Author Topic: How to Design Calligraphy Monograms  (Read 29777 times)

Offline Erica McPhee

  • Administrator
  • Super Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7201
  • Karma: 332
  • Be brave. Love life!
    • View Profile
How to Design Calligraphy Monograms
« on: March 01, 2014, 05:20:34 PM »
I am so excited to present this tutorial. As I said on the blog, designing a special monogram for a new bride and groom is such a thrill. You are creating the first symbol of unity which will hopefully become a treasured heirloom identifying their togetherness. It is so symbolic and such an honor to create.

It's also fun to create a unique monogram for a special friend and easy to then print note cards as a gift. I have done this for teachers, parents' friends, and mail carriers and it is always well received.

As always if you have any questions, please let me know. If you create a monogram, we would love to see it!
« Last Edit: August 11, 2015, 10:51:48 PM by Erica McPhee »
Warm Regards,
Erica
Lettering & Design Artist
Flourish Forum Shop
Instagram

Offline Sherry Lu

  • Junior Member
  • **
  • Posts: 88
  • Karma: 3
    • View Profile
    • Sherry Lu Photography
Re: How to Design Calligraphy Monograms
« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2014, 01:40:17 AM »
Oooh, this is awesome! :) Haha, I don't have a middle name, and I find my initials (SL) to be super difficult to work with. I wanted an A, H, or M in my initials ;D (Those letters seem way more fun).

Offline Erica McPhee

  • Administrator
  • Super Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7201
  • Karma: 332
  • Be brave. Love life!
    • View Profile
Re: How to Design Calligraphy Monograms
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2014, 09:03:48 AM »
Thanks Sherry! Well, there's always the name change possibility - or you could make up a middle name. HAHA!  :) I have to say I was pretty happy when my last name changed from C to M!
Warm Regards,
Erica
Lettering & Design Artist
Flourish Forum Shop
Instagram

Offline Erica McPhee

  • Administrator
  • Super Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7201
  • Karma: 332
  • Be brave. Love life!
    • View Profile
Re: How to Design Calligraphy Monograms
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2014, 09:13:10 AM »
I hope you all enjoy this introduction. For those of you truly interested in designing monograms, Kathy Milici is teaching monogram design at IAMPETH this year! I haven't seen the catalog description yet but I would take ANY class by Kathy and if you really want to learn monograms - I'm sure this will be *the* class to take. Kathy is one of my very favorite calligraphers and is AMAZING!

Visit the conference site to find out more: IAMPETH Conference. The workshop descriptions aren't posted yet but keep a watch. IAMPETH is August 4-9th in Indianapolis.
Warm Regards,
Erica
Lettering & Design Artist
Flourish Forum Shop
Instagram

Offline Mljohnson805

  • Freshman Member
  • *
  • Posts: 19
  • Karma: 4
    • View Profile
    • Johnson Design Offering Fine Hand Lettering, Illustration and Graphic Design
Re: How to Design Calligraphy Monograms
« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2014, 12:14:09 PM »
Erica,
Thanks for the ideas and tips. Nothing else comes close to a hand lettered pointed pen monogram.

I start with pencil sketches of each letter on strips of tracing paper. Letter 5 or 6 versions of each letter on a strip, then letter next one on second and/or third strip.

With pointed pen, trace over each one to establish thicks and thins. Then overlap the strips, moving and twisting until something interesting develops.

At some point, many of us may decide to change names. J's are so boring.

Would love to take the class at Iampeth. Good reminder.

Mary Lou
Mary Lou Johnson

Offline joi

  • Super Hero Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1193
  • Karma: 82
    • View Profile
    • www.bienfaitcalligraphy.com
Re: How to Design Calligraphy Monograms
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2014, 01:46:42 PM »
awesome!  thank you!
love the M & W interlocking!

Offline Lori M

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 519
  • Karma: 20
  • Calligraphy will prevail!
    • View Profile
Re: How to Design Calligraphy Monograms
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2014, 01:41:45 AM »
This is great -- love the idea of stacking the initials on a light box and moving them around!

Offline Lynda

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 115
  • Karma: 10
    • View Profile
Re: How to Design Calligraphy Monograms
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2014, 07:13:06 AM »
Thank You Erica!

You mentioned making note cards.  Do you use an on line printer that you can recommend, or do you use your local printer?

Thanks ~ Lynda

Offline Erica McPhee

  • Administrator
  • Super Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7201
  • Karma: 332
  • Be brave. Love life!
    • View Profile
Re: How to Design Calligraphy Monograms
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2014, 12:06:33 PM »
Thanks ladies!

Hi Lynda, I either print them myself or print them via WHCC. This is the photo lab I use but they also do press printed greeting cards. I like their watercolor paper and the printing is outstanding quality. Reasonable in cost, too.
Warm Regards,
Erica
Lettering & Design Artist
Flourish Forum Shop
Instagram

Offline Erica McPhee

  • Administrator
  • Super Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7201
  • Karma: 332
  • Be brave. Love life!
    • View Profile
Re: How to Design Calligraphy Monograms
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2014, 12:16:22 PM »
Mary Lou, those are great tips. Thank you for sharing with us!  :D
Warm Regards,
Erica
Lettering & Design Artist
Flourish Forum Shop
Instagram

Offline Roseann

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 942
  • Karma: 28
    • View Profile
Re: How to Design Calligraphy Monograms
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2014, 12:17:25 PM »
These are all so lovely.
I especially like the capital M in Monogram!
Roseann

“The world is so full of a number of things, I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings.”   R. L. Stevenson

Offline Belle Vie

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 1
  • Karma: 0
    • View Profile
Re: How to Design Calligraphy Monograms
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2014, 05:33:46 PM »
Hi Erica, I love the E and A monogram!  Can you tell me the font that you used for that monogram and "symmetrical" on the same page?  Thank you!


Offline Erica McPhee

  • Administrator
  • Super Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7201
  • Karma: 332
  • Be brave. Love life!
    • View Profile
Re: How to Design Calligraphy Monograms
« Reply #12 on: March 03, 2014, 09:48:18 PM »
Hi Belle Vie,
Thank you! Actually those are both my own hand calligraphy.  :D
Warm Regards,
Erica
Lettering & Design Artist
Flourish Forum Shop
Instagram

Offline ErikH

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 117
  • Karma: 14
    • View Profile
    • All my web stuff
Re: How to Design Calligraphy Monograms
« Reply #13 on: March 06, 2014, 05:35:54 AM »
Thank you! I had been wondering about this... :)

Now to get some spare time on a sunny day, so I can (ab)use my window as a lightbox...  ;D

Offline Estefa

  • Super Hero Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1523
  • Karma: 124
    • View Profile
    • Federflug
Re: How to Design Calligraphy Monograms
« Reply #14 on: March 06, 2014, 05:42:59 AM »
As Mary Lou Johnson said, such work can be easily done without a light table. I have one, but nearly always prefer to do sketches for layouts – be them illustrations or lettering – on tracing paper with pencil. You can buy this really thin, really cheap tracing paper on a roll on Amazon for example.

For the actual ink lettering of course I use better paper ;)! And sometimes a light table, but often I do a freehand pencil sketch which I use then as a reference for the ink script.
Stefanie :: Website :: Blog :: Instagram