Calligraphy Practice on the Porch

  I have always disliked my handwriting.  I tend to want to blame my parents for not making me practice harder when I was learning penmanship in elementary.  The truth is, it was my choice to skate by and be average.  I just liked the Big Chief notepads and the weird paper they were made of and I did't really care how neat my writing was. Remember those pads of paper?  I wonder if they still make them.  I am going to find out and if so- I am gonna buy a pant-load of them and use them for more practice.  Maybe Colt can play along too.   

Anywhoo, I have been working towards embracing the ugly writing, especially when it comes to my scrapbooking. I have always been pretty interested in calligraphy.  We did a unit on it in high school English class my senior year and since then I have been hooked at trying it.  I want to practice more artsy ways to enhance my handwriting and found this book at the Target in Montrose.

Calligraphy Made Easy by Ashlee Gardner

Lettering and handwritten trends are all the rage and I too love the look of it all.  You can find hand lettering on everything from prints and art to letters and scrapbook paraphernalia. There are tutorials and practice sheets all over Pinterest, but this book and these brush tip markers were conveniently displayed right next to each other. All for around $25 I made the small investment to start working on getting fancy with my writing skills. I like to sit on the porch when it is nice and practice some of my art skills that don't require a lot of supplies and the book conveniently has the worksheets built right in.  I typically don't like writing in books, but whatever.  This one isn't like something I plan on getting rid of, so no one but me will see my doodling.

This is as far as I made it while Colt was in the bathtub.  Page one.  Exercise one.

Author's Workbook Page

My Practice Page

I took about 10 minutes to work on this.  I realized the importance of practice by doing this page.  Many times I wanted to go really fast, but I realized that it takes time to make the strokes and each one is almost like a drawing in and of itself.  I have heard many people say that lettering each letter and each stroke is something you have to think of like art, rather than penmanship.  To take your time and focus.  Some of my curls were WAY out of control, but this was fun to do and very quick practice for the short period of time I had to do it in.  

The author's example

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My practice...WTF is that on the bottom? HAHAHA!

It doesn't take much time or much money to find ways to be creative.  I suppose you could even find tons of stuff on the interwebs to make it free or nearly free even.  I look forward to practicing more and getting to the exercises that will use the brush tip markers.  They are SO pretty and SO colorful!  Crayola is the best.  I  <3 them.  

Crayola makes some great inexpensive art supplies!

Lookit the colors!!

So whatcha think?  I have a ways to go...but it's fun none the less.

Peace, Love and Paintbrushes,