Messages

1

Coffee & Nib-bles / Re: Where in the World?

« on: January 30, 2015, 02:00:16 PM »

Justice, IL (SW Suburban Chicagoland area, home of Resurrection Mary, 10 mins from Midway).
Years ago when I was in the Navy, I learned it was easier to just say, "I'm from Chicago," 99.9% of the time. Every now and again I would run into that .1% from Chicago "proper" (and almost always from the Northside) and I'd have to clarify further, which 1/2 the time they still couldn't place me until I referenced Resurrection Mary which gave them the vaguest of clues that I was from somewhere on the Southside...but I digress.

Currently a residing in Justice, Illinois USA 

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Introductions / Re: Greetings from Chicago!

« on: January 30, 2015, 10:29:54 AM »

Thank you all for such warm, friendly welcomes! It really made my morning. I'm embarrassed to say I didn't add my Instagram info because I wasn't sure how to, but I think I figured it out, lol! I only have a few pictures posted, but they're there. I want to try to post at least one picture from each day I practice and even though I haven't practiced as much as I'd like the past month, I do have some pictures to take and post.  I'd ask that if you peruse them to please be kind, but everyone here is so nice, I don't think I need to
Thanks for welcoming me into this wonderful group!

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Introductions / Re: Checking in from the East Coast, USA

« on: January 16, 2015, 01:07:33 PM »

Welcome MikeB! I'm new-ish in that I joined last summer but didn't make my first post until this week. It struck me funny how much we have in common:

• I am 1/2 Filipina, but my mom isn't/wasn't famous
• I love Fraktur & Uncial styles and tried to learn many years ago, but could never get decent so I gave up
• I got a set of Pilot Parallel Pens for my birthday last year, which made me want to give calligraphy another shot
• I found this forum accidentally, then promptly ditched my Parallel Pens for an oblique pen and inkwell

Erica's pointed pen tutorials in Pointed Pen Nirvana are excellent and I highly recommend using them if you want to give pointed pen another try. The tutorials, videos, and worksheets, along with the book, Mastering Copperplate Calligraphy, by Eleanor Winters, really helped me stick with it and see real improvement. The progress I've made with Copperplate/pointed pen is compelling me to dust off my Parallel Pens and maybe give one of the broad pen styles another shot.

BTW, I think you're onto something about Filipinos and calligraphy...it is definitely curious, lol!

Welcome to the forum!

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Introductions / Greetings from Chicago!

« on: January 14, 2015, 02:03:20 PM »

Hello! I'm sharm from Chicago, longtime lurker, first time poster I've been a member since June 2014 and have felt guilty since having used the lessons here to help me learn calligraphy but never contributing to this wonderful community. Part of my hesitation was my lack of knowledge and not really being able to contribute anything more than 'likes' for posts. The bigger reason is the lack of confidence I have in my work. I resolved to break out of my shell this year by posting pics of my practice on Facebook and Instagram. It was a boost to get positive feedback from friends and family (since they're easy to impress, lol.) However, when I started getting likes from actual, professional calligraphy artists, my confidence grew exponentially! I'm still in my calligraphic infancy, but it definitely helped me gain the courage to try to participate here with others who share a love of beautiful writing. Plus, just as friends and family are easily impressed by calligraphy, they are just as easily bored hearing about it!

Thank you, Erica, for this forum. I'm grateful to you and everyone else on The Flourish Forum who are so very generous to share your knowledge, experience, and time to help newbies like me learn and hone this time-honored craft. Thank you!