Flourish Forum
General Categories => Open Flourish | General Discussion => Topic started by: schin on September 05, 2014, 10:55:52 PM
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You know you're a calligrapher when...
1) You stop in the middle of the grocery shop to inspect a badly written word on your list.. "Hmm.. the Z on 'zucchini' is not rounded enough.. darn it those stupid double Gs in 'eggs' looks terrible..."
2) Your friends ask for a pen to jot something down real quick but all you can say is: "Careful, this fountain pen flexes so don't press too hard actually hold on I have something else.." "Ouch I pricked my finger on this stupid nib in the bag here lemme show you a nikko g" "I have some ink, this is an oblique holder, here you gotta dip and hold it like this wait where are you going"
3) You begin to form an elitism against mere copy paper in the office for the plebeians, ugh get your disgusting 20lb 'super premium' barely-pulp newsprint away from my presence
4) You hiss and scowl and bare your fangs at BIC pens and anyone who uses them
Anyone else wanna add their experiences?
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You know you're a calligrapher when...
2) Your friends ask for a pen to jot something down real quick but all you can say is: "Careful, this fountain pen flexes so don't press too hard actually hold on I have something else.." "Ouch I pricked my finger on this stupid nib in the bag here lemme show you a nikko g" "I have some ink, this is an oblique holder, here you gotta dip and hold it like this wait where are you going"
4) You hiss and scowl and bare your fangs at BIC pens and anyone who uses them
Anyone else wanna add their experiences?
Hi Schin,
Amazing post and so so so true. :D
I am not really a Calligrapher, but have enough interest in it to identify with 2) and 4)
Perpetually scowling at people who use ballpoint pens. Specially people who buy Extremely Expensive pens and they are Roller ball or Ballpoint. :)
-Prasad
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You know you're a calligrapher when...
1) You stop, investigate and judge shop signs, bag labels, judge greeting cards, and cringe at things that use terrible computer fonts that LOOKS like copperplate, but has terrible spacing, flourish, etc. And nobody knows why you're annoyed.
2) Your friends ask for a pen to jot something down real quick but all you can say is: "I have a pen, but ... can't you just write in blood instead?"
3) You begin to lament over copy papers that have poor sizing "You guys could have SUCH POTENTIAL.. but your makers made you ordinary..I'm sorry." *sheds a tear*
4) I start to use all my ballpoint pens for muscular drills (still love ballpoint pens though) You hiss and scowl at poor handwriting.
5) You start to observe how people hold their pens.
6) You judge people who use 'handwriting fonts' and print out their letters like that.
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Eheheh great thread Schin! *thumb up*
You know you are a calligrapher when...
- you check if your calligraphy stuff is exactly how you left it, before having your morning coffee/tea... hummm, anyone of the family picked up a pencil or something?
- you use every surface of the house as a drier! {family moved to sofa-dinner, all tables are taken}
- you have at least a choice of 3 or 4 different pens in your purse even when you go to a party...
PS: friends asking for a pen to jot something quickly are unfriended immediately!
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At the risk of incurring howls of derision from Schin and Prasad, I rather like BICs. Or rather, if it has to be a ballpoint, they're the best at any price.
Anyway, you know you're a calligrapher when:
- you die a little inside when a flier from the local pizza place lands on the doormat and they've typeset the headings in cyber-copperplate.
- you take a phone call and you can't find anything to make notes with which isn't oblique.
- you inadvertently tattoo a small dot on your finger by stabbing yourself with your pen (yes, that's a true one).
- you buy a sample sized jar of instant coffee just to get yet another ink bottle.
- you fleetingly consider getting into a fight with a goose for the sake of a primary feather or two.
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You know you're a calligrapher when:
Your son complains that when he receives a wedding invitation in the mail, the first thing he does is run his thumb across the print in order to determine whether it was hand-lettered, or they just ran it through a printer. His comment to me was something like, "Damn, now you've got me becoming a snob about hand-lettering!".
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oh this is awesome!
you know you're a calligrapher when:
-you scan the grocery aisles for appropriate size glass jars...jelly, pimentos, pickled onions, who cares what's inside. every container you look at is a possible inkwell...candle votive holder? bud vase?
-you cannot, and i mean CANNOT just write a name on an envelope, like to drop a check somewhere. must whip out gouache, select nib, holder, lay it all out...and you beam with pride when you hear "yes, i received your deposit check and wow that envelope, it's soo pretty i pinned it to my bulletin board above my desk!". YES!
-paper snob: yeah, we covered that one.
-a separate bottle of Windex reserved just for your use.
-your collection of gold inks, gold gouache, and gold gel pens is getting out of control.
-you have stopped caring that your lack of manicure is atrocious. ink stuck in peeling and chipping nail polish...eeeeh whatever.
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your desk looks like a dalmatian from all the ink stains
your bedroom looks like an office & art supply store
all your friends collect tiny bottles and sample jars for you
you are a member of every art shop's bonus programmes in your city
you constantly think of ways to redecorate your flat so that more calligraphy samples/letters/artworks can go up on the walls
you always have tiny puncture marks on your hands because there are nibs everywhere
you have different stacks for "paper that's too great to work on so better keep it for something really special", "used paper of too fine quality to file away just yet, there might be a centimeter or two left to practice on" etc.
your computer is running out of space because you downloaded 489789563409263984260349 PDFs of ancient books and calligraphy pictures
your postman know into which box your letters go without actually looking at the address
@Joi: I only go into household item stores to check if they have suitable "inkwells" ;D
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Oh boy, I agree--this is a good one, Schin.
--Absolutely right about paper snobbery! Even the paper for posit notes is offensive.
--Piles and piles of practice sheets are piled here < and there> . Oh, and there>>, too. Not supposed to throw anything away, right? Gotta track that progress!
--Bottles of ink, some in their original containers are all over the desk, along with a jar for collecting spent nibs.
--Containers of markers, brushes, pliers, and rulers are multiplying. And crowding the desk.
--Artists tape is becoming a really good friend for holding paper down and hanging beauties that come in the mail all over the art that was there previously.
--Bathroom reading material is now Paper and Ink Arts and John Neal Books catalogues.
--Half of your clothes have permanent ink stains.
--Manicures, pedicures and haircuts get pushed off because 1) you're not going anywhere, anyway, 2) Except for the pedicures, you'll just get ink all over your cuticles and in my case, my hair (but only on the left side)
--A duster is nearby to remove stray cat hairs.
--You drive back around the block to see signage that looks interesting, or potentially great, only to realize it's pretty bad. And if you're walking, you look psychotic as you trace the pattern of a sign font in the air with the same likely disappointment as when you're driving.
--You're always on the lookout for deals on stationery.
--They know you by your first name at the art supply store.
--There's always something new to learn.
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You know you're a calligrapher when--
--You can name more 19th century penman than US senators
--Your desk is so cluttered with calligraphy supplies and tools you've forgotten what color your desk is
--You think you might look good with a beard like Spencer (unless you're a female, in which case you need professional help).
--One three foot shelf is not enough to hold your vintage penmanship books, so you give away a shelf load of other books to make room for the rest, and are eying shelf number 3.
--Your spouse simply stops asking why you are getting yet another penholder when there are 30-40 sticking out of jars on your desk.
--You hand someone a check and they think it is too pretty to cash (but they do).
--You consider buying a bottle of wine regardless of contents because the label has such good spencerian on it.
--You spend $250 to frame an envelope sent to you by a master penman and hang it in your living room. Twice.
--You buy so much paper and envelopes that the art supply store thinks you're going into business.
--You use vintage stamps to dress up your envelopes that are so old the clerks at the PO who have worked there 35+ years have never seen them.
--You have bottles of ink 20+ years old you don't throw out because, well, you might use them one day.
--You are ever hopeful of receiving something handwritten in the mail.
--You dream you are writing really fine Spencerian, and upon waking, know you have a long way to go.
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You know you're a calligrapher when--
--You can name more 19th century penman than US senators
--You are ever hopeful of receiving something handwritten in the mail.
--You dream you are writing really fine Spencerian, and upon waking, know you have a long way to go.
OMG i can't think of ANY US Senators!!!
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Oh these are all SO GREAT! I am having the best time reading these!
You know you're a calligrapher when:
- You get up at the crack of dawn to line up with 100 people at estate sales looking for vintage pens and nibs. That big sealed box of Principality/Spencerian No.1/604EF/etc. has GOT to be hidden in an underwear drawer somewhere!!!
- The nails/fingertips on your writing hand are permantly ink-stained, but you look at them and smile with pride.
- Same goes with that big ole callus on the middle finger.
- You find the smell of Sumi ink intoxicating.
- You even got your spouse looking for calligraphy supplies. I've had my husband send me a text with a pic of something he's seen at a thrift store: "is this good for calligraphy?"
- You have your own secret formula while searching on eBay looking for vintage calligraphy items, hoping you're not bidding against your friends (but you know you really are!)
- You take a chance on cheap eBay listings like, "sealed box of nibs" and frown when they arrive and none are very flexible.
- When you take your addressed envelopes to the post office, you secretly hope someone in the elevator/on the street/waiting in line will notice and exclaim "OMG that is beautiful! Did YOU do that?!"...But no one ever does. :'(
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- When you take your addressed envelopes to the post office, you secretly hope someone in the elevator/on the street/waiting in line will notice and exclaim "OMG that is beautiful! Did YOU do that?!"...But no one ever does. :'(
LoL this is so true Linda!!! ;D
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Oh these are all SO GREAT! I am having the best time reading these!
You know you're a calligrapher when:
- When you take your addressed envelopes to the post office, you secretly hope someone in the elevator/on the street/waiting in line will notice and exclaim "OMG that is beautiful! Did YOU do that?!"...But no one ever does. :'(
this happened to me...once...remember? it was the mother of my husbands ex-girlfriend who said my envelope was pretty...the ex-girlfriend was there too, both standing in line in front of me...they were there to weigh ex-girlfriends wedding invitations!!! i could not get away fast enough!!!
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Oh these are all SO GREAT! I am having the best time reading these!
You know you're a calligrapher when:
- When you take your addressed envelopes to the post office, you secretly hope someone in the elevator/on the street/waiting in line will notice and exclaim "OMG that is beautiful! Did YOU do that?!"...But no one ever does. :'(
Joi, you married her ex-boyfriend, so you had the one up in that situation! She should've been the one wanting to get away. ;)
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This thread is lighting up my dreary weekend! I want to fling my arms around everyone. "JUST LIKE MEEEE"
- When your best friend gives you an ugly goose feather with a ballpoint pen glued into the end ... just to troll you (and then gives you a real present!)
- Every art tool you see you immediately start thinking if it can be used for calligraphy!
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Great thread! Along with many of the others already mentioned, when:
- Your children ask you to please leave notes in writing that they can actually read
- You start explaining the difference between Copperplate and Spencerian to poor unsuspecting non-calligraphers
- You find yourself sketching out Copperplate letters -- and you don't have a writing implement in your hand
- You plan your husband's next 4-week work sabbatical around IAMPETH
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Wonderful thread :)!
You see something calligraphic / handwritten in a movie and get annoyed that you have no chance to analyze it thouroughly because they don't show it long enough
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Lori, when I first started learning copperplate, I could not identify the difference between copperplate and spencerian. :D
Mine is:
- my colleague touching the mail address on the envolope making sure it is not printed and the postman asked whether it was typed or written.
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When your cheerfully nicknamed "Maddy" refers to Madarasz and not Maddona or 'ma-donalds' ;D
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Oh, I've got one (*blush*)
... when you get out of the shower, sort some things out on your desk, then go to moisturise your face ... but the things that you sorted were jars of ink ... and they were messy ... and your face is just a tiny bit blue ...
I will not be posting pictures of that one on Instagram, thank you!!
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When 90% of your dreams are about calligraphy.
True story.
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when your "calligraphy" friends have become your actual friends...and you see these in Target and think "oh Natascha would love these i should send them to her..." but then you remember that she lives across the globe...but it doesn't feel like it because you "talk" to her everyday!
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when your "calligraphy" friends are your actual friends...
My boyfriend knows who many of you are by your usernames because I'm always showing him stuff... *sheepish face here*
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when your "calligraphy" friends are your actual friends...and you see these in Target and think "oh Natascha would love these i should send them to her..." but then you remember that she lives across the globe...but it doesn't feel like it because you "talk" to her everyday!
All of these are great, but this one is my favorite. The feels :D
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- you think you won a medal when you made it through a reem of the pricey copy paper.
- your clothes are thrown haphazardly into your dresser/closet, but your nibs are nice, organized and labeled neatly in a plastic container.
- you would rather do calligraphy than make something to eat, but have to stop when your significant other is quietly staring at you waiting for dinner.
- you worry more about running out of ink, then if you have enough food to cook dinner.
- when looking at houses to buy, you worry more about studio space then how spacious the bathrooms are.
- you spend +$100 on a piece of wood (pen holder)
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when your "calligraphy" friends are your actual friends...
My "real life" friends keep asking who all these people on my instagram are, and I'm like "as far as they're concerned, who are YOU!??"
"real life," pfhfffft, how can these people understand the peace and joy that comes from getting a capital M juuuust right? I know who my REAL friends are ;)
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am joining in the fun! ;D
you know you're a calligrapher when...
- your teeny weeny room is now like a mini office supply store or a mini art store because of all the hoarding you just did
- your daydream includes swirling up your fingers in the air as if you are writing letters
- the first (and sometimes, the only) thing you see in every consumer product or signboard or whatever is how they did the type, or its flourishes
- if 1/4 of your phone's photo album consist of random design pictures with swirls and flourishes, thinking that someday you might be able to add them in your calligraphy
- you squeal like a kid when your husband brings home notebooks of different sorts as your practice pad (that's the only thing he can give me that he's sure i would use...he doesn't know a thing about pens)
- you feel like you are in a candyland when you're in an art store
oh, and moya, post that picture! :D
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- you squeal like a kid when your husband brings home notebooks of different sorts as your practice pad
Now THAT is love <333
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when your "calligraphy" friends are your actual friends...and you see these in Target and think "oh Natascha would love these i should send them to her..." but then you remember that she lives across the globe...but it doesn't feel like it because you "talk" to her everyday!
Oh Joi, that is so, so sweet of you to think of me *tears up*
(And you're right of course :P )
My boyfriend knows who many of you are by your usernames because I'm always showing him stuff... *sheepish face here*
Mine too! I always tell him about what you guys are up to :D he thinks we're a pretty crazy bunch ::)
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My husband would like us to do a world tour, stopping off to meet everyone. :D
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Instead of counting sheep, you go to sleep at night looking at letters formed with perfect ductus --- the kind you can never quite get right with a pen in your hand.
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Instead of counting sheep, you go to sleep at night looking at letters formed with perfect ductus --- the kind you can never quite get right with a pen in your hand.
OMG this happened to me! I'm paranoid!!
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Oh I love this thread. I relate to everything everyone has said
You know your a calligrapher when
-all your weird dreams have a calligraphy theme usually involving gold ink
-you family creates a new word to describe what you do Calligrafering (wth)
-your family knows if they want to talk to you they must now visit you in your studio BUT DO NOT MOVE THE TABLE.....
-you place a doggie bed in your studio so that your dogs or cats have a place to hang out with you
-your thumb is stained with ink and somehow you manage to get ink on your face, feet and your pets
-when going out with friends or working seem so annoying when all you want to do is write beautiful letters or talk to your friends on FF or IG about lettering
-when you buy so much stationary but you still feel like you don't have enough
-when the thought of not spending money on supplies to pay bills instead feels unfair. Lol
-when you seriously feel you need a holder for each nibs you have
-when you fall behind on your penpals letters to participate in a Exchange or challenge or just plain practice
That's all I got. I'm sure I have more but my pen holder and Fine Tec is calling me. Gotta go
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My husband would like us to do a world tour, stopping off to meet everyone. :D
Haha, you're welcome to drop by the California wine country any time!
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-when you seriously feel you need a holder for each nibs you have
nickki! i am starting to feel this nowadays, which is bad because there's only a few types of holders being sold in singapore...so which means i need to order :o
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-when you seriously feel you need a holder for each nibs you have
nickki! i am starting to feel this nowadays, which is bad because there's only a few types of holders being sold in singapore...so which means i need to order :o
The thing is I want to use every holder and my go to nibs are zebra g and nikko g so I'm just making excuses for needing more. Lol a few months ago I only had the one from PIA and the yoke holder and now I have added two new custom with a third custom on the way. It's a sickness seriously. Lol
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- Once upon a time you had a single box of supplies, a few bottles of ink and a handful of pointed nibs, and you thought you were set for life ...
- ... now half your living space is paper and ink and paint and palettes and exemplars and books and PAPER and practice sheets and water jars and inkwells and jars and jars of holders and pens and glitter and paint and glue and washi tape and watercolours and PAPER and pens and novelty pens and PAPER and more and more ink and ... and ... and ...
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- Once upon a time you had a single box of supplies, a few bottles of ink and a handful of pointed nibs, and you thought you were set for life ...
- ... now half your living space is paper and ink and paint and palettes and exemplars and books and PAPER and practice sheets and water jars and inkwells and jars and jars of holders and pens and glitter and paint and glue and washi tape and watercolours and PAPER and pens and novelty pens and PAPER and more and more ink and ... and ... and ...
so true.
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You're embarrassed to open up your Amazon prime box in front of your significant other, because you bought a slightly different turquoise ink and a new fountain pen that you saw on IG.
They reply, "another pen? Don't you already have that color?"
You reply, "Well this pen will write finer lines and the ink is slightly more blue than the last one"
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"Slightly more blue" is a TOTALLY LEGITIMATE REASON for needing more ink!
(I'm ashamed to admit how many shades of blue I have ... I'm such a pack rat!)
I am totally planning that the next time I go to the US ... or Canada ... or the Philippines ... I'm just going to roll up on people's doorsteps. "LET'S ART!"
"uh, who are you, random Australian?"
"IT'S ME LET'S ART!"
"right" *close door*
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"Slightly more blue" is a TOTALLY LEGITIMATE REASON for needing more ink!
(I'm ashamed to admit how many shades of blue I have ... I'm such a pack rat!)
I am totally planning that the next time I go to the US ... or Canada ... or the Philippines ... I'm just going to roll up on people's doorsteps. "LET'S ART!"
"uh, who are you, random Australian?"
"IT'S ME LET'S ART!"
"right" *close door*
hahhaha this really cracked me up! peeps (especially the old ones who usually get the doors or are staying by the gates) in the philippines will do any of the three: 1) call the police or the town official; or (2) curse you until you go away
i'm kinda betting on the second one ;D
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;D ;D ;D
I mean, I will aim for your doors, but if I get your neighbour by mistake ...
Would you curse me out???
(I WOULD CURSE ME OUT. In Australia I think people would just stare at you and hope you go away, haha)
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When you cease to have other hobbies.
When you have an internal dialogue daily over the necessity of practice over sleep.
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My husband would like us to do a world tour, stopping off to meet everyone. :D
Do it!! You can crash on my couch :D
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Can totally apply most of the stuff you guys said to myself! :D
Mine are here:
- when you are hopping around to every art shop or book store (that has stationery supplies) in your city to look for anything that can be used for calligraphy
- when you travel, you plan that one or two days out to go to art supplies stores (happened to me in London)
- when you used to be afraid of online shopping before calligraphy - and then you're all over PIA and JNB and E-Bay buying all sorts of supplies (that you need and don't need :P)
- when you are planning to make a studio out of your sister's bedroom because she's getting married! (YAYYY!)
- when you are depressed that you've not done calligraphy in days or weeks (weeks, in my case :()
- when you go around telling your family that you want to become a calligrapher (and they're irritated because they've heard that a million times!)
- when you convince your sisters to buy you a custom holder for your birthday!! (YAYYY again!)
- when you open the incognito window on google chrome on your office laptop to login to FF, IG, PIA, JNB, IAMPETH and e-bay to look at calligraphy things!
I can only think of these right now! I'm on my office laptop right now, so will go home and think of some more :P
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"Slightly more blue" is a TOTALLY LEGITIMATE REASON for needing more ink!
(I'm ashamed to admit how many shades of blue I have ... I'm such a pack rat!)
I am totally planning that the next time I go to the US ... or Canada ... or the Philippines ... I'm just going to roll up on people's doorsteps. "LET'S ART!"
"uh, who are you, random Australian?"
"IT'S ME LET'S ART!"
omg!!! you know WHEN (notice not if) you come over to my house we will be ordering food in because we would never leave the craft table! except to go to the paper store and art supply store.
and also, when your entire holiday wish list is calligraphy supplies...and i am wanting a ginormous craft table...and thinking if it were not for that piano my craft table could fit there...piano vs. craft table!!!
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and also, when your entire holiday wish list is calligraphy supplies...and i am wanting a ginormous craft table...and thinking if it were not for that piano my craft table could fit there...piano vs. craft table!!!
Yes to the holiday wish list! For years, when I was in grad school, my parents would ask me what I wanted and I'd shrug and say, "I dunno. I don't have time for anything else." And now I have time and when my parents ask I'll send them the entire John Neals catalogue and say, "Everything in here!"
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I wasn't sure if I should start a new thread for this or not.
I dreamt last night that I scored some 10 boxes of Perry and Co. no. 104 and 28? nibs and Nick D'Aquanno and Jacob Ira were fighting over me getting them. In my dream, the boxes were pretty cool. OMGosh, I was cleaning them and stuffed a whole mess in my mouth to clean them and the phone rang, hubby bumped me, the boxes of nibs that I was trying to organize into a nice case fell all over and I was spitting wads of nibs all over my grandma's handmade quilt...Ok, that's all I remember of the dream.
THAT's how I know I am a calligrapher (or a psychotic nib hoarder)
(https://theflourishforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2FUCBokP96KipOM%2Fgiphy.gif&hash=718bb29922eb49bff736de3ffc88b208)
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Rebecca, I nearly fell from my chair and spit coffee all over the table reading this ;D!!!!
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Rebecca, that is frikkin' hilarious!
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Oh dear Rebecca I am laughing so hard right now!
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You know you're a calligrapher when a designer brand to you means Winsor & Newton, Unique Obliques, etc. and not Chanel or Louis Vuitton :D
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Joi mentioned a new craft table - - I had my husband make me one out of beautiful walnut that he had in his workshop! "Honey? Are you using that walnut for anything?" hehe
And yes, last Christmas I gave both of my daughters a list from John Neal and PIA! They know that it doesn't matter how many nibs, holders, paper, ink and/or gouache I may possess, there's always something new to find!
And, Rebecca - OMG, that was hilarious!
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hahaa rebecca! now THAT is the true sign of a calligrapher ... in a creepy weird way :P
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I got a new one: I am thinking of calligraphy when I waking up, taking shower, driviing, even when I am teaching. I love my job, but calligraphy really I could think of for the moment. And when I hang out with my best friend, I wanted to talk about calligraphy. But I dont because she would not understand wobbly lines, perfect strokes, muscular movement, nibs, etc etc.
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when you go to bed with your new box of vintage nibs just so you can admire them before sleep ;)
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...when you know you're already gonna be late for work, yet you tell yourself "just one more (practice) line...or phrase maybe" And before you know it, it's already 8:45 and you haven't even taken a bath 😳
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...when you know you're already gonna be late for work, yet you tell yourself "just one more (practice) line...or phrase maybe" And before you know it, it's already 8:45 and you haven't even taken a bath
haha yes!
and when you know you need a good night's sleep, you know work's going to be difficult tomorrow ... but you tell yourself ... one more line, one more page, maybe ...
and then it's 3am. Again. >.>
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When you have a dream of making a chandelier out of nibs...
I wasn't sure if I should start a new thread for this or not.
I dreamt last night that I scored some 10 boxes of Perry and Co. no. 104 and 28? nibs and Nick D'Aquanno and Jacob Ira were fighting over me getting them. In my dream, the boxes were pretty cool. OMGosh, I was cleaning them and stuffed a whole mess in my mouth to clean them and the phone rang, hubby bumped me, the boxes of nibs that I was trying to organize into a nice case fell all over and I was spitting wads of nibs all over my grandma's handmade quilt...Ok, that's all I remember of the dream.
THAT's how I know I am a calligrapher (or a psychotic nib hoarder)
(https://theflourishforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2FUCBokP96KipOM%2Fgiphy.gif&hash=718bb29922eb49bff736de3ffc88b208)
LOL!!!!!!! REBECCA! I'm glad you didn't swallow those nibs. Even in your dreams, they could cause your dream self a nasty stomach ache!
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Finally feel I can contribute to this.. :)
You know you are a (newbie) calligrapher when......
You dream of Ovals armed with Oblique holders chasing you screaming "You haven't drawn me correctly"
and.....
the next morning the first thing you do is practise ovals :D
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you don't mind applying more postage than necessary so your stamp(s) color and design can "match" your calligraphy envelope.
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I'm glad I'm not the only one trying to remove a piano to make room for a bigger table, is late for work so I can practice just a little bit.. I can't sleep practicing letters in my head and in the air... Happy happy!
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You haven't been able to pick up a pen and work for two weeks ... and you feel like you've lost your best friend.
Come back soon, best friend!
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You haven't been able to pick up a pen and work for two weeks ... and you feel like you've lost your best friend.
Come back soon, best friend!
hey i have not gone anywhere...i'm still here ;D ;D ;D
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You haven't been able to pick up a pen and work for two weeks ... and you feel like you've lost your best friend.
Come back soon, best friend!
hey i have not gone anywhere...i'm still here ;D ;D ;D
Just as well really. If you did go anywhere, I'd have to come find you ... and it wouldn't be pretty 8)
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Well at least your hand will be all healed!!
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At the risk of incurring howls of derision from Schin and Prasad, I rather like BICs. Or rather, if it has to be a ballpoint, they're the best at any price.
Anyway, you know you're a calligrapher when:
- you die a little inside when a flier from the local pizza place lands on the doormat and they've typeset the headings in cyber-copperplate.
- you take a phone call and you can't find anything to make notes with which isn't oblique.
- you inadvertently tattoo a small dot on your finger by stabbing yourself with your pen (yes, that's a true one).
- you buy a sample sized jar of instant coffee just to get yet another ink bottle.
- you fleetingly consider getting into a fight with a goose for the sake of a primary feather or two.
Hah, I too have a small ink tattoo on one of my fingers. Thought I was the only one who did such silly things!
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you take your new box of vintage nibs to bed just to look at them before sleep!
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You know you're a calligrapher when...
- your bedsheets have a lot of ink spots because you love writing on your bed instead on the table.
- you're using different kinds of medium just to create your name.
- your buying different kind of books about calligraphy.
- your mom is shouting at you to clean up the scattered scratch paperSsss under you bed.
- you're using the blank back pages of your old school projects.
- you start collecting different kinds of pen, nibs, inks and papers.
- you're always at the principals office because they need you to write at loose blackboard for a school event.
- you're writing love letters to your love ones in textura quadratta using dip nibs instead of a ballpen.
- you're writing invitation cards for your sisters 18th birthday.
- you're writing calligraphy on mail envelopes instead of using your printer or ballpen
- you're chosen to print the names and dates on your own and your batchmates High School Diploma.
- you're using quill made out from chicken feathers because there's no available turkeys nearby.
- you're teaching, encouraging, inspiring and helping others to learn and love calligraphy.
- it feels like heaven when you're inside a calligraphy store or shop.
- you admire the work of your fellow calligrapher.
:) :) :) :) :)
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You wake up in the morning remembering a dream about ascenders and descenders!
I need to get out more, lol!
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when you bought your first bottle of gum arabic you thought omg this thing is going to last FOREVA. and the next thing you know your like crap, i need to get more gum arabic!!! HOW did i use an entire bottle so quickly...oh yeah, gouache, Pearl Ex...
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I did something today that fit in this category, I took the grocery list and totally redid it in Copperplate. My Wife said I know you are not rewriting that list. I said yes any opportunity to practice plus you will have the best looking list in that store ;)
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You write your name on a 'My name is' label at a geeky meetup ... and everyone is all, "That's so neat!" and you're just really embarrassed and praying you won't run into any calligraphers!
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...they've typeset the headings in cyber-copperplate.
Let this style hereby be colloquially known as cyberplate.
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..the notes you take in a meeting are beautiful but useless, because you are more concerned about how you write than what you write.
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You blow your nose on an inky pen wipe (not intentionally :D).
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You scan historical dramas for anachronistic writing implements. Just spotted a steel pen nib in The Borgias.
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You scan historical dramas for anachronistic writing implements. Just spotted a steel pen nib in The Borgias.
Haha, yes! It makes us terrible people to watch badly-researched period dramas with.
"But I believe you'll find that Jane Austen's heroines wrote with quills, not steel nibs--"
"SHUT UP, MOYA."
You blow your nose on an inky pen wipe (not intentionally :D).
ALL THE TIME! Inky hands, inky face!
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When you see a Thanksgiving card (obviously store bought) on your sister-in-law's fireplace mantle and it reads "Happy Thanksgiving" in beautiful calligraphy and you can't keep your mind off trying to figure out who wrote it! (I came to the conclusion it was Mike Kesceg but don't know if he "does" cards).
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Ha Ha! I have been watching old episodes of the Liverbirds on the UK Drama channel and noticed that the titles were written in italic... I spent some time pondering who wrote them!
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I would go to crafts shops and see these calligraphy inspirational poster things.. and I'm always like 'I wouldn't have laid out the quote that way' or 'ugh that flourish doesn't work' or 'damn how can I get in on this'
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Or second had shops where you find old discarded calligraphed poetry pictures and take apart the frames to see if they are the real thing or a print...
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You scan historical dramas for anachronistic writing implements.
(Sucks teeth). "Waterman didn't bring out the 52½V in red ripple ebonite until fully 2 years after the supposed date of this travesty of a period drama" ... >:(
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You scan historical dramas for anachronistic writing implements.
(Sucks teeth). "Waterman didn't bring out the 52½V in red ripple ebonite until fully 2 years after the supposed date of this travesty of a period drama" ... >:(
Hahahha cue the groannnnns
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... You send even the customs tax office that holds back Christmas presents you ordered from an American Etsy shop a letter in an envelope in polite, clean, legible Copperplate ...
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... You send even the customs tax office that holds back Christmas presents you ordered from an American Etsy shop a letter in an envelope in polite, clean, legible Copperplate ...
Yes! Throw out those pre-addressed envelopes and do your own!
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There was no pre-adressed envelope ;D just a bad copy saying I should send the invoice etc. to the customs
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- The mailroom at work can always tell when you're the one who's sending an internal envelope ... even if you're trying not to make it 'too' calligraphic.
- every hello / goodbye / congratulations card that goes around your office lands on your desk first ... ;)
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hahaha it's like you already have a telling :)
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You spend way too long on addressing your Christmas cards, so when you do the math calculations on time spent per envelope multiplied by the quantity you realize that you "better get a move on" or they will not be done until New Years.
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you go to dip your pencil in ink! and when you're supposed to be cleaning your studio you suddenly stop because you "have to" do calligraphy!
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... you start to critique chalkboard sandwich signs outside of shops ;D
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-you tell your husband he can use the computer, but find one more thread on FF to read....25 min later (yes, I just read through 7 pages of you know you're a calligrapher if...) so funny!!!
-when house shopping the office is more important than the kitchen (we're moving soon and all I want is natural light, you know, for good IG photos!)
-family wonders why they get the guinea pig cards because they see the good ones you send out to everyone else
-you agree to take a part time job at your husbands office to pay for your calligraphy supplies. "only until my hobby starts paying for itself." lol
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...you have ink splattered on your hands & fingers. :P
It takes me such a long time to get ready for bed, because I seem to take forever to properly wash my hands and get ink off. LOL. Is that just me?! Geez. Might be a newbie thing!! ::) ;D
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...you have ink splattered on your hands & fingers. :P
It takes me such a long time to get ready for bed, because I seem to take forever to properly wash my hands and get ink off. LOL. Is that just me?! Geez. Might be a newbie thing!! ::) ;D
Estrella ... I'm confused. "Off"?
What does that word mean? You used it in the same sentence as "ink". "Ink" and "off" don't go together, do they????
;D ;D ;D
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You know you're a calligrapher when:
Your son complains that when he receives a wedding invitation in the mail, the first thing he does is run his thumb across the print in order to determine whether it was hand-lettered, or they just ran it through a printer. His comment to me was something like, "Damn, now you've got me becoming a snob about hand-lettering!".
Janis, this is so sweet. I can only hope that my son does the same someday!!!
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Love this thread! I am nowhere near a calligrapher, but I have started to appreciate all sorts of pens. I didn't know there were so many kinds other than the ballpoint ones! :)
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...you have ink splattered on your hands & fingers. :P
It takes me such a long time to get ready for bed, because I seem to take forever to properly wash my hands and get ink off. LOL. Is that just me?! Geez. Might be a newbie thing!! ::) ;D
I keep hand wipes beside me for that very reason. As soon as I ink my hands I start wiping. Might be my OCD.
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This is truly a great post schin!
You know you are a calligraphy when :
1. A friend asks for a pen to write something in a hurry, you hide you check you pocket anything other than fountain pen is giveable but he asks fountain pen I say "you turn around and I'll kick you".
2. You will use every container in the house and gets a good scold from mom sometimes even grounded (I practice at that time). 😉
3. You find ink spots all over the house. (mom tells you to clean it)
4. You start getting angry on the invitations which are printed! I hate them. These printers are enemy of calligraphy growth.
5. You start panicking when you here there are gonna be guests (specially with kids). I personally lock all my limited supplies.
6. You start checking every fountain pen for flex.
7. You feel proud of stains all over you cloths or hands.
8. Your eyes will be searching to any thing that can be used as calligraphy tool.
9. You start scolding stationary store for not keeping supplies. And so on. It never ends!
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This is truly a great post schin!
You know you are a calligraphy when :
1. A friend asks for a pen to write something in a hurry, you hide you check you pocket anything other than fountain pen is giveable but he asks fountain pen I say "you turn around and I'll kick you".
2. You will use every container in the house and gets a good scold from mom sometimes even grounded (I practice at that time). 😉
3. You find ink spots all over the house. (mom tells you to clean it)
4. You start getting angry on the invitations which are printed! I hate them. These printers are enemy of calligraphy growth.
5. You start panicking when you here there are gonna be guests (specially with kids). I personally lock all my limited supplies.
6. You start checking every fountain pen for flex.
7. You feel proud of stains all over you cloths or hands.
8. Your eyes will be searching to any thing that can be used as calligraphy tool.
9. You start scolding stationary store for not keeping supplies. And so on. It never ends!
I like number 7. I have a shirt with a black stain. My wife always ask what's that from I just give her the eye.
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I like number 7. I have a shirt with a black stain. My wife always ask what's that from I just give her the eye.
Such a foolish question.
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I like number 7. I have a shirt with a black stain. My wife always ask what's that from I just give her the eye.
Such a foolish question.
Right!
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Awww, this is definitely fun.
I'm an analyzer of wine bottle labels, too! I'm a total critic. I think I missed my calling
should have been a wine label designer.
And, my husband and I went to a restaurant in Charlotte called "The Mayobird" today
all of the chalk boards were done beautifully and they even had hand-lettered wooden spoons for order numbers! I should have taken pictures. I still want to know who did them!
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Awww, this is definitely fun.
I'm an analyzer of wine bottle labels, too! I'm a total critic. I think I missed my calling
should have been a wine label designer.
I'm that girl who not only critiques all the labels but eventually buys the bottle based on the label she likes best!
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I like number 7. I have a shirt with a black stain. My wife always ask what's that from I just give her the eye.
Such a foolish question.
Right!
The spilling of ink on my cloth is like spilling a high quality perfume on it. It smells I am a calligrapher!
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I like number 7. I have a shirt with a black stain. My wife always ask what's that from I just give her the eye.
Such a foolish question.
Right!
Ah Brad, at least when you have a red smudge on your collar she will not suspect another woman.
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and another one... something I just realised a week ago..
You are a calligrapher AND a FF junkie when....
1) your "show unread posts since last visit" is never more than 3 or 4 posts
OR
Typical Monday mornings......
42 unanswered mails in my inbox --- >:( >:( >:( >:(
42 unread posts on FF YEAAAHHHHHH ;D ;D ;D ;D
OR
No internet here???????
Arghhh - and then start getting withdrawal symptoms...
keep scanning the iPad/laptop/phone/anything... for at least 1 measly bar on the wifi
Thanks everyone, specially Erica - I need to start Flourish Forum Anonymous now - " Hi I am prasad and I am addicted"
-Prasad
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Based on actual incidents.....
The Scene: A cold winter's night. 2 am. The Prasad household
The wife rolls in bed, half asleep and finds the space next to her empty.
Oohing and aahing gently emanate from the living room.
She tiptoes slowly towards the noise. The pitch dark room has the soft glowing of a laptop screen that illuminates Lustful eyes and a drooling mouth.
She creeps up behind him, intent on causing grievous bodily harm.
As she peers over his shoulder - the screen in filled with
Heebs' and Salman's Oblique Holders........
You definitely ARE a calligrapher
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Based on actual incidents.....
The Scene: A cold winter's night. 2 am. The Prasad household
The wife rolls in bed, half asleep and finds the space next to her empty.
Oohing and aahing gently emanate from the living room.
She tiptoes slowly towards the noise. The pitch dark room has the soft glowing of a laptop screen that illuminates Lustful eyes and a drooling mouth.
She creeps up behind him, intent on causing grievous bodily harm.
As she peers over his shoulder - the screen in filled with
Heebs' and Salman's Oblique Holders........
You definitely ARE a calligrapher
Hahaha, hilarious :D
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Based on actual incidents.....
The Scene: A cold winter's night. 2 am. The Prasad household
The wife rolls in bed, half asleep and finds the space next to her empty.
Oohing and aahing gently emanate from the living room.
She tiptoes slowly towards the noise. The pitch dark room has the soft glowing of a laptop screen that illuminates Lustful eyes and a drooling mouth.
She creeps up behind him, intent on causing grievous bodily harm.
As she peers over his shoulder - the screen in filled with
Heebs' and Salman's Oblique Holders........
You definitely ARE a calligrapher
Hahaha
I was getting in the story and thinking and you will be busted, and calligraphy saved you!
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when your non-calligraphy friends finally realize what you've been up to and are like "wow, how did you do this? you're like, really good!". LOL!!!
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when your non-calligraphy friends finally realize what you've been up to and are like "wow, how did you do this? you're like, really good!". LOL!!!
LOL!!
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... you say a quick "thanks" to your family for your b-day gifts and go back to swooning over the b-day cards you got from calligraphers! ;D
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7. You feel proud of stains all over you cloths or hands.
... My wife always ask what's that from I just give her the eye.
LOLOLOL! Brad - this made me laugh so hard!
I like #7, too, Syed! ;D
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... I think I missed my calling
should have been a wine label designer.
It's never too late, Elizabeth!
And, my husband and I went to a restaurant in Charlotte called "The Mayobird" today
all of the chalk boards were done beautifully and they even had hand-lettered wooden spoons for order numbers! I should have taken pictures. I still want to know who did them!
YES - I want to see pictures! Especially of the spoons. You'll just have to go out to eat again! ;D
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BAHAHAHAHA! Can't ... stop ... laughing! ;D ;D ;D
Based on actual incidents.....
The Scene: A cold winter's night. 2 am. The Prasad household
The wife rolls in bed, half asleep and finds the space next to her empty.
Oohing and aahing gently emanate from the living room.
She tiptoes slowly towards the noise. The pitch dark room has the soft glowing of a laptop screen that illuminates Lustful eyes and a drooling mouth.
She creeps up behind him, intent on causing grievous bodily harm.
As she peers over his shoulder - the screen in filled with
Heebs' and Salman's Oblique Holders........
You definitely ARE a calligrapher
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- When in meetings you sneer at whoever brings a BIC pen to write notes.. plebs..
- When people start to slowly move away from you when you told them you spent hundreds of dollars on pens and oblique penholders... and they say 'But they're just pens!' and you siiiiigh inwardly...
- When you buy food and wine based on the calligraphy on the packaging LOL
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- When in meetings you sneer at whoever brings a BIC pen to write notes.. plebs..
>.> Sometimes I bring a BIC ... *head hang*
In my defence it has to be a certain kind of BIC. The fine point ones, yellow barrel, they come in boxes of 12 ... they're super cheap and yet surprisingly not nasty. Fine lines, no blobs, and you can get some nice detail. I don't like having the 'real' pens out at work, but nobody steals my "crappy" BICs.
I'm still head hanging though, out of shame. (I did have a stash of Pilot Fine-Tec C for work because I L.O.V.E. THOSE PENS. But people stole them. Alas, such is the office life.)
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- When you buy food and wine based on the calligraphy on the packaging LOL
i do this sometimes hahaha
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Moyra: Lol! Well I use a Pilot G-tec at work, no theft yet thank goodness. But I have converted some at work to fountain pens, so that's that...
Pat: Yes! Then I feel bad if I have to throw it away! :(
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(I did have a stash of Pilot Fine-Tec C for work because I L.O.V.E. THOSE PENS. But people stole them. Alas, such is the office life.)
What's wrong with people?
If you need to steal from work, steal from the official stash, not from co-workers ... ::)
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- When in meetings you sneer at whoever brings a BIC pen to write notes.. plebs..
Harrumph. >:(
BICs are the ballpoints I don't sneer at.
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...you walk into Hobby Lobby and walk out 2 hours later, with a bag full of stuff totaling $100 (after discounts & coupons!)... only to get home, open everything, reorganize your work-space and try your new inks, nibs & holders!
I might have done this last night. ;) 8)
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...you walk into Hobby Lobby and walk out 2 hours later, with a bag full of stuff totaling $100 (after discounts & coupons!)... only to get home, open everything, reorganize your work-space and try your new inks, nibs & holders!
I might have done this last night. ;) 8)
I can totally relate, Estrella. Hobby Lobby is my sanctuary!
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LOl!! I can totally relate to most of the things mentioned in this post! <3 <3 <3
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...you turn just about anything into ink...
There was a time in my life when I did wear makeup (a few years ago). Not anymore. But a part of me told me to save the powder blushes & eye shadows. I never knew why. Until now. Colored makeup powder + gum arabic + water = my newest calligraphy inks!! This one here is "beauty" blush by bare minerals... now a pink ink!! Oh.My.Calligraphy!!
(please note I'm a newbie, and still learning...)
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Estrella I was totally thinking about that few days ago!!! I'm glad you tried it. How did it come out? I'm curious! I have a bunch of Bare mineral stuff that I hardly use & was thinking about converting them into inks! LOL!!
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Love it! It's like we're all mad calligraphy scientists mixing up ink formulas! ;D
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That is soooo cool, Estrella! Genius! You gave me an idea for a weekend project :)
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It is such a good idea to turn old makeup into ink. I have a lot of junk to recycle!
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It probably works so well because as I understand it a lot of powder type make-ups, the color is made out of mica powder, which is exactly what Pearl Ex is made out of too, and it's commonly known that Pearl Ex makes great inks. :P
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I can't wait For THE next calligraphy workshop, not sleeping The Night before and count hours...
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Estrella I was totally thinking about that few days ago!!! I'm glad you tried it. How did it come out? I'm curious! I have a bunch of Bare mineral stuff that I hardly use & was thinking about converting them into inks! LOL!!
It turned out pretty well. It washed off the nib easily, too. ;)
Love it! It's like we're all mad calligraphy scientists mixing up ink formulas! ;D
I had so much fun, hahaha ;D I felt like a Chemist! ;) :P
That is soooo cool, Estrella! Genius! You gave me an idea for a weekend project :)
If you do, post photos!! ;)
It is such a good idea to turn old makeup into ink. I have a lot of junk to recycle!
And we're thinking about the environment... right?! ha.
It probably works so well because as I understand it a lot of powder type make-ups, the color is made out of mica powder, which is exactly what Pearl Ex is made out of too, and it's commonly known that Pearl Ex makes great inks. :P
Yep, bare minerals is mica powder. Genius. ;)
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when your kitchen sink is stained blue, pink, or gold, or has bits of gold metallic pigments stuck in seams and seals...
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You tell your author friend that the only criticism you have of her debut novel is the floppy italic font on the cover.
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when your kitchen sink is stained blue, pink, or gold, or has bits of gold metallic pigments stuck in seams and seals...
And your husband's desk. oopsies!!! (but now maybe he will see the value in me getting my own, lol)
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Gist:
You find every downtime as an opportunity for practice time.
What actually happened:
You decided to make a crockpot stew for Sunday lunch. You finished your prep under 10 minutes and placed everything on the slow cooker insert. You're excited because you knew you have at least 3 hours of undisturbed practice time. 4 hours later, you discovered you forgot to turn the slow cooker on. :o :o :o :o So you and your husband end up eating frozen pizza instead because both of you are so hungry and cranky, and that's the only "decent" meal that can be done in 10 minutes!
Lesson learned:
You can now make (semi) perfect ovals!
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when your kitchen sink is stained blue, pink, or gold, or has bits of gold metallic pigments stuck in seams and seals...
ours is the same! there was a time when i even saw specks of gold ink on the floor :P
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Gist:
You find every downtime as an opportunity for practice time.
What actually happened:
You decided to make a crockpot stew for Sunday lunch. You finished your prep under 10 minutes and placed everything on the slow cooker insert. You're excited because you knew you have at least 3 hours of undisturbed practice time. 4 hours later, you discovered you forgot to turn the slow cooker on. :o :o :o :o So you and your husband end up eating frozen pizza instead because both of you are so hungry and cranky, and that's the only "decent" meal that can be done in 10 minutes!
Lesson learned:
You can now make (semi) perfect ovals!
hahaha i'm so glad i don't really know how to cook so this doesn't happen to me... but i always forget there's laundry in the washer when i start writing :)
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... your eyes won't stay open because you were working away last night and suddenly it was 6am ... and you have a 9-5 job ...
I seriously think sometimes I'm so lucky that I don't have kids or a partner who depend on me. I will never be a proper grownup!
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hahaha i'm so glad i don't really know how to cook so this doesn't happen to me... but i always forget there's laundry in the washer when i start writing :)
Good thing laundry is my husband's forte! Hihihi
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... I will never be a proper grownup!
Where's the fun in that anyways??? ;)
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You post on Facebook about ordering some nibs and everyone else thinks you mean licorice, or cocoa nibs. And I'm like :o "whaaaat???"
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You post on Facebook about ordering some nibs and everyone else thinks you mean licorice, or cocoa nibs. And I'm like :o "whaaaat???"
Whaaat? How are you supposed to write with that? ;D
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... your eyes won't stay open because you were working away last night and suddenly it was 6am ... and you have a 9-5 job ...
I seriously think sometimes I'm so lucky that I don't have kids or a partner who depend on me. I will never be a proper grownup!
Yes -- I sat down this morning after breakfast to work on a project, and when I finished and looked up, the sun was setting! In retrospect, there were clues to the passage of time. Lunch happened, for example, and I went through an ungodly number of podcasts as I worked, but for the most part there wasn't anything except the writing.
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When I am at The post office AND I smile at every body with my cards TO be sent. The others are not really happy because They are there for paying bills
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When you take hours to cook a soup, sit down and finally unwind when out of nowhere a drop of black appears! And you drink the soup anyway.. LOL
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When you take hours to cook a soup, sit down and finally unwind when out of nowhere a drop of black appears! And you drink the soup anyway.. LOL
"Waiter, there's a hairline in my soup!"
(I'm deeply sorry.)
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You know you're a calligrapher when you discover ink in your hair as you're getting ready to go out and grab a bite.
***Days later modification. ...and you go anyway because you don't care.
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Eeep.. worse if you are at the post office and there is a long line behind you, and the post guy asks you to decipher the calligraphy and you have to read it to him one by one... embarrassing!
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You know you're a calligrapher when it's 9:00 P.M. and you're practicing ovals and lines while sopping up cleaning spray after the dog has had stinky diarrhea in many places on a patterned Persian rug and you're in the middle of an hour of finding the places and cleaning the rug.
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When you take a LONG ASS sweet time to paste stamps at the post office because DAYUM...... you really don't want to let these envelopes go..and you feel proud when people look at your envelopes. You think it's because they are fab, but actually it's because they can't read wtf is going on, you kinda know that but you tell yourself it's really because it's fab.
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When you are at home and continue to think of the cards just sent: will They be cold?? Will they have safe journey to their destinations???
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You realize that sleep is overrated.
*the reason I'm not a great calligrapher. I love to sleep, mi gente!
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...you finally pluck up the courage to contact your local scribes group only to be told that the next workshop which you REALLY want to attend (brush lettering incase you were wondering) is on the SAME DAY as a stupid fitting, for a stupid wedding dress, for your own stupid wedding >:(
;D ;D ;D
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When you're at the hair salon because of a hair dye disaster and all you can think about is getting home to work on you Spencerian. NEVERMIND that your hair is Orange. 😂😂😂😂 true story happening right now to me
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When you're at the hair salon because of a hair dye disaster and all you can think about is getting home to work on you Spencerian. NEVERMIND that your hair is Orange. 😂😂😂😂 true story happening right now to me
Forum vote ;D
How many of you want to see a picture of that.. I do I do I do
That's 3 votes :P
-Prasad
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...you finally pluck up the courage to contact your local scribes group only to be told that the next workshop which you REALLY want to attend (brush lettering incase you were wondering) is on the SAME DAY as a stupid fitting, for a stupid wedding dress, for your own stupid wedding >:(
;D ;D ;D
Hahaha :D I can so relate to that! But hey, a fitting can be postponed, right? ;D
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...you finally pluck up the courage to contact your local scribes group only to be told that the next workshop which you REALLY want to attend (brush lettering incase you were wondering) is on the SAME DAY as a stupid fitting, for a stupid wedding dress, for your own stupid wedding >:(
;D ;D ;D
Hahaha :D I can so relate to that! But hey, a fitting can be postponed, right? ;D
Oh if only that were the case <<<sigh>>> unfortunately the wedding Militia (ie my mother) is a force not to be reckoned with... ;)
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When you're at the hair salon because of a hair dye disaster and all you can think about is getting home to work on you Spencerian. NEVERMIND that your hair is Orange. 😂😂😂😂 true story happening right now to me
Forum vote ;D
How many of you want to see a picture of that.. I do I do I do
That's 3 votes :P
-Prasad
Ummmmmmmmmm NO never going to happen. Forum vote or not! lol
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When you're at the hair salon because of a hair dye disaster and all you can think about is getting home to work on you Spencerian. NEVERMIND that your hair is Orange. 😂😂😂😂 true story happening right now to me
Forum vote ;D
How many of you want to see a picture of that.. I do I do I do
That's 3 votes :P
-Prasad
Ummmmmmmmmm NO never going to happen. Forum vote or not! lol
4 votes... Pleassee ? :(
:D ;D
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You know you're a calligrapher when....
It's midnight and, at last, you complete a large complicated scroll with a tight deadline. In bed, in the dark, you agonize over three words at the end of a line in the text which you had to compress slightly to fit, as you had made a miscalculation in the layout.
Although you know that the modification is so slight, that it's unlikely to be noticed (unless by another calligrapher) it continues to bother you, until finally, at 2am you get out of bed, get dressed, and start the entire scroll again from scratch, finally completing it as dawn breaks, thereby meeting the deadline.
This is a true story, and I still have the scars to prove it!
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You're at Cracker Barrel and your fiancιe gets three bottles of syrup (which are glass with a screw top lid) and your first thought is "Save those; I can put ink in them."
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1. My adult children indulge me with their smiles & not many comments when I tell them what project I'm working on. Comments or not, I plunge ahead with more details than they ever asked for.
2. Trying to decide....do I babysit for one of my grandchildren or work on a calligraphy job?
3. All I had to do is ask & I have received, like it's Chanukah all over again, more baby food jars for mixing ink than I ever dreamed of!
4. My Iphone camera roll has (gasp!!) more pics of my work than of my grandchildren!!
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You know you're a calligrapher when...
- You'd rather calligraph than sleep
- You don't sleep
- You buy extra of any supply "just in case" - in which never really comes around because you're so stocked
- You look judge someone's signature, especially when it's just a quick squiggle - no real letter form anywhere
- You collect empty ink jars "just in case" or to "do something with later"
- You never leave your desk. Either writing, or something computer+calligraphy related
- Your friends and family know to not touch anything but they know "no food or drinks around the envelopes"
and.... I might be the only one to save all my old, gross, used, worn down, beaten up, broken nibs. Another case of "do something with later"
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You know you're a calligrapher when...
and.... I might be the only one to save all my old, gross, used, worn down, beaten up, broken nibs. Another case of "do something with later"
I save mine too. Is there a thread on the FF for crafty uses of old nibs???
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Rebecca, I save my used nibs also. They gather dust in a pillar candle holder. You'd be amazed at the selection of nibs/jewelry, mostly earrings, for sale on Etsy. Pinterest has lots too. Could be a fun side job for one of us who knows how to craft jewelry.
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you keep moving the "isn't this beautiful" Christmas cards from the prominent position they've been placed in because UGH!, look at that "copperplate" font!
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You know you're a calligrapher when...
1) You stop in the middle of the grocery shop to inspect a badly written word on your list.. "Hmm.. the Z on 'zucchini' is not rounded enough.. darn it those stupid double Gs in 'eggs' looks terrible..."
2) Your friends ask for a pen to jot something down real quick but all you can say is: "Careful, this fountain pen flexes so don't press too hard actually hold on I have something else.." "Ouch I pricked my finger on this stupid nib in the bag here lemme show you a nikko g" "I have some ink, this is an oblique holder, here you gotta dip and hold it like this wait where are you going"
3) You begin to form an elitism against mere copy paper in the office for the plebeians, ugh get your disgusting 20lb 'super premium' barely-pulp newsprint away from my presence
4) You hiss and scowl and bare your fangs at BIC pens and anyone who uses them
Anyone else wanna add their experiences?
I can relate to 2 and 3 XD I can't really relate to #1 since my actual penmanship is not as pretty as my calligraphy ;___;
I have these dreams where I watch the nib open and close when I write on repeat HAHA (does that count as a "You know you're a calligrapher when")
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You finish a long session where your paper was angled, then pick up something to read and hold it at an angle.
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Whenever you see flourishes you can't resist tracing them in the air with your finger.
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Whenever you see flourishes you can't resist tracing them in the air with your finger.
Ha! I practice letters in the air before I go to sleep!
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i'm kind of embarrased to say this but my yoga teacher just gave me her empty essential oil bottles. i can't say i'm a calligrapher just yet but here's my addition to this ever expanding awesome thread:
...when you ask your yoga friends to save their empty essential oil bottles for you :P
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You know you're a beginning calligrapher when you think, "Why won't this ballpoint write? Oh, right. These things require pressure."
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You know you're a (newbie) calligrapher when...
(1) You attend a calligraphy workshop, you introduce yourself by your IG name and not your real name. (Because that's what you are known for.)
(2) Whenever a new nib comes in your IG feed, you instantly contact the seller and score about 5 of each of the nibs. Just to be sure you have enough supplies.
(3) If a new practice paper comes out, you also hoard them - despite having a ream of unused paper at your shelf, few more unused notebooks, a practice pad which are you only half way through it and notepads as gifts from your last birthday and Christmases two years ago.
(4) When you have to say "NO" to those who ask you if calligraphy will improve their (very) bad handwriting. And they walk away because they thought calligraphy will save them from all the nasty comments about their handwriting.
(5) In my case, in a month, its either I am at the airport once a week or attend a calligraphy workshop.
(6) When you keep a cigarette lighter at your bag, but you do not smoke. And when somebody asks why, you say, "because I have hobbies." This is in case you stumbled upon a new nib and want to try it out. Ummmm, using your saliva to clean in the nib in public is gross. Its meant for the safety and comfort of your homes.
(7) You do not have a make up kit, but have a portable calligraphy kit instead - with jars of ink, nib cases and rolled up holder case. :)
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When you open a snickers bar and think I want to draw letters as beautiful as this chocolate smells... (Yep, this honestly just happened)
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You wake Up early in the morning and check new contents about calligraphy
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when your dreams are calligraphy related :/ i had a dream about going to a water fountain in a park with a little dog to fill little bottles with ink.
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- when people at your day job put you in charge of the birthday cards for the office, and then thank you cards, ... and then cards for their friends and family haha.
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The your kindergartener's teacher writes a note home asking him to "please print" because he keeps trying to write in calligraphy on his school papers! :)
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When you would like to leave office earlier for practising calligraphy
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When you would like to leave office earlier for practising calligraphy
haha yea - I dream about leaving work early so I can do calligraphy. Or when I have a break at work I immediately go on FF and IG!
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when the phrase crying over spilt ink makes more sense than crying over spilt milk
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When you would like to leave office earlier for practising calligraphy
haha yea - I dream about leaving work early so I can do calligraphy. Or when I have a break at work I immediately go on FF and IG!
This explains "instant reply Elaina"
:P
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When you would like to leave office earlier for practising calligraphy
haha yea - I dream about leaving work early so I can do calligraphy. Or when I have a break at work I immediately go on FF and IG!
This explains "instant reply Elaina"
:P
Hahaha! Oh dear it's obvious. I use the "when I have a break at work" very loosely. It's more like "when I am putting off work I don't want to do" or "I'm bored at my day job and need some excitement".
It's a good thing only my calligraphy friends know the truth.
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....you feel strangely chuffed that you were born and grew up within spitting distance from where Sheila Waters was born...
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when the phrase crying over spilt ink makes more sense than crying over spilt milk
Ink is definitely more expeveive, and will leave a nasty stain.
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Hahaha! Oh dear it's obvious. I use the "when I have a break at work" very loosely. It's more like "when I am putting off work I don't want to do" or "I'm bored at my day job and need some excitement".
It's a good thing only my calligraphy friends know the truth.
;D I have to stop myself jumping from Instagram to email to RSS to some other app and back to Instagram all the time at work! Otherwise I'd get nothing done.
when the phrase crying over spilt ink makes more sense than crying over spilt milk
Ink is definitely more expeveive, and will leave a nasty stain.
Although, on the plus side, it doesn't smell as bad! ;)
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You see some power lines in the distance and begin to analyze them as though they were hairlines.
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....you feel strangely chuffed that you were born and grew up within spitting distance from where Sheila Waters was born...
You feel a bit spooked when you discover that you live a half hour away from Sheila Waters' current home and studio in Pennsylvania.
Arlen
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You know you're a calligrapher when...
you hope and pray that the notebooks/paper that you purchased or just purchased do not bleed. 😁
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You know you're a calligrapher when...
you hope and pray that the notebooks/paper that you purchased or just purchased do not bleed. 😁
hahaha so true! making my first mark on a new notebook is such a revealing experience for me :o :P
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You've seen first hand evidence that there really are "oils" in your hands.
where did that stupid guard sheet go!? ;)
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When you are packing for a month long holiday with the family and the first thing packed is.......
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When.... you write cursive with a normal pen yet you accidentally do it stroke by stroke 😹😹
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... you have two law essays due in the next two weeks, and you have five days off from work (thank you, Easter) ... but you're rearranging your entire studio because how can you possibly concentrate on law when there's ink just EVERYWHERE?
... so you pile the contents of only three or four drawers on your desk ...
(https://theflourishforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FFpREvB0l.jpg&hash=6b98baf7d932e25daa97bc4df509168e)
... and you realise you're not getting to sleep aaany time soon!
(PS - now that I"ve posted this I HAVE to sort it all out, so that I can show you the final product :D)
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You have a dream in which you buy a jar of peanut butter for $17. Still in the dream, you wonder how well it would serve as ink.
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You have your hands full so you start tracing letters on the back of your teeth with your tongue.
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You have your hands full so you start tracing letters on the back of your teeth with your tongue.
Talk about toothy paper...
(Sorry.)
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When you accidentally gild your desk... :o
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When.... you write cursive with a normal pen yet you accidentally do it stroke by stroke 😹😹
this happens to me too! it feels awkward sometimes writing with a regular ballpoint pen :)
... you have two law essays due in the next two weeks, and you have five days off from work (thank you, Easter) ... but you're rearranging your entire studio because how can you possibly concentrate on law when there's ink just EVERYWHERE?
... so you pile the contents of only three or four drawers on your desk ...
... and you realise you're not getting to sleep aaany time soon!
(PS - now that I"ve posted this I HAVE to sort it all out, so that I can show you the final product :D)
moya, i love your messy desk :) makes me feel as if mine is but a little organized haha :)
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... you have two law essays due in the next two weeks, and you have five days off from work (thank you, Easter) ... but you're rearranging your entire studio because how can you possibly concentrate on law when there's ink just EVERYWHERE?
... so you pile the contents of only three or four drawers on your desk ...
(https://theflourishforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FFpREvB0l.jpg&hash=6b98baf7d932e25daa97bc4df509168e)
... and you realise you're not getting to sleep aaany time soon!
(PS - now that I"ve posted this I HAVE to sort it all out, so that I can show you the final product :D)
Wow! And here I thought my desk was messy :D
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Haha! I cleaned it ssssooo nicely after this (while still not doing my essays) ... but it already looks like this again:
(https://theflourishforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FUXpAVr7l.png&hash=a607c27d4567c68ec8f9dabcee3e7a41)
... I'm definitely gonna empty that paint water like today. right now. yup.
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Haha! I cleaned it ssssooo nicely after this (while still not doing my essays) ... but it already looks like this again:
(https://theflourishforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FUXpAVr7l.png&hash=a607c27d4567c68ec8f9dabcee3e7a41)
... I'm definitely gonna empty that paint water like today. right now. yup.
You've even got room for a plant! Fantastic!
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I may be late to the party but:
When you're on a date and all you can think about is "man, I really wish I was home practicing calligraphy right now."
"...oh what was that? Mm hmm, that's nice. (I want to try that new nib I got...)"
"Oh, yes. Tell me more about your athlete's foot...(this wine bottle has the worst calligraphy mashup font.)"
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...you are sitting in the dentist's chair getting a filling replaced and the first thing that comes to mind is visualizing yourself practicing copperplate strokes...
(this morning :P )
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While waiting in the mechanic's lobby, you practice with a rough notebook and a cheap ballpoint. Plus, you discover that you can, in fact, shade with a ballpoint.
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your yogi friends got you an eleanor winters book for your birthday 8)
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You know you are a serious envelope artist when....
you add way too much postage because the stamps fit so perfectly into your design.
(Not me!)
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When you buy everything about calligraphy and can't stop...
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When you take note of every good quote you see and could not wait to write them on your calligraphy notebook. :)
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You find yourself thinking things such as, "I need more Spencerian in my life."
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You find yourself thinking things such as, "I need more Spencerian in my life."
Ditto that!
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When you take the eye test and you analyze the forms to help cheat to figure out what the letter must be since you really can not see it.
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When you take the eye test and you analyze the forms to help cheat to figure out what the letter must be since you really can not see it.
Ooooh...sneaky!
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You practice with finger in air, and you see the M you make in air.
Then you thaught you should have used two fingers for shaded areas.
(My personal experience)
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You practice with finger in air
(My personal experience)
I write in the air, too! (In my defense, I did this frequently when I was a teacher) ;)
You know you're a calligrapher when you see any piece of paper as a practice sheet. I've scribbled and doodled on many paper placemats from restaurants ;D
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You practice with finger in air, and you see the M you make in air.
Then you thaught you should have used two fingers for shaded areas.
(My personal experience)
I love it. We all focus on the details.
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While you're exercising, you plan flourishes in your head.
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You know you are a serious envelope artist when....
you add way too much postage because the stamps fit so perfectly into your design.
(Not me!)
Blot...you really need to invest in some Vintage stamps.
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I don't know if it means anything, but I have never injured myself in 34 yrs. of doing broad edge calligraphy, but, have had 3 thumb injuries (minor, but hurtful) in doing pointed pen work since starting to practice pointed pen calligraphy 11 months ago. LOL
Jack Moore
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Same here Jack! I had a deep cut on my pointer finger when I broke my Esterbrook 356 nib as I was taking it off the oblique holder. Now I use a paper towel or a piece of cloth to remove the nibs from the holder.
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The look of your grocery list makes you more excited than whatever you're buying.
You start mentally cursing the electronic tablets that stores make you use for your signature ("How do you expect me to make this look beautiful when you provide this clunky tool?" and "That simulated ink doesn't look even remotely like the real stuff.").
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When you meet up with friends later at night and they instinctively ask you how your calligraphy practice went.
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You like it when plans get cancelled, so you have more time with your nib and ink. Calligraphy nerding today
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When you meet up with friends later at night and they instinctively ask you how your calligraphy practice went.
Haha! Mine don't even know I do calligraphy ;)
(Not something I choose to hide, just not something that comes up in conversation!)
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When you meet up with friends later at night and they instinctively ask you how your calligraphy practice went.
Haha! Mine don't even know I do calligraphy ;)
(Not something I choose to hide, just not something that comes up in conversation!)
Haha I bet some of my friends wish it didn't come up in conversation. For a person that's not very vocal, I certainly don't shut up about it. I guess my birthday cards are a give away too.
You should be more of a blabber mouth ;) so all of your friends and the world knows about your calligraphy and are as impressed as I am!
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Somebody is talking about preventing something from happening, and they say, '...draw the line...' and you think, What kind of line?
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I've gotten flack for being a short girl that has dated tall guys. When asked what my ex's height was, I said:
"Well it depends, how big is the penwidth?."
....I'll just see myself out now.
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I've gotten flack for being a short girl that has dated tall guys. When asked what my ex's height was, I said:
"Well it depends, how big is the penwidth?."
....I'll just see myself out now.
That is truly terrible. I love it.
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I've gotten flack for being a short girl that has dated tall guys. When asked what my ex's height was, I said:
"Well it depends, how big is the penwidth?."
....I'll just see myself out now.
Awful. I, too, love it.
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If only there was a market for calligraphy based stand-up.
sigh, until then I'll have to keep throwing out bad jokes on here and seeing how many stick. I'm glad you guys approve of my awful humor.
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If only there was a market for calligraphy based stand-up.
Would be hilarious to have a calligraphy stand up comedian as entertainment at Iampeth.. haha
"So a White House calligrapher, PR Spencer and Hermann Zapf walk into a bar..."
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So...do I want to admit I don't get it... ???
oh. I just did.
I live in a closet.
I'll go back to it. :-[
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Haha I bet some of my friends wish it didn't come up in conversation. For a person that's not very vocal, I certainly don't shut up about it. I guess my birthday cards are a give away too.
You should be more of a blabber mouth ;) so all of your friends and the world knows about your calligraphy and are as impressed as I am!
Hahaha, one thing mine are definitely fed up of is me pointing out the rubbish typography in everything all the timeI've been doing that for ages! The subtleties of calligraphy would be lost on most of my friends I'm afraid, but thanks for the compliment!! You and my ego would get along just fine
;)
I've gotten flack for being a short girl that has dated tall guys. When asked what my ex's height was, I said:
"Well it depends, how big is the penwidth?."
....I'll just see myself out now.
I laughed so hard! ;D
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haha, the best part is I have a slight lisp. So it's an EVEN better play on wordth.
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Oh my...I just got the joke. Suddenly I am reminded of opening ceremony IAMPETH 2014 sitting next to Joi and not getting the "paddle" joke... :o
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Oh my...I just got the joke. Suddenly I am reminded of opening ceremony IAMPETH 2014 sitting next to Joi and not getting the "paddle" joke... :o
Okay, now I'm dying to hear the "paddle" joke!! ::)
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You accidentally splort (that's the technical term) ketchup onto the counter, then begin mentally criticizing the shape of the splort as if it were a swelled stroke.
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You know you're a calligrapher when...
- You'd rather calligraph than sleep
Or you spend half-an-hour flourishing the line "Go to bed already!" in a feeble attempt to convince yourself to stop practising.
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Before every purchase, you remind yourself 'I would have to do x amount of envelopes/placecards/commission work to justify this...' I caught myself doing this when deliberating buying a bracelet the other day!
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YES!
Schin, I do that calculation every time someone wants me to advertise with them or I consider a bridal show. So, I usually barter or pass.
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When you take your cocoiro pen and notepad on a pub crawl then; use said supplies to try and get a free t-shirt. (It didn't work fyi the guy couldn't read cursive)
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You know you're a calligrapher when...
It's 3 pm. You realize that you need to do 30 more envelopes today to keep with your pace, but your dog won't stop barking, so you take him for a walk...as fast as you can...with a choice beverage in hand. Maybe we'll have pizza for dinner tonight.
Also, it's 5 o'clock somewhere. ;)
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... when your nightmares look like this one I had tonight:
I went on a holiday with my family and realised I had forgotten my calligraphy supplies. Then I forced them to drive back home to get them, because 10 days without oval drills just won't do. Only AFTER getting the calligraphy supplies did I realise I had also forgotten to pack underwear and had to drive back again to get some.
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... when your nightmares look like this one I had tonight:
I went on a holiday with my family and realised I had forgotten my calligraphy supplies. Then I forced them to drive back home to get them, because 10 days without oval drills just won't do. Only AFTER getting the calligraphy supplies did I realise I had also forgotten to pack underwear and had to drive back again to get some.
Hahahahahaha
One should not attempt calligraphy without underwear. :D :D :D
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... when your nightmares look like this one I had tonight:
I went on a holiday with my family and realised I had forgotten my calligraphy supplies. Then I forced them to drive back home to get them, because 10 days without oval drills just won't do. Only AFTER getting the calligraphy supplies did I realise I had also forgotten to pack underwear and had to drive back again to get some.
hahhaha natascha this is a winner ;D
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After reading a few pages of this thread, and realise you live in a town with a mustard maker...and one of their product sizes is packaged in very nice small inkwell-ish bottles... :o
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LoL so true ;D
I can't stop judging logos and correcting faulty strokes in my mind:D
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When you dig through "vintage" sh*t and second and stores to see if you can use something for your calligraphy workstation. Or, when you go to chinatown to get chopstick holders... for nib holders...
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...when you're browsing Instagram, spot a photo of a wine night, and find yourself focused on the calligraphy label... ;)
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hahaha, can we just take a moment to appreciate the user "curdzandwhey" here? hahaha I love it.
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That wine label! [drools] ;D
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That is a very beautiful wine label! Wonder who did it..
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... when your nightmares look like this one I had tonight:
I went on a holiday with my family and realised I had forgotten my calligraphy supplies. Then I forced them to drive back home to get them, because 10 days without oval drills just won't do. Only AFTER getting the calligraphy supplies did I realise I had also forgotten to pack underwear and had to drive back again to get some.
Hahahahahaha
One should not attempt calligraphy without underwear. :D :D :D
I have a similar rule for my daughter (3 years old), "No sitting at the table without underwear." Also, "No going outside without pants."
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You jump up and down when paper samples arrive in the mail! Woot!
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Hairlines give you a buzz.
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...When you lost your mailbox key and the first thing you think is "How will I get my penpal and exchange envelopes??" instead of "My bills are gonna be late".
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...you buy two kinds of paper towels. One kind for the kitchen and one kind for your calligraphy because it doesn't leave fibers on your nib tips.
...you test ink on all your sketch/drawing pads that you got for sketching/drawing because you think they may make good practice pads.
...you put a protractor on your grocery list because you have to draw those slanted guide lines.
...you buy jam or jelly because of the shape of the jar, not the price, flavor or brand.
...you consider selling some of your stuff to get money to buy more calligraphy supplies.
...you consider using some unused, mint stamps from your stamp collection on an envelope because it gives it more of an authentic look.
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...you buy two kinds of paper towels. One kind for the kitchen and one kind for your calligraphy because it doesn't leave fibers on your nib tips.
Omg so true! I begun to covet Viva paper towels and whenever Ken wants to use it to wipe a mess on a table, I'll be like that's such a waste of Viva! Use something else!
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Omg so true! I begun to covet Viva paper towels and whenever Ken wants to use it to wipe a mess on a table, I'll be like that's such a waste of Viva! Use something else!
[/quote]
I know. My husband was going to use mine to clean up some cat puke the other day and I was like, "Don't use all my paper towels!" But I had to give them up. I shouldn't be that attached to a roll of paper towels.
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I know. My husband was going to use mine to clean up some cat puke the other day and I was like, "Don't use all my paper towels!" But I had to give them up. I shouldn't be that attached to a roll of paper towels.
Up here in Canada, we have Scott Shop Towels, that brand of indestructible garage-style blue paper towels that will soak up any type of oil, paint and of course ink. I use that when I work. My wife sticks to the white ones. Yeah, I know. It's a guy thing. ;D But one roll of the blue stuff lasts forever!
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...you get a rope burn on your hand while doing yard work, and think "It's my non-calligraphy hand. I'll be OK."
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I only started a couple of weeks ago and already have many of the listed symptoms. I guess there is no hope for me now. Haha! Anyway, I think the following are unmentioned symptoms that I have.
You know you might be a calligrapher if
1) you wonder whether every liquid you see might be used as ink. (I tried wine last night, by the way.)
2) You put your nib in your mouth. (Not so sure about this one)
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You think writing with a dip nib and ink while sitting in bed is a perfectly legitimate thing to do.
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...you grab a black shirt and wonder why that white stain is on it.
Oh, that's right, I was wearing it when I decided to use my BPW and lean all the way down on my desk, to get a better view of the lightly penciled lines I made on my dark paper.
White stains across my chest, thank you very much! :o
>:( I need an apron!!
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...you get a rope burn on your hand while doing yard work, and think "It's my non-calligraphy hand. I'll be OK."
hahaha - i think that all the time when i'm carrying a particularly heavy bag of shopping! ;D
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This is more with my paint brushes but has still happen with calligraphy pen:
--You dip you brush or pen in your coffee... And still drink it any way.
-- you buy things not for their content but what you can use container for, i hate salsa but they have perfect jars.
-- look around house for stuff you dont need that maybe tou could sell to buy more calligraphy stuff.
Just my experiences, but i would never trade it for anything.
Thanks for taking a look,
Noah
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You're sweeping your floor when you hear a metallic tinkling sound. You look closely and spot an old unused nib that you thought you had lost a while ago. It's like finding treasure! You drop your broom, leave the untidy pile of sweepings and go wandering off in search of your oblique holder, some ink and some paper.
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Your shoulder starts hurting, probably from bad posture at the computer. Being you, you instantly start fretting about whether it's an abnormal heart attack symptom or permanent crippling tendonitis, or whatever. And then you think, "Couldn't it at least have been my left shoulder that's crippled for life?"
(My shoulder was fine the next morning.)
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You know you're a calligrapher when:
1. When your kids and husband looks for you the entire long weekend they often find you in your favorite nook and cranny calligraphy area (often times they end up staying with me in my area hahaha)
2. When you can't get enough of every color of ink you can get your hands on
3. When you MUST and I say MUST buy those vintage nibs and try them on your favorite pads
4. When you become a paper critic
5. When you sleep and wake the next day ink is still on your fingers
Loved reading the post...I just browsed it now...You guys are all amazing!
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Oh these are all SO GREAT! I am having the best time reading these!
You know you're a calligrapher when:
- You get up at the crack of dawn to line up with 100 people at estate sales looking for vintage pens and nibs. That big sealed box of Principality/Spencerian No.1/604EF/etc. has GOT to be hidden in an underwear drawer somewhere!!!
Omg yes, this. Except at this point the estate sales folks and antique dealers call me- sometimes usually before the public sale even begins (if you want to know how I set this up shoot me a pm).
There's always that faint glimmer of hope before they say "it says... Resterbrook? 314.. relief?"... Sigh (someday...). In the meantime going to rummage sales and flea markets has become a regular thing for me. It's gotten to the point where certain pickers will just shake their head at me to indicate they didn't find anything this week when I walk by.
- The nails/fingertips on your writing hand are permantly ink-stained, but you look at them and smile with pride.
I was told by a friend after both of us had a couple beers during the superbowl rthat I was looking more and more like a "cross between a hobo and coalminer" as things have progressed.
- You find the smell of Sumi ink intoxicating.
Really?!? Am I the only one who still hates this smell?
- You have your own secret formula while searching on eBay looking for vintage calligraphy items, hoping you're not bidding against your friends (but you know you really are!)
Now that you mention it I've probably driven prices up on you (and vice versa) if you regularly check things. Sorry!
- You take a chance on cheap eBay listings like, "sealed box of nibs" and frown when they arrive and none are very flexible.
Omg yes, so much this- though afmittedly I now have a drastically lowered "gamblin price" per nib due to those random mixed bags I get from a set of antique dealers- speaking of which, aren't those the best? I always feel like "ooooh man.... Cmon zanerian fine writer! Then I get nothing but various levels of rusted hunts and speedballs (my god speedballs... Could you like... Not?). Now that I think about it my relationship with those bags is soooo similar to my relationship with vegas.
- When you take your addressed envelopes to the post office, you secretly hope someone in the elevator/on the street/waiting in line will notice and exclaim "OMG that is beautiful! Did YOU do that?!"...But no one ever does. :'(
What?!? How? Your work on tumblr was one of the things that got me into pointed pens to begin with (so really it's sort your own doing that we may be driving prices up on each other via ebay). Hell, even my crappy work has me now known as "oh, you're the guy that writes stuff" at my post office. The only logical conclusion I can come up with is that postal folks at your place are either intimidated by your presence or have no taste.
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You know you're a calligrapher when:
--You teach music as a profession and seemingly every lesson turns into a calligraphy lesson when your students realize you can scribe.
--When you get yelled at by your partner when she expects snuggles when she goes to bed only to find that two hours have passed trying to perfect
a capital D in Copperplate.
--you carry a sharpie everywhere with you on the chance that you can write on bathroom walls or alleyways behind your favorite bar.
--almost getting in car accidents trying to analyze signs EVERYWHERE.
--you dream in calligraphy after a long day
--just about every loose paper in your house has flourishing exercises covering every inch of the paper, top & back.
--you boast that you could do better than the person who tried to hand letter anything on a business window.
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Hi @schin
Wonderful topic and i guess quite a trending one on this forum.
My insights on - You know you're a calligrapher when:
- You stop playing your favourite car game which you are addicted to especially 'Real Racing 3'.
- You wakeup at 5 in the morning just to check for feedback on 'Flourish Forum' site.
- You want to design all long body copy ads with pointed pen.
- You come home early before your wife does so that you can practise.
- Your 8 year old son come to you for literature revision and you start commenting on how the slant angle is not 55 degree, the letters and spacing
are inconsistent and tell him to start with Group one letters again :D
- You start teaching your infant 'i' 'u' 'w' 't' 'l' 'b' 'j' instead of a, b, c, d...
- You suddenly start sending hand written Birthday wishes to every one on your FB list.
- You bunk office saying you are sick.
- You stay late in office because your wife is home early.
- You miss your favourite TV show
- You ask for a set of nibs and walnut crystals on your birthday.
- You look at Concertina wire and wonder why your drills are not this consistent.
- You use an oblique pen to sign your documents.
- Your start writing love letters to your wife again after 12 years of marriage.
- You run to open the door thinking its a postman.
- You suddenly love filling in all manners of feedback and application forms.
- Your son takes you to a stationary store and instead you end up buying things.
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- You start teaching your infant 'i' 'u' 'w' 't' 'l' 'b' 'j' instead of a, b, c, d...
Too funny Ashok ;D
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... you open the mailbox and see some brochure from an exhibit at your city, think "wow, they used a nice paper! and look! the back is white!" and steal every brochure from your neighbors mailboxes.
... you go to the police office to renew your ID and when they ask you to sign it and lend you a pen you ask "is any of your pens flexible?"
... your postman knows you as "Alba Caρedo, the girl with the pretty writing and a lot of friends" and he says that to his wife when you encounter them at the street.
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- When you register your name on the guest book in a wedding reception, your name looks as good as the writing on the wedding invitation.
- The checks and post-its you write look like they came from the 1800's.
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- You start squaring the tops were ever you find them round.
- You buy a small mint box at airport just to throw the mint and keep your nibs.
- You break few fountain pen nibs flexing it thinking it were Gillotte 303.
- The wind gives angle to the rain drops. You know its 55 degree and starts writing with your fingers. (not to mention your wife thinks you need psychiatric counseling)
- Your GF borrows your phone to click a pic, but your phone memory is full with photos and videos of your calligraphy drills.
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- Your GF borrows your phone to click a pic, but your phone memory is full with photos and videos of your calligraphy drills.
You've got 100 pictures on your phone of the same letter or word, written in copperplate. To the 'muggles' viewing those pictures, they're all the same. They think you're crazy taking lots of pictures of the same thing. :)
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Haha. Thats so true @eric_son :D
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....you realise that, given a choice, you'd rather look at a piece of exquisite writing than the finest painting or sculpture.
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Hi @schin
- Your start writing love letters to your wife again after 12 years of marriage.
Hmmm...I wonder if I can talk my husband into learn calligraphy? ::)
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- When you don't wait for 'Annual Sale' to buy your stuff.
- You leave the Ink blot from the fountain pen in your shirt pocket as a signature of you been a calligrapher.
- You make perfect donuts with your car. Exactly like your circular drills on paper.
- You start taking note in written instead of your phone or iPad.
- You stop in the middle of 'Zebra' crossing wondering what's the 'X' height.
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You know your a Calligrapher when some one calls and all you have is a pointed nib and bottle ink to write with...
You have ink on your hands and pants
you look at various commercial lettering and can figure out the starting point and ending point.
you have a passion for inks.
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You know you're a calligrapher when:
You keep felt calligraphy pens in purse in case you have to sign an unexpected birthday card somewhere....and calligraph their name on the front with flourishes.
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. . .when you see a car that reminds you of a particular type of nib.
(Yes it's possible.)
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...when you make your domestic partner wait for you to sign your spencerian signature perfectly at the restaurant, bank, bar or wherever.
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... when you start seeing inept modern calligraphy absolutely everywhere, and get caught muttering under your breath.
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@Daniel Mastrofski I miss not having to sign for things! I miss those Visa machines.... and watching the counter staff struggling to make them work. Happy days! I don't seem to have to sign for anything anymore at least not on paper; these days I find myself having to sign my signature on screens - usually when taking delivery of a parcel - I do try really, really hard to make my signature look attractive on the screen and not look like a demented spider on a skating rink.
@AndyT We will fight them on the beaches.... etc, etc....
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...when you run a nib through the washer and dryer!
Just a normal day over here, haha.
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...at a restaurant that uses brown kraft paper to cover tables (crabs; pizza; etc.) and you take the crayons given to the children and letter, doodle, and flourish the name of the restaurant. Then, of course, you hope the wait staff or customers will notice it and OOH and AHH over it!
...because you've subscribed to YouTube "Calligraphy Masters", etc., and become engrossed in watching calligraphy demo videos every time you sit down at your computer, and because you are always checking the Flourish Forum posts...then your wife comes into the room and you quickly try to hide the screen so she doesn't think you are watching something you shouldn't, or so she doesn't say again: "Ya know...you gotta branch out!"
...you make an ordinary birthday card envelope special with hand lettering...then the recipient hardly notices it, or says: "Oh, it is so pretty and perfect I thought you used the computer!" AAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!
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... you write a quick joke-letter for a friend, with whatever materials you have, put it on a plain comercial white envelope made with very bad paper and at the post office conversation goes like that:
- Hi! I want to send this letter.
- oh my god!!! Congratulations! This is a wedding invite, right?
- ehhhmmm no... just a plain letter to a friend...
- really?? You always send letters like this one???
- of course not! This is the cheap&ugly version! I was in a hurry!
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... when you start seeing inept modern calligraphy absolutely everywhere, and get caught muttering under your breath.
ooh, @AndyT you nailed it!!
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When you go out the house not realising you have pens/pencils sticking out of you hair.
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...when you use hairspray on paper and artwork more than in your hair. ;)
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When you sit on a dining table for dinner.
- You sit with your left foot forward, you hands drop dead on the plate picking holding a fork. Your left hand around the plate which is at a angle and you start eating. :D
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you mumble flourishing technique explanations in English in your sleep
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...you re-write your house rent agreement on a stamped paper and discard the printed version from the lawyer :D
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You know you're a calligrapher and not merely a pen collector, when you realise that you are far more interested in what you can do with the pen and nib, than in the pen itself.
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...when you hear Shania Twain on the radio and you go
So you think you're C.P. Zaner...
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So you have the nibs but have you got the touch...
(Somebody stop me!)
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I love it! The inner geek has never been so strong in this thread as now!
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... when you use the back of your practise sheets in your printer ... and print train tickets, order confirmations, hotel reservations & receipts on them! (The train controller loved it!)
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You know you have great calligraphers around you (the other part of the world counts too!!) when your postman tells you he has a package for you, and then goes to your house to apologize because it was not really for you, but "it was written so pretty" that he just assumed without further reading who the recipient was.
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...you are trying to re-stitch the hole in the sleeve and ask a family member for a 'pin' and they hand you your dippen.
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Someon contacts you to "fix" an envelope that another calligrapher messed up.