Calligraphy & Lettering Art for Cards: Part 1

Cards for Kids

When I was in the first grade at Roosevelt Elementary in Burlington, WA, I had a teacher, Mrs. Sanchez, who would hand draw cards for her students.  Nothing felt more special than receiving one of those cards, knowing it was made just for me...and now in my 40's, I still have them tucked away in a box of good memories.

Her example stuck with me and now I make cards for the special little kids in my life.  Bright colors, simple designs, some fun stickers or die-cuts and something is created that will hopefully make the kiddos I know feel as special as Mrs. Sanchez made me feel.

Using Stickers to Embellish

What could be happier than Suzy's Zoo stickers?
The colors and cheerful images are my starting point for design.  With the message in mind, I may
add a few drawings (the balloon, polk-a-dots,
and daisy flowers) to fill the extra space.

I wrote the Happy Birthday messages with large Faber Castell PITT brush markers.  Highlights were added with colored pencil to deepen the base color of the marker in the top section of the lettering.  White dots are added last with a Sharpie Poster Paint pen.  

 

Here, my drawings were the main design, with the centers spelling the child's name.  The butterfly stickers added the finishing touch.  A little gray marker shadowing on the left side of the butterflies gives them a slight 3-D effect.  Arches Text Wove paper, Faber Castell PITT markers used as watercolor, pointed pen and sumi ink for the lettering.

This was a recent baby shower card for a friend of mine.  The baby's name, Gabriel, was drawn in my "Whimsical Letter" style and shaded with three tones of blue colored pencil.  The name was mounted with foam tape to make it stand out from the card base.  The grass is layered cut cardstock, stickers added for fun and color, and the "welcome" message written with a PITT fine point pen, size XS.

 

"Look who bloomed!" was hand drawn, based on an image I saw on a rubber stamp years ago.  Adding the baby's name to the flower pot personalized it just for her.  My Whimsical Letters,  watercolor, and colored pencil on Arches Text Wove paper mounted on cardstock.


Be sure to check back for Part 2 of Cards for Kids, using die-cuts!

Calligraphy Name Play

My Mom and Dad sponsor a child through an organization, and though writing letters is strongly encouraged, they are not permitted to send gifts.  So Mom asked if I would write their sponsor child's name in calligraphy.  I love that she asked me to do this, because who doesn't like to see their name decorated and in pretty colors?

Our names are a gift in themselves—our identity.  I've often found the meaning of a person's name to suggest qualities of the individual.




 

"Astrid", in Danish, means "divine strength".  "Nicolle" means "overcomer" and "victory of the people".
 

Strength and Victory—what an awesome combination!   

 

The Decorative Details...

When I have some extra time to decorate an envelope, this is my favorite style!  By drawing forms, I can leave the letters open for lots of vibrant color and decoration.  Here, I used Faber-Castell PITT pens with some color layering using Prismacolor pencils.  Can't forget the light gray shadowing (also PITT), a touch of sparkle on the edges using Sakura Gelly Roll Clear Star pens, and white dots made with a Sharpie poster paint pen.  Love these products! 

When I want to add a decorative touch but am pressed for time, I fall back on brush lettering—it can bounce, it can play, and can be formal or informal.  Again, Faber-Castell PITT pens are GREAT—they are available in a huge array of colors, waterproof when dry, AND can be used as a watercolor—who'd have thought?  The flowers were also made with the brush tip, simply laying the brush on its side and pressing onto the paper.

And last but not least, trusty formal Italic should always have a place in a calligrapher's repertoire.  These aren't my best, but "pretty in pink" will suit a little girl.  This is done with a ZIG marker and Prismacolor pencils.  Layering Prismacolor pencil over marker color is an easy way to add depth while still being able to control the amount of color.   

It's all about play, right? :)