In this blog post, I share with you my biggest tips for helping you find your artistic style as a beginner.

Check out my FREE Modern Calligraphy Challenge to help you get started using a dip pen and ink with some video instruction as well as free printable worksheets.

Fun, and creative ways to pass the time during our quarantine at home using free practice calligraphy sheets, YouTube videos, and 50% off sale on all online classes! Read the post for more information!

Years ago I was busy lettering, digitizing, designing, printing, selling & shipping, greeting cards as part of my online shop! It was a very busy few years in my business that required a lot of time and effort from me but I did enjoy creating some fun and sassy greeting cards that quickly became popular in my shop!

Greeting cards are a great way to share a personal message with a friend, say thank you to a client or if you are a calligraphy or letterer, to create a gratifying income stream or two in your business!

This World Calligraphy Day is going to be a little bit more special. I have the pleasure of teaming up with Manuscript Pen Co to offer some inspiration to practice your calligraphy, lettering, or even handwriting for a special cause for World Calligraphy Day this year. Along with participating, we have a great giveaway to share!

I was browsing a few hand lettering groups on Facebook last week and discovered that quite a few people aren’t quite sure what Modern Calligraphy is and what the difference is between more traditional forms of calligraphy. I thought I’d create an easy cheat sheet to help explain what Modern Calligraphy is for us visual people! First, here’s a quick video that I created while making and digitizing the lettering for the cheat sheet!

Tracing is one of the best ways to help you build muscle memory and grow your lettering practice! So I thought I’d make it available for anyone who is looking for a fun and easy way to help with learning how to write “Happy Birthday” in modern calligraphy with these tracing sheets!

The best part is, I’ve designed this practice sheet to be used with both a pointed pen and ink, or a small brush pen! I’m all about convenience and multi-purpose tools!

For hand lettering and calligraphy fans, it’s such an exciting time to explore this skill and craft. There are many different lettering tools available on the market now to help you with your lettering projects. Far more than when I first started out for sure!!

Calligraphy and lettering is a large part of what makes up the design end of my business. I’ve even started teaching other the craft through workshops and classes.

I often get questions about which class to start with, or which tool to use, so I thought I’d share with you a quick video that I made demonstrating my top hand lettering tools for beginners!

To help you get a better understanding for all the lettering tools available, I’ve narrowed down my top hand lettering tools for beginners

Simply click here, to download your calligraphy practice sheet to help you write “best wishes”. Save it to your computer and print as many copies you need to help you practice!! The best part is, you can use a brush pen or a dip pen and nib to practice with!

If you missed my other practice sheets that I created for you, have a look at this post here.

Oh, and check out the free Christmas Gift Tags that I shared a little while ago!! They’ll help add style and will make a statement with your gift wrapping this year!!

Lastly, if you are curious about learning calligraphy or brush lettering with me, then check out these new online classes that I just created! They are at a low, introductory price for the next little while, so enjoy the savings while it lasts!

There is a difference between hand lettering and calligraphy. Some would argue that there’s a big difference. I personally feel that any form of lettering, is simply letters that are “drawn” vs. “written”. In both cases, we draw strokes that are very purposeful and consistent. The difference between hand lettering and calligraphy is that the elements of those strokes vary. I recorded this video to help with explaining the difference between hand lettering and calligraphy in the hopes of helping to show how the elements of each art form vary.

Click play to watch the video.

Learning calligraphy is like learning any new skill, the more you practice, the better you become. You can take classes, read blog posts, watch videos and hear about all the important tools to use or paper to practice on, but the only thing that will help you improve, grow confidence and want to continue to fine tune your calligraphy style is by practice! This free calligraphy worksheet to practice more give you an option to use a dip pen and ink or a small brush pen to help you trace words and grow your calligraphy skills.

I believe in taking online courses so much so, that I have taken time away from my art and creative practice, to create courses to help others achieve their personal goals. I’m excited to share everything that I’ve learned over the years in the hopes of inspiring, empowering and saving you time and money! No matter what your goal is. [More about life i design online in another post]

Here are the reasons why I think taking online courses is the way to go! Read to the bottom to see my top online class resources.

I’m a professional hand letterer and calligrapher and I’m really bad at flourish calligraphy!! It doesn’t mean that I don’t practice! Here’s a great practice flourish alphabet for you to use and trace along with me as we build muscle memory and learn calligraphy together!

I shared on my instagram, seating cards that I was making for my Modern Calligraphy dip pen workshop. Some of you wanted more information about how to make them so I went live on Instagram and showed how I letter the seating cards using a dip pen and a simple painting brush.

The end result is really beautiful and the steps are actually super simple! I thought I’d demystify the process of making seating cards so that you can try your hand at making them for your next gathering, special event or meeting!

There are many ways to learn calligraphy.  You can learn calligraphy online, in-person, using tracing sheets or referring to tutorials! Whatever method you choose, the biggest secret is to…

When I started life i design just over 5 years ago, I had an idea about what I wanted to do for a new career/business, I just had no idea what I was doing? 

I knew I wanted to make art, sell art, and live a life that suited my personality and passions.  I just didn't know who I was as an artist, how to start a website, how to open an online shop or how to create graphics and take photos to help sell my art.

This easy and beautiful Modern Calligraphy project will motivate you to learn calligraphy and to practice more! It's simple, easy to gather the tools and fun to do with someone! I have hired my talented and creative daughter Sabrina to work with me over the summer as I create more online inspiration and how-to's for my readers and followers.  One of our goals this summer is to share more creative ideas on the blog.  Here is our first Modern Calligraphy Project to motivate you to learn calligraphy and to practice too!

It feels like this past year has been all about teaching in-person, Modern Calligraphy and Lettering workshops! I have had a blast teaching my most favorite calligraphy style for lettering and observing how other learn, what tweaks I can offer to create more success for my students and just how inspired I am by others!  I often thought about how I could extend my teaching and offer the opportunity to those who are not in may local area to learn my personal method of modern Calligraphy. 

It's the start of the new year and time for us to add a few things to our bucket list.  Forget the resolutions for a minute.  What's on your bucket list? Do you want to take a special trip? Go bungee jumping? Maybe you just want to learn something new?  How about learning modern calligraphy!!?

How to make a Christmas gift tag is an easy way to add your own personality and charm to your Christmas decorating this year.  They are simple Christmas gift tags that are home made, use basic materials and have a lovely effect!  Read more here!