Easter Card from a template — Don’t have a light box? You can use a bright window to trace over the design instead.

Once you are happy with the balance of the words and flowers, it’s time to start drawing the design with waterproof brown ink.

Tracing over the filigree "E" — Maureen used a sepia Micron pen to trace over her pencil draft. You can use any waterproof brown ink you have available! If you’re using a dip pen and ink, Ziller is an excellent choice.

3. Trace Over the Draft

Continue to trace over your pencil draft with brown ink until everything is covered.

Tracing Over an Easter Card with a Micron Pen — To give your “Easter” letters more dimension, draw closely-spaced diagonal lines inside portions of them.

Easter card without color — In this photo, the card is almost finished! All that’s left is to trace over a few leaves.

4. Add Color

Once you’ve traced over everything, use your watercolor palette to add color to the card. (For an exact list of which colors Maureen used where, see her Filigree Easter Card Instructions + Templates.)

Adding Color to an Easter Card — For a cheerful spring look, try to stick to pastel colors.

When you’re finished, step back and enjoy your handiwork!

… And, if you have time, decorate an envelope to house your beautiful Easter card.

These are some of the envelopes that Maureen has sent to new *Calligraphy Crush* subscribers!

Calligraphy Crush Magazine

Maureen is the owner of PenDance Studio and editor of Calligraphy Crush magazine, where this tutorial also appears in Issue 13. If you’re new to Calligraphy Crush, be sure to download the free sample issue to see what it’s all about!

Left: Issue 8 of *Calligraphy Crush Magazine* (featuring TPK’s mail art!); Right: The fabulously creative Maureen Vickery

Many thanks go to Maureen for sharing this tutorial and its accompanying printables! I feel so inspired to try my own hand at filigreed letters now … maybe even as a standalone project (à la this illuminated letter tutorial). If you like this project, be sure to drop Maureen a comment of thanks on Instagram (@pendancestudio) or via email ([email protected])! Happy spring and happy Easter!

Warmly,

5 responses

Esther

May 5, 2023

My Grandma is a huge chocolate fan so when I saw this I knew I had to make it for her. She absolutely loved it! It was supper easy and fun to make. I will definitely be making it again. Thank you so much for sharing it!

1. Lindsey Bugbee
  
  May 9, 2023
  
  Aw that is so sweet of you! I love chocolate too! I am glad that you enjoyed the technique and hope you continue to use it!
  
Beth

April 10, 2023

This is lovely. Thank you for your instructions.

Ginger

May 23, 2022

I have a light box and assumed it wasn’t powerful enough to penetrate card stock. I then tried it on my window. I have tried ClaireFontaine, standard watercolour paper, etc etc. I just can’t see the design through the paper enough to get it right. I feel like I’m in an alternate universe. The pencil trace & invert method is not exactly and pretty messy. What am I doing wrong? 😕

Marcia

April 10, 2022

Wow this is an amazing tutorial thank you for sharing 🙂 This year I’m planning on taking a digital copy of my artwork and get it digitally print to mail out to my friends and family. I use a online card printing service called printpocket.ca. They are a pleasure to work with. Everyone is friendly and professional and the paper and finishes are top quality. Keep up the great work! Looking forward to the next post.