Author Topic: Design Tips for Calligraphers  (Read 31684 times)

Offline Erica McPhee

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Design Tips for Calligraphers
« on: January 01, 2015, 02:50:15 AM »
Hello Flourish Friends! We have a new board! In celebration, I created this mini-tutorial (PDF attached for download below) to help explain design principles and how they apply to creating a calligraphy piece. Enjoy and as always, let me know if you have any questions.

Also, I highly recommend these design resources (affiliate links):




Before & After Design magazine
« Last Edit: April 09, 2017, 01:49:37 AM by Erica McPhee »
Warm Regards,
Erica
Lettering & Design Artist
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Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Design Tips for Calligraphers
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2015, 02:56:25 AM »
Here it is as a JPG.
Warm Regards,
Erica
Lettering & Design Artist
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Offline federart

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Re: Design Tips for Calligraphers
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2015, 05:35:11 AM »
Hi Erica,

thank you so much. That's great ;)
Enjoy your new Years Day.

Best regards,
Jenny

Offline JanisTX

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Re: Design Tips for Calligraphers
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2015, 08:14:07 AM »
Thanks, Erica!  That is super helpful!!

Janis

Offline Moya

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Re: Design Tips for Calligraphers
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2015, 08:25:27 AM »
Awesome!!! Thank you! This is going to become the place I learn a LOT!

Offline flourishmetoo

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Re: Design Tips for Calligraphers
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2015, 08:46:27 AM »
Thank you Erica! This is a treasured gift. I am flourishing because of this forum.  :)

Kim

Offline Matt

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Re: Design Tips for Calligraphers
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2015, 09:33:59 AM »
Erica,

Thank you for your helpful post with .pdf guide and the list of books! Exactly what I was looking for to guide me as I take calligraphy from letter form practice to projects. Thanks so much and Happy New Year!

Best,
Matt

Offline Sarah Foutz

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Re: Design Tips for Calligraphers
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2015, 12:27:27 PM »
Wow, Erica, this is awesome!!! I am so excited to practice this stuff. But first, to the paper store I go! Woo hoo! (new year, New budget, right?)
Sarah Pearl Foutz
Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, "What! You, too? I thought I was the only one!" C.S. Lewis
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Offline SarahP

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Re: Design Tips for Calligraphers
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2015, 01:58:13 PM »
Thanks, Erica! Happy New Year to you! :)
Sarah Barga Pollasch
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Offline Nickkih

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Re: Design Tips for Calligraphers
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2015, 03:25:31 PM »
Thank you Erica - now I know what I've been doing wrong
Mom, Grandma, and Calligrapher

Offline Marcia Aronow

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Re: Design Tips for Calligraphers
« Reply #10 on: January 01, 2015, 03:59:18 PM »
Erica, your design guide is so helpful & very much appreciated!  Happy 2015 to you & the entire Flourish community.
Enjoy your day!
Marcia

Offline Shanti

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Re: Design Tips for Calligraphers
« Reply #11 on: January 01, 2015, 09:58:09 PM »
This is so helpful and I truly appreciate this. I can't wait to be on this forum more this year!
Happy New Year everyone!

Offline patweecia

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Re: Design Tips for Calligraphers
« Reply #12 on: January 01, 2015, 11:13:44 PM »
thank you erica!  as always, you're super helpful :)
patricia
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Offline Monica

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Re: Design Tips for Calligraphers
« Reply #13 on: January 02, 2015, 10:45:03 AM »
thank you, this is awesome :)
Monica in Pennsylvania

Offline jeanwilson

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Re: Design Tips for Calligraphers
« Reply #14 on: January 02, 2015, 12:16:39 PM »
Another tip when you are designing a piece that is to be framed.
If you are not going to have a custom frame, it is wise to have a selection of standard sized mats.
You may want to adjust your layout so that it fits nicely within the dimensions of the opening.

Or if you do not want to have mats on hand, you may draw a pencil line for reference.
I like to do layouts on graph paper.
It helps to keep things in a grid, which is one of the tips on the PDF.

When doing commissioned pieces, it is wise to discuss the framing before you do the artwork.
You may ask clients with a modest budget to supply the mat and frame and then you can do the
artwork to suit the frame.

Most clients appreciate suggestions for frames and I like to steer them towards choices that I think will look best.
It is always sad to see a nice piece of art that has been stuck in the wrong frame
because somebody did not have a good eye for how to frame the piece.

Jean