Calligraphy flourishing is something that mystifies most people. It’s tough to figure out how not to overdo it (or underdo it!), and even harder to make flourishes that are tasteful and natural-looking. In today’s short tutorial, I’ll show you my technique for making flourishes that look polished every time.
Continue reading…
My family first got a scanner around the year 1998, and I remember being fascinated with the concept. You could draw something, and all of a sudden, there it was on your computer screen! And then, you could take it a step further and make copies of what you’d drawn. Amazing.
Continue reading…
The Nikko G nib is a fantastic calligraphy nib — but did you know that it was originally developed to be a drawing nib? I’ve used it to illustrate several fun projects like a lace butterfly and a henna bluebird! The objective of today’s mail art tutorial is twofold: first, I want you to end up with an artistic envelope that you love. Second, I want you to get a basic introduction to drawing with the Nikko G because next month I plan to explore pen and ink drawing techniques a bit more with you!
Continue reading…
I’m sure that you know the feeling of creating something that you’re proud of. Then, time passes, and you realize: “Wow, I really could have done that better.” That’s exactly how I felt with the Amy Style Calligraphy Worksheet Set. When I first released the set in 2015, I thought it was just great! I’d done it to the best of my ability, and that’s all that a person can ask for, really.
Continue reading…
A decade ago, I never would have thought to offer printables on a blog. I was in college at the time, and I was just noticing printables popping up on websites that I followed. I always wondered who on earth actually used printable stationery, invitation, and artwork downloads! To me, things that were printed off at home looked cheap (I suspect that a large part of the problem was my hand-me-down printer and generic ink).
Continue reading…
When I’m working on any sort of calligraphy project, I always keep a calligraphy exemplar at hand. Exemplars are good to have around just in case you forget how to make a particular letter in the calligraphy style that you’re using! In today’s tutorial, I’ll teach you how to make a calligraphy exemplar with the help of a printable shortcut.
Continue reading…
This printable Father’s Day card fills a void that I noticed when I was browsing Father’s Day card designs in search of inspiration. What I found was that almost all Father’s Day cards fall into one of two categories: hyper-masculine or goofy. Tasteful, artistic cards are few and far between — which is why I created today’s printable.
Continue reading…
The TPK blog is peppered with free printable calligraphy practice sheets to help you improve your penmanship! However, with 400+ blog posts on this site, some of the best freebies may have eluded you. For that reason, I decided to create a compilation of the free dip pen and brush pen calligraphy practice sheets and present them to you in this article. Some may look familiar, while others may be new to you! My hope is that these will help you to set aside some “me time” to improve your penmanship, relax, and indulge your creativity.
Continue reading…
Easter is upon us, so I decided to celebrate by making a fun and educational printable! The “Flourish by Number” Bunny will give you some calligraphy practice and help you to create something eye-catching and beautiful. The trick behind making it? Be patient and kind to yourself! If your bunny doesn’t look exactly like the example, don’t fret. No matter what, you’re learning, improving, and getting in some quality time with your dip pen!
Continue reading…
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!
Continue reading…