Thursday, December 19, 2013

Calligraphy Class @ Paper Tales

Lately I’ve been really interested in modern calligraphy, because I’ve seen it all over Pinterest and on blogs.  It seemed like it would be really fun to learn calligraphy and make my own quote prints or journal cards for scrapbooking.  So when I found out that my awesome local scrapbook store Paper Tales was holding a Calligraphy class, I signed up!  The class was taught by April Joy Hill, whom I was already following in the scrapbooking world.  What a small world that she lives in San Diego!

Practicing calligraphy this weekend on Project Life journal cards.
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Calligraphy class was held on Sunday 12/1 from 1-4pm.  When I had lunch with Pearl, she said she was thinking about attending the class too.  When she found out I was planning on going, she signed up too!  Here we were in class.
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April the instructor, showing us the type of paper to use to practice calligraphy on.
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My first time using a pointed-tip calligraphy pen!  We got a straight pen holder with a Nikko G nib.  Using black sumi ink
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My first strokes felt weird and unnatural, lol.  I wasn’t used to holding the pen and the nib.  I practiced some basic strokes first.  Then using the basic strokes to build the lowercase alphabet.
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Practice, practice, practice.
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With some mess-ups along the way.
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The other ladies in the class, hard at work practicing their alphabets.
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After practicing the letters, I practiced putting words together. 
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The instructor April and I.
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I got to meet my Instagram friend Mariko!
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I had a lot of fun in class and learned so much!  In fact, I sort of got obsessed with calligraphy and signed up for a Skillshare calligraphy class called Introduction to the Art of Modern Calligraphy.  I spent a bunch of time practicing yesterday.  Here’s some that I scanned into the computer.
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Some more on journal cards.
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I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t practiced enough to find my own style yet.  I see all the accomplished calligraphers out there doing amazing lettering, and I’m far from where I want to be.  But it is so fun to practice and explore.  I have a feeling that this hobby will stick!

Just for fun, I scanned in the “be jolly” that I wrote above, and made this 3x4 journal card in Photoshop.  I printed it onto a Project Life 3x4 blank card
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I’m giving the journal card away as a free download!  If you like it and want to print your own, you can download it here:  listgirl 3x4 be jolly journal card

Please link up in the comments if you use it to make something.  I would love to see it!  I’m having so much fun with calligraphy!  :-)

13 comments:

  1. Your "Be Jolly" is so cool. Wow, this class looks like it was a lot of fun. Would have loved to have taken this class.

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  2. This is so awesome! Your calligraphy is beautiful, it looks like you've been doing it for years. :)

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  3. Squeeeee! I love your calligraphy!

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  4. Your calligraphy looks amazing Christine! I have a question about the PL white card you used - is it textured like cardstock? Because I would love to have a bunch of smooth all white ones but I heard Becky's were textured so I didn't order them.

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    1. The BH white blank cards I have are smooth and not textured.

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  5. After just one class your calligraphy looks awesome!

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  7. this is SO fab, christine! i have calligraphy as one of my projects for 2014 - so i'm going to check out that skillshare class and also look into local live classes! thanks for the inspiration, and the freebie :)

    ~ dana

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  8. Oooh I love caligraphy! I have terrible handwriting to begin with so I could ever gain caligraphy skills

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  9. Love, love, love this! I just checked out a bunch of books at the library...waiting for a local class.

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  10. WOW! You're a natural, it looks fantastic! I just love calligraphy. Need to take a proper class, because I just can't do it on my own. ;)
    Thank you fr the freebie. It's so cute!

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  11. Your calligraphy looks amazing!! I am searching right now to try to find an upcoming class! And I love what you did with your calligraphy in Photoshop!

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