Today, I’ll teach you how to make calligraphy quote artwork that’s perfect for anyone who often finds themselves saying the wrong thing. When I was growing up, my great-grandmother had a plaque in her living room. It read: “I only open my mouth to exchange feet.” As a child, I was fascinated by the visual this provoked. The true meaning sailed over my head until my teenage years, when I finally understood the saying.* At that point, I realized that it made sense for Grandma Jean to have this plaque. As beloved as she was, she had a certain reputation for being less than tactful. *“I open my mo ..read more

How do you determine the best calligraphy letter size for your project? We’ll explore the answer to that question in today’s article. Yesterday, TPK reader Alisa emailed me with a question: “Can you write an article about the size of the letters on the envelopes, how tall they are? Because sometimes it seems to me that I write letters that are too small. I don’t know how to choose the right size.” Alisa certainly isn’t alone: it’s tough to choose the perfect letter size, especially when projects vary from envelopes to large pieces of artwork. Today, I’ve written a guide to help you find t ..read more

Early in the planning stages of my book, my editors and I agreed that mail art should be included. I ended up making six envelopes for a spread, which I sent to London to be photographed. The photographer, Nigel Wright, couldn’t get enough of one envelope in particular. This envelope featured two koi fish surrounded by lily pads, flowers, and bubbles circling around the recipient’s name. This is the original mail art that Nigel fell in love with. He photographed it beautifully as part of a mail art composition for The Calligraphy Book. I absolutely love the artistic photographs that Nigel too ..read more

One thing that was on my list of things to do once I finished my calligraphy book? Film a free calligraphy lesson for beginners. I wanted to lay things out in a simple, easy-to-follow way with just a smattering of basic supplies. That’s exactly what Learn Calligraphy: A Step-by-Step Calligraphy Tutorial for Beginners does! In the 45-minute tutorial, beginners can get a taste for whether they enjoy pointed pen calligraphy and find resources to continue learning. Learn Calligraphy: A Step-by-Step Calligraphy Tutorial for Beginners Video I filmed the Learn Calligraphy tutorial for TPK Blog reade ..read more

Making handmade calligraphy wedding invitations is not for the faint of heart. It’s an endeavor that requires patience, precision, and a whole lot of time. With that in mind, handmade wedding invitation suites are best for small events. A guest list of 10 or fewer is ideal! If you’re not deterred, I’ll walk you through how to create a wedding invitation suite that recipients will want to keep forever. The Story of These Handmade Calligraphy Wedding Invitations A decade ago, I received an email from a TPK Blog reader asking me to hand-calligraph her daughter’s wedding invitation suite. She nee ..read more

TPK’s Independence Day Calligraphy Drills were designed to make calligraphy practice enjoyable and festive. In rural Kansas, where I grew up, the build-up to Independence Day starts in late May. There aren’t any firework restrictions, so seasonal entrepreneurs armed with black cats and sparklers set up shop along the highways and in parking lots. Rural Kansans love the 4th of July. Since I haven’t lived in Kansas for a while now*, I’ve channeled my Independence Day love into something creative and relaxing: Limited Edition Independence Day Calligraphy Drills. *I’ve lived in Boulder, Colorado ..read more

Let’s be honest: I’m not known for quick tutorials nor clean envelope designs (see exhibit A, below). Today, however, I’m switching it up to bring you a tutorial that is both fast and sleek. In this quick guide, you’ll learn how to create a beautifully clean hand-lettered envelope design. You’ll also find centering tips, a helpful free lettering exemplar, and hints for making effective postage stamp collages. Exhibit A: What can I say? I love a lot of flourish. That said, variety is the spice of life, and sometimes it’s nice to go back to basics. In order to make an envelope like this one, yo ..read more

Today’s fresh calligraphy drills come in two versions: basic and premium. The premium version, shown here, has traceable guidelines and helpful starting dots. “I need a vacation,” I keep thinking. But the materials for my upcoming calligraphy book due in a couple of weeks, travel isn’t an option right now. To stay relaxed and centered, I’ve been focusing on exercise and bite-sized, meditative projects. Today’s beautifully designed “labyrinth” calligraphy drills sheet fits the bill perfectly, and I hope you’ll enjoy filling it out as much as I loved designing it. Labyrinth Calligraphy Drills In ..read more

Mother’s Day, a holiday that I’ve celebrated for myself for five years now, was on Sunday. There are so many things that I love about being a parent: snuggling with my kids, watching them laugh and play together, and those times when they say something heart-breakingly sweet. (“Mom, I could never ever be mad at you, no matter what you do,” my five-year-old informed me.*) Parenthood, however, also comes with ample moments where you think you might lose your mind. We’ve all been there: zero personal space, exhausting negotiations, and big emotions. *That same five-year-old did, indeed, become l ..read more

I initially wrote this Mother’s Day card tutorial in May of 2016. On Mother’s Day of last year, it came back onto my radar when my husband stayed up late one Saturday night, after everyone had gone to sleep, to make this project. He sheepishly presented it to me the next morning, and I thought it was really sweet. Along with the card, he had excellent feedback for me. This is Hernán’s Mother’s Day card. White ink is tough for beginners, and Hernán had a difficult time with this tutorial in general. “Honestly,” he said, “I had a tough time following the tutorial. I didn’t know what supplies to ..read more