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Messages - JanisTX

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31
Design & Layout / Lining Envelopes
« on: October 17, 2023, 08:19:04 PM »
@Erica McPhee :  I may not be posting in the correct place. Please just move this where it needs to go, if I’m in the wrong place!

I frequently line envelopes for invitations. I find gift wrap paper in a print that goes with the invitation “theme” or color.  I usually find 2 or 3 patterns for the sender to choose between. I love toile patterns, but floral is usually nice, too. I had a recent bride who picked an abstract pattern that I pretty strongly (although privately), disliked. If an envelope is prelined, it makes it hard to letter on the envelopes because you can’t see the lettering guide. I try to talk the brides or other senders out of prelining the envelopes before I letter them, if I get that opportunity.

To line the lettered envelopes, open up the flap of the envelope & trace around the outside edges of the envelopes onto thin poster board. When possible, I use the bottom left corner of the cardboard.  When I lay the envelope on the cardboard to trace around it, I extend the pattern 1/4” over the bottom & left sides of the cardboard & then cut out the envelope pattern on the right side and on top of the traced envelope. This insures that the pattern will be slightly shorter and thinner than the envelope, so you can still use the glue on the envelope to seal it. I hope that makes sense!

I try the cut out patterns of envelopes onto the width of the gift wrap paper (with right side of the pattern touching the left side of the next pattern, so I can make as few cuts as possible.  I only do that after assuring that the trial one fits properly into the envelope.  If it does, I apply an Elmer’s glue stick around the top & two sides of the back of the paper & place it into the envelopes. There’s no need to glue the bottom edge, as it’s safely tucked into the envelope!  I usually trace the envelope pattern across the width of the paper. If the flap has a point”, I’ll often lay out templets across the width of the gift wrap paper with the envelope points poking “up” & lay out the next row of envelopes having their points pointing “down” to fit into the gaps formed by the upward points of the row below. Obviously, you can’t do this if the paper pattern has an “up” pattern of some kind( like human figures, animals, etc.).

I hope that this makes sense and that this information is helpful to someone!!

Janis

32
Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Light box thingymajig
« on: October 17, 2023, 08:48:38 AM »
I have multiple light pads! - Many different brands & styles. In my humble experience, they all perform roughly the same.  I don’t have one that I prefer more than the other.

I don’t know what you’re planning on using a light Bo’s for. - I use mine principally for envelopes and certificates. Please don’t be an idiot like me!! I have a lettering guide drawn by @Ken Fraser & sold to me by Paper, Ink, Arts (“PIA”), I think.  I copied the guide onto regular “copy paper” & then cut out the envelope size, shaving off approximately 1/4 inch from the bottom & side of the envelope. After placing it inside the envelope, it significantly darkened the envelope, blocking the light that I was trying to use from the light pad.

Finally, someone way smarter than me commented on the Forum that he/she copied a lettering guide on their home printer onto acetate.  (A clear, plastic sheet that my teachers at school used to write on overhead projectors.)  I copied Ken’s lettering guide onto that, cut it out to fit inside an envelope & went happily on down the lettering road!  (@Ken Fraser: I hope that was alright!!). Problem solved!  I can be so dumb sometimes!!

I just checked & found that I have 3 different brands of light pads. They all work about the same. Some lave different levels of lumens. (I “think” lumens are levels of light intensity, but what do I know??  I went to law school so that I didn’t have to do math or science. It didn’t work! It keeps chasing me around the block!!). Shop for the one with the brightest intensity!  You’re trying to buy brightness!  Price & brand don’t matter as much as brightness!).

Best of luck on your lettering quest!

Janis

33
Broad Edge Pen Calligraphy / Re: Stationery
« on: October 15, 2023, 10:09:56 PM »
@Ken Fraser

That’s lovely!! What “hand” is that?

34
Introductions / Re: Hello from North Dallas Texas area
« on: October 14, 2023, 09:32:13 AM »
Thank you, Erica!  I “hear” what you’re saying!  But she was right!  My hand 🤚 is “heavy”.  Spencerian requires a “light/delicate” touch!  I wish that I was like @Ken Fraser. - A brilliant calligrapher, with many “hands”!  But, I was born to script in Copperplate!  I’m trying to get better at just that. 😃.

 I also “have Italic”. I have a pretty little “sample book”, with samples of my work.  I take that to meetings with the about-to-be brides & their moms. One of the samples is Finetech (sp.?) Brilliant Gold.  The brides see that, & it’s “game over”!  I haven’t been able to talk a bride into anything else for 3 years!!  I keep thinking that I’m going to pull that sample out of my sample book.  But, it’s beautiful (I agree with that!).  I’m going to keep plugging along with my meager attempts at “owning” Copperplate!  😃

I hope that you’re well & happy!

35
Introductions / Re: Hello from North Dallas Texas area
« on: October 12, 2023, 11:06:52 PM »
Hi, fellow Texan! 😃. I always love it when a new Texan joins the the Forum!  I’m in the Panhandle (Amarillo, to be precise!!)  I have two “hands”, Copperplate & Flourished Italic. I tried to learn Spencerian, as I adore it!  I go to IAMPETH about every-other year. I’m going next year, since the conference will be in San Antone l (“San Antonio”, to non-native Texans!). I kept signing up for classes in Spencerian, taught by a famous Spencerian scribe. After multiple years of attending, she began to recognize me. She finally asked me why I was trying to learn Spencirian. I told her, “Because I love Spencerian.”  She said, “Well, it doesn’t love you back!  Just concentrate on Copperplate!  It loves you back!”  😃. So, I’ve given up on my little quest to learn Spencerian!  I just use Copperplate 90% of the time and Italic 10% of the time! 

Good luck on your quest!  😃


Janis

36
@Ken Fraser:  As usual, that’s gorgeous!!

37
Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Roundhand Calligraphy / Re: Comparison
« on: September 25, 2023, 07:17:05 PM »
Beautiful work, as usual, Ken!  You are so unbelievably talented!  I’m constantly in awe!

Janis

38
I adore soccer/English football!  I root for Everton & Chelsea. (I adore the Toffees, but they’re in some kind of death spiral! I don’t know a solution to whatever is wrong with them!). You can’t be distracted by life/football/more entertaining things to do!  You’re at war!  There’s no “down time”!  You either are disciplined or you’re a wanna-be!  Buckle down & go to war!! 😃. You can do this!!

P.s.

My kids played soccer & that’s how I became a big fan!

39
When I was learning Copperplate, I practiced 1 hour a day Monday-Thursday. I practiced 4 hours on Friday, 8 hours on Saturday and Sunday. My daughter asked me, “Mom?  Are you enjoying this?”  I looked at her like she was crazy!  “Enjoying this?? No, I’m in battle!  I’m at war!!”  It really felt like that!  I’m glad that I persevered!

40
I am self-taught.  I was pretty uncertain about that “foundation”.  I learned Copperplate so that I could address my daughter’s weddings invitations. She was in one of the biggest sororities at the University of Texas (“UT”), marrying a guy from one of the biggest fraternities at UT.  There was not enough money in North America to fund that whole endeavor. I couldn’t make her dress.  I couldn’t fix the food for 300+ guests.  I couldn’t arrange her flowers.  But, I come from a family that has pretty handwriting. I thought that maybe I could teach myself calligraphy. I undertook learning Copperplate. It wasn’t easy! I often felt that I was at war. I finally got confidence enough to start to letter on envelopes. I asked the groom’s parents for their guest list. I didn’t know any of those people!  If I messed up, it wouldn’t matter to me! 😃. By the time that I finished their list, I was pretty confident. I addressed my list without concern.  I now supplement my retirement with calligraphy work “on the side”! The 2 “hands” that I have are Copperplate and basic Italic. I only love Copperplate! 😃. Isn’t calligraphy fun?!

41
Coffee & Nib-bles / Re: Customs
« on: September 19, 2023, 08:49:08 AM »
Most Americans are nice!  We have our share of “bad apples”, but for the most part, most Americans are nice & friendly!

42
Tools & Supplies / Re: First Gouache Considerations
« on: September 17, 2023, 04:57:13 PM »
I used the Holbein gauche more than anything else. I find it to be well-behaved and consistent from tube-to-tube.  The price seems about right.  Have you watched Erica’s video on how to mix gauche? It’s very helpful and it saved me from embarrassing myself by mispronouncing the word! 😃

Janis

43
Tools & Supplies / Re: Custom Oblique Pen Holder | Makers
« on: September 17, 2023, 02:02:32 PM »
I have a beautiful holder from Yoke Pen Company!  It’s a beautiful holder & well balanced!

Janis

44
Coffee & Nib-bles / Re: Customs
« on: September 16, 2023, 10:17:52 PM »
If you can accept a “plain” plastic Speedball holder, I’ll gladly buy one locally! I have lots of local options!

Janis

45
My daughter-in-law has “modern calligraphy”.  When I showed a sample to my daughter, she said, “Mom, that’s just silly teenage girl writing!”  But, all she knows is my Copperplate, so she hasn’t gotten around all that much!

Janis

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