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Watercolor Cactus + Quote Artwork Tutorial

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Watercolor Cactus + Quote Artwork Tutorial | The Postman's Knock

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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The TPK Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course

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The TPK Beginner's Modern Calligraphy Online Course | The Postman's Knock

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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Geometric Watercolor Thank You Card Tutorial

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Geometric Watercolor Thank You Card Tutorial | The Postman's Knock

If you’re new to watercolor, this vivid thank you card is the perfect project to teach you about blending! To make it, you’ll start by drawing a series of simple shapes in pencil, fill them in with watercolor, and end with some calligraphy on the bottom. Keep reading for more detailed instructions!
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10 Mail Art Tips

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Illustrated Mail Art | The Postman's Knock

Mail art is what first inspired me to learn calligraphy. I love the concept of surprising someone with a gorgeous and unique delivery! There are some truly beautiful (and — let’s be honest — intimidating) examples of mail art online, so the goal of this post is to build up your confidence to send mail art yourself. It doesn’t have to be perfect; the whole point is to tap into your creativity and give someone else a happy surprise! Below, you’ll find some tips to get you started.
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Illustrated Lace Butterfly Card Tutorial

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Illustrated Lace Butterfly Card Tutorial | The Postman's Knock

This lace butterfly card exemplifies elegance and creativity! In today’s tutorial, we’ll depart from the traditional greeting card format to produce an interactive, lovely piece that your recipient will want to put on display. I’ll also suggest a few alternative and artistic ways to use the butterfly printable that I created for this card!
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(Free!) Block Printed Envelope Template

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(Free!) Block Printed Envelope Template | The Postman's Knock

I have long admired artist Katharine Watson‘s block prints. Her pleasing patterns and clean lines catch your attention — and invoke a tinge of whimsy and nostalgia. It’s no wonder that Katharine’s pieces are available in so many stores, even my local Two Hands Paperie!
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A Video Crash Course on Watercolor Calligraphy

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A Video Crash Course on Watercolor Calligraphy | The Postman's Knock

Three years ago, I wrote the first A Video Crash Course on Watercolor Calligraphy tutorial. While the tutorial was fairly comprehensive, I’ve been wanting to redo it for a while. Time tends to highlight flaws, and the more I went back to the first post, the more I realized that it needed a better video, inspirational examples, and clearer instructions! Today’s post is the result of that realization, and I hope that you enjoy learning watercolor calligraphy from it.
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Hand Drawn Valentine’s Day Gift Tags – Free Printable

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Hand Drawn Valentine's Day Gift Tags - Free Printable | The Postman's Knock

When I was a little girl, you had one option for Valentine’s Day gift tags: go to the local grocery store and buy some. At that time, we weren’t in the age of Pinterest — we didn’t even have internet, really — so the DIY spirit hadn’t yet been ignited. I remember getting Beauty and the Beast-themed gift tags one year, and Aladdin cards another year (my brother’s choice, not mine; my mom wanted to economize). Once you got the gift tags, you taped candy to them, wrote your classmates’ names on them, and brought them to school. Everyone brought the same tags and the same candy, but no one cared because … candy!
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Five Banner Tutorials – Free Printable

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Five Banner Tutorials | The Postman's Knock

If you like calligraphy and/or hand-lettering, knowing how to draw a banner is bound to come in handy eventually. In this post, you’ll find some tips for drawing banners, plus you can download the free Five Banner Tutorials printable!
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Blended Watercolor Thank You Card Tutorial

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Blended Watercolor Thank You Card Tutorial | The Postman's Knock

This thank you card tutorial, based on a Mexican Talavera tile design, is one of my favorites on the TPK blog because of its vibrant color scheme. The card only uses two colors — brown and turquoise — but the different values of those colors add a lot of visual interest. If you feel intimidated by blending watercolors, set that fear aside for this post! I will teach you exactly how to blend the two tones, and I promise that you can do it. Here are the steps for making this card:
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