The Postman's Knock

It happens. 🤷‍♀️ There are a few other ways to fix "oopsies" like this, too! See: https://thepostmansknock.com/dont-freak-out-ways-to-correct-art-calligraphy-errors/

The other day, someone asked me which gold watercolor is my favorite ... and I don't have a definitive answer to that! Gold sumi-e is *one* of my favorites, but every gold has pros and cons, and tones that work well for some projects and not so well for others.

Pros of gold sumi-e:
✨ It writes very smoothly
✨ The shine is more of a shimmer; it doesn't have a glitter-bomb feel
✨ It smudges nicely (for motifs like the chic inky poppies that I shared the other day)
✨ It comes in really beautiful, elegant colors -- nothing too funky

Cons of gold sumi-e
✨ Watch out if you've used it to write over pencil guidelines; unless you add some gum arabic, it will smudge when an eraser goes over it
✨ When you moisten it, it can take on a bit of a black tone, which can be confusing (though that tone goes away once it dries)
✨ For some projects, it might not be glittery/glitzy enough

The brand I like to use is Yasutomo. (In addition to the sumi-e itself, I love that pretty ceramic dish it comes in!)

It is super gratifying for a recipient to see their name written in celebratory calligraphy ... a lovely appetizer of sorts before they dig into a thoughtful card. 💌

For additional examples of single name calligraphy inspiration 📸, see "Ten Examples of Name Only Calligraphy on Envelopes": https://thepostmansknock.com/10-examples-name-calligraphy-on-envelopes/!

I just love this motif ... once you try it, you’ll find yourself putting chic inky poppies on all sorts of projects. It works for sketchbook pages, cards/postcards, mail art, gift tags, etc. Feel free to try with different ink/metallic combos! Find a detailed tutorial here: https://thepostmansknock.com/chic-inky-poppies-mail-art-tutorial/

Pilot G2 gel pens make for great "watercolors". Draw an outline (in this case, a series of semi-circles), then use a wet paintbrush to tease out the ink. Even if you're not combining the ink with a metallic watercolor, the results are stunning! (But if you're feeling glamorous, gold watercolor + the gel pen ink = super pretty.)

Also, if you're wondering about the pretty gold watercolor shell here, it's from Greenleaf & Blueberry! Jess custom-made it for me so I'd have a pretty pan of watercolor to include in "The Calligraphy Book" photography. Next time you flip through the book, see if you can spot it anywhere! 🔍

This bookmark is part of a collection that I created for a tutorial. To learn how to make it and download a free printable gift label, see: https://thepostmansknock.com/handmade-bookmark-gift-bundle-tutorial/

White ink isn't intuitive -- especially when it arrives looking like a paste. 🪥 Here's what to do!

For a detailed guide, see: https://thepostmansknock.com/writing-with-white-calligraphy-ink-a-definitive-guide/

One of my FAVORITE calligraphy "hacks": writing with watercolors! 🎨 I especially love this technique for travel (I am not brave enough to take bottles of ink on airplanes or in the car), but I also love it for making unique projects at home. I love the natural variation as the watercolor starts to run out. It's a very soft, pretty look! Give it a try if you haven't yet. (Love the Greenleaf & Blueberry Anthesis palette for watercolor calligraphy. Every one of the colors writes beautifully!)

✍️ For a detailed guide to writing with watercolors, see: https://thepostmansknock.com/a-video-crash-course-on-watercolor-calligraphy/

✨ To learn more about writing with metallic watercolors, specifically, see: https://thepostmansknock.com/creating-gold-calligraphy-how-to-use-the-finetec-palette/

Which do you prefer? I loooove the Brause Rose, but it took me a long time to get the hang of it. (And my favorite nib isn't even in this comparison -- it's the Brause EF66!)

Anyway ... If you're:

✍️ curious about the Nikko G nib, read: https://thepostmansknock.com/the-best-beginner-calligraphy-nib/

🌹 or you want to know about the Brause Rose, see: https://thepostmansknock.com/getting-know-brause-rose-nib/

Three mistakes that trip up almost every pointed pen beginner ... and what to do instead. 🖋️

Wrong paper, incorrect pen movement, and uneven pressure on the nib tines. These three things are responsible for SO MUCH beginner frustration. At the beginning of my own calligraphy journey, they kept me thinking I was terrible at calligraphy for nearly a year.

Full beginner’s guide is here (https://thepostmansknock.com/beginners-guide-modern-calligraphy/) if you want to go deeper. Happy creating! 🤍

Here's how I said yes to ALL different kinds of calligraphy: by starting with faux calligraphy. You just write in cursive that's a bit wider than your normal handwriting, then manually add thickness to any strokes that your hand made a downward motion to create. Fill in those strokes, and you've got pretty calligraphy! (If that doesn't make sense, see: https://thepostmansknock.com/faux-calligraphy-tutorial/.)

Today, I'm using a little trick that I especially love to lean on when I'm traveling: taking advantage of the fact that Pilot G-2 pens are not waterproof. Add a bit of moisture, and you can tease their ink out into a watercolor-esque beautiful gray.

Here's to saying "yes" to everything that gives you joy, and especially to saying yes before you even know it'll bring you joy.