When I first started learning how to do calligraphy last May, (almost a year ago - crazy!), I was convinced that I would do only brush calligraphy for the rest of my life. I thought that nib and ink calligraphy was absolutely beautiful, but ultimately, I dismissed it as something I could never do. My attitude remained this way until around 5 weeks ago when I thought I would try it out, and it was very handy that my calligraphy teacher, Alina, had just launched her beautiful pastel coloured inks, and started stocking 'Luis Creations' pen holders, one of which was rose gold. If you know me, you know pastels and rose gold are the way to my heart, so I bought them and I gave it a go.
AND I FOUND IT SO DIFFICULT.
I had every problem imaginable. I couldn't get the ink to flow out of my pen, couldn't get it to STAY on my pen, the ink was too thin, while simultaneously being too thick. It was a mess, but I persevered. I kept practising, and it got a little better, but it really still wasn't as fun for me as brush lettering. I'd never had any of these problems with a felt tip brush pen.
3 weeks later, one of my best friends then asked me to create a commission for her, which still blows my mind, and please just know that I am so grateful if you've ever asked me to make anything for you - it truly means the world to me. Anyway, I used this as my opportunity to use nib and ink, as she had requested gold calligraphy on navy card. I have the 'Rainbow Finetec Coliro Pearlcolours Metallic Paints', which has the most stunning gold shade, and I definitely could've painted the commissions, but there was something about the gorgeous inspirational quotes that she'd requested which struck me as quotes which would look that bit prettier in ink. Originally, I was using the gold paint as an ink, (if you've never done this - you use a paintbrush to 'paint' the ...paint on to your nib.) I practised with this, and I liked it, but I didn't l o v e the process. It was a little time consuming, and I had issues with flow due to having to water down a paint, to make it the consistency of an ink, so I went hunting for a gold ink.
I found this one by A'Laise Stationery on Etsy, and I 100% recommend. For one, it's the most beautiful ink but it was also the fastest delivery I've ever experienced on Etsy, and I use Etsy for everything, but it's also a beauuuutiful colour. I also bought their 'copper' ink while I was there, and they're both absolutely gorgeous colours. I'm obsessed.
Here is how the commissions turned out, (the two navy pieces - the white one is me trying out the copper ink for fun!) Both of them are available on my store, which is linked at the top of this post, but you can also purchase straight from my blog on the 'etsy calligraphy' page, if you prefer!
I'm so beyond proud of them, and I know this sounds so egotistical, but I sometimes look at these photos and I don't believe that I made them, because they're almost at the standard that I envied when I saw other peoples' art in the calligraphy group that I'm in.
Anyway, here they are, I love them, and I love that it's been almost a year since I started and I'm still absolutely in love with calligraphy, and with learning new skills. I also love that it was only 3 weeks between my 'hello spring' session, and that of the commissions. It's so cool to see how much I can improve in a mere 3 weeks, considering that I plan on doing this for the rest of my life.
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