Shown is a scanned image of my practice red rose buds, petals and stem work. I always practice my art and lettering first (before I begin a new order) to make it perfect for my clients! I also date my work when I create it. This is a good habit for all calligraphers and artists. Date your work and keep it on file for as long as you like. It is fun to go back over the years and see how your art work has improved!
As The Calligraphy Lady®, I receive requests from clients for hand painted roses, custom designs and hand illustrated monograms to complement our handwritten wedding invitation collection. Custom color roses may accent our handwritten invitations, back flap of outer envelopes, the front of envelopes, programs and reception items. Hand illustrated monograms elegantly adorn the top of our invitations, outer envelopes, menu cards and program covers.
I practice painting my roses first before I paint on the finished invitation card. Sometimes clients desire a specific color to match their wedding bouquet or wedding color theme. I may mix several paints and use various tools like my pen and petite watercolor brushes to create a single hand painted rose.
When painting a rose, writing or illustrating with pointed pen, a feeling of being "one with the tool" is very important. The artist or calligrapher develops a sense of when to apply pressure and when to release pressure with their tools. This is true of both brush and calligraphy pen. This took me many years of practice, art and calligraphy classes to learn. As I mentioned in my post about Chinese brush class, painting bamboo was challenging -- learning to work with a soft large brush, meditating while creating art, and giving up a clenching grip on the brush! Typically, I hold my pointed calligraphy pen tightly -- which is not always a good habit to have!
I like to think of The Calligraphy Lady® invitations as "couture". Expert attention to detail, craftsmanship, gorgeous stationery, high quality inks, paints and tools, long hours of labor (that of love) and excellent customer service go into every invitation set.
A light pink rose floats gracefully above the handwritten invitation card by The Calligraphy Lady®.
And as with any art, skill, trade, sport or anything, there is always room for improvement throughout one's lifetime. So I keep practicing . . . for you! I hope my pen work and art bring joy (and a sort of healing via art) to others.
