My Hand Lettering Journey
Would you believe me if I told you I learnt modern calligraphy in my own home through watching lots of online videos and practising every day? Well, it's true! During the pandemic, I had lots of extra time that I could spend on myself, something that was almost impossible when working full-time as a primary school teacher. I think people may sometimes underestimate the work load of a school teacher and let me tell you, it is extortionate! Working from home was seriously a blessing for my mental well-being as I was almost at my breaking point. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved teaching, however, the excessive workload and meetings were crushing my creativity. Luckily, I came across calligraphy one day and I was hooked! After endless hours and days of practising, I started to believe that I could actually turn this hobby of mine into a small side hustle. Well, two years later and here we are! I finally had the courage to quit my job and pursue my dreams. I can say that I am definitely still at the beginning of this journey and hopefully it was worth the risk.
Now, let's move on to my hand lettering journey. I can earnestly say that I have probably tested out all the calligraphy pens that are out there, which had immense repercussions to my pocket. I know, it's terrible, but let me tell you why I chose to do this. In the back of my mind, I wanted to be able to create beautiful lettering using what ever tool or pen that was available and also be good at it. In the end, I absolutely loved the process of learning something new. Each and every pen have their own way on how to be used. From iPad lettering to brush and pointed pens, they all have a unique way of how to be held and how much pressure to put. By doing what I did, I can proudly say that you can give me any pen and I will be able to use them confidently to write with. I do also love stationary. Take me to any stationary shop and it's like Christmas shopping for me. The pen that I probably found the hardest to master was definitely the pointed pen, however, it was the most satisfying, which is the reason why I use it the most for my wedding place cards.
May 2020
June 2020
Let's take a look at some of my earlier work and how it has changed over time with practise and patience. You probably know the saying, 'Practise makes perfect', however, I prefer to say 'Practise makes progress'. When I look at my work previously, I always find little mistakes here and there and surely two years later, I will most likely find them again. So, rather than aiming for perfection, I aim for a little more progress each day.
Thinking back to the time when I wrote these, I honestly thought I was doing a great job and was so proud of what I produced. Looking at them now, I can't believe I thought I was good. I can spot so many mistakes, so many imperfections. However, like the quote itself, 'we are definitely all beginners in the beginning' and shouldn't be comparing our work with others who have been doing this for years and years. At the end of the day, the person you may be comparing your work with was also at the start of their journey, at the same position as us many years ago too. I definitely compared my work many times during the start and sometimes still do. It is probably the most soul destroying thing to do. My one and only recommendation is to not compare your work, don't let it put you down, instead, motivate yourself to learn and improve on your work. Practise, practise, practise! That is my mantra!