Flourish Forum
Tutorials => General How To's & Projects => Topic started by: Erica McPhee on March 01, 2014, 05:20:34 PM
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I am so excited to present this tutorial. As I said on the blog, designing a special monogram for a new bride and groom is such a thrill. You are creating the first symbol of unity which will hopefully become a treasured heirloom identifying their togetherness. It is so symbolic and such an honor to create.
It's also fun to create a unique monogram for a special friend and easy to then print note cards as a gift. I have done this for teachers, parents' friends, and mail carriers and it is always well received.
As always if you have any questions, please let me know. If you create a monogram, we would love to see it!
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Oooh, this is awesome! :) Haha, I don't have a middle name, and I find my initials (SL) to be super difficult to work with. I wanted an A, H, or M in my initials ;D (Those letters seem way more fun).
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Thanks Sherry! Well, there's always the name change possibility - or you could make up a middle name. HAHA! :) I have to say I was pretty happy when my last name changed from C to M!
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I hope you all enjoy this introduction. For those of you truly interested in designing monograms, Kathy Milici is teaching monogram design at IAMPETH this year! I haven't seen the catalog description yet but I would take ANY class by Kathy and if you really want to learn monograms - I'm sure this will be *the* class to take. Kathy is one of my very favorite calligraphers and is AMAZING!
Visit the conference site to find out more: IAMPETH Conference (http://www.iampeth.com/2014_Convention/2014_convention.php). The workshop descriptions aren't posted yet but keep a watch. IAMPETH is August 4-9th in Indianapolis.
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Erica,
Thanks for the ideas and tips. Nothing else comes close to a hand lettered pointed pen monogram.
I start with pencil sketches of each letter on strips of tracing paper. Letter 5 or 6 versions of each letter on a strip, then letter next one on second and/or third strip.
With pointed pen, trace over each one to establish thicks and thins. Then overlap the strips, moving and twisting until something interesting develops.
At some point, many of us may decide to change names. J's are so boring.
Would love to take the class at Iampeth. Good reminder.
Mary Lou
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awesome! thank you!
love the M & W interlocking!
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This is great -- love the idea of stacking the initials on a light box and moving them around!
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Thank You Erica!
You mentioned making note cards. Do you use an on line printer that you can recommend, or do you use your local printer?
Thanks ~ Lynda
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Thanks ladies!
Hi Lynda, I either print them myself or print them via WHCC (http://www.whcc.com/). This is the photo lab I use but they also do press printed greeting cards. I like their watercolor paper and the printing is outstanding quality. Reasonable in cost, too.
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Mary Lou, those are great tips. Thank you for sharing with us! :D
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These are all so lovely.
I especially like the capital M in Monogram!
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Hi Erica, I love the E and A monogram! Can you tell me the font that you used for that monogram and "symmetrical" on the same page? Thank you!
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Hi Belle Vie,
Thank you! Actually those are both my own hand calligraphy. :D
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Thank you! I had been wondering about this... :)
Now to get some spare time on a sunny day, so I can (ab)use my window as a lightbox... ;D
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As Mary Lou Johnson said, such work can be easily done without a light table. I have one, but nearly always prefer to do sketches for layouts – be them illustrations or lettering – on tracing paper with pencil. You can buy this really thin, really cheap tracing paper on a roll on Amazon for example.
For the actual ink lettering of course I use better paper ;)! And sometimes a light table, but often I do a freehand pencil sketch which I use then as a reference for the ink script.
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Great suggestion Stefanie! I often forget about tracing paper! I like how it takes the ink, too. :D
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There is (or used to be) a book of nothing but monograms by Dover Books. If it is not in print perhaps you can find one in "Half Price Books". It had most any kind of monograms - alphabetized.
penstaff
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I just ordered the Dover book at Amazon! I have a Kindle (an older version). It does not display most illustrations from books. However, I found that by downloading the Kindle app on my iPad, I get all of the illustrations in full color. The Dover monogram book is available at a good price on the Kindle! It won't be of much use, I think, unless you have the Kindle Fire or the app on a tablet device!
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P.s., Erica: your tutorial on this is brilliant!! I'm working on envelopes for a bride & may try to make her a new monogram as a lagniappe! You always inspire me!!
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Hooray! I'm being commissioned to make a monogram for a friend's debut, and this will be super useful! I pan on uploading the finished work when it's done :)
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Erica,
Your tutorial is so helpful and exactly what I need to create a monogram for a wedding invitation.
Thank you.
Lolly
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Thank you Erica! I want to add monogramming to my shop and this is a great tool to help those creative juices flow! :)
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So if I develop a monogram for a soon to be a married couple and wanted to give some thank you cards for a shower gift, what process and material should I use to get them printed?
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So if I develop a monogram for a soon to be a married couple and wanted to give some thank you cards for a shower gift, what process and material should I use to get them printed?
@marilyns – there are many threads already relating to your question (and I am sorry to say so, there is no simple answer to your question, as it's a bit vague :) – and there are just tons of different ways to design and print the items you asked for …). What about checking these threads out?
http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?board=9.0
http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?board=33.0
If you don't find an answer there, I'd open a new thread with your question in one of the above sections of the forum – this way people might see it better ;).
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This is my own personal monogram
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This was a monogram for a local financial company.
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LOVE your monogram @Ken Fraser !