calligraphy - Page 3 of 31 | The Postman's Knock

Quick Mother’s Day Card Tutorial

April 20, 2018 by Lindsey Bugbee 175 Comments

One of the facts of life is this: the older you get, the more mothers you know. Slowly, Mother’s Day becomes a day that’s not only acknowledging your own mother: it’s also about your friend, your sister, your daughter, and many other women in your life. It’s wonderful that we all know so many fantastic moms, but it’s difficult to find the time to make a thoughtful DIY Mother’s Day card for all of them! That’s why this year I focused on making a quick card card concept that can be customized and streamlined if you want to make more than one. You can read the steps below to learn how to create it!
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7 Mistakes That I Made as a Freelance Calligrapher and Artist

April 17, 2018 by Lindsey Bugbee 174 Comments

Last week, I posted a throwback article called 10 Items That I Successfully Sold on Etsy. Writing that post offered a fun trip down memory lane, and I think that people were able to draw some inspiration from it! This week, I’d like to continue that throwback theme by sharing some of the mistakes that I made as a freelance artist and calligrapher. I hope that you can learn from my mishaps if you decide to take on any freelance work, whether it’s just on the side or as part of a full-time gig!
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10 Items That I Successfully Sold on Etsy: A Throwback Post

April 10, 2018 by Lindsey Bugbee 195 Comments

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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How to Create an Illustrated Watercolor Map

April 7, 2018 by Lindsey Bugbee 48 Comments

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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About the Oblique Calligraphy Pen

April 3, 2018 by Lindsey Bugbee 152 Comments

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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3 Speedy Mail Art Tutorials

March 30, 2018 by Lindsey Bugbee 64 Comments

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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Help, My Calligraphy Ink is Bleeding!: 5 Ways to Fix This Common Issue

March 27, 2018 by Lindsey Bugbee 64 Comments

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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Calligraphy Kit Collaboration with The Paper Seahorse

March 20, 2018 by Lindsey Bugbee 612 Comments

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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The TPK Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course

March 16, 2018 by Lindsey Bugbee 397 Comments

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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How to Address Envelopes for Clients

March 13, 2018 by Lindsey Bugbee 261 Comments

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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