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05 March 2014

Handlettering

The past few months I've really wanted to expand the shop to one of my loves - handlettering! :)

I've loved handlettering since I can remember.  I know that sounds a little silly and overdramatic, but when I was 8, I asked for handlettering books as a birthday gift (what a strange kid huh?)!  I still have the collection of books in my office! haha. 

My Mom (a very artistic woman by nature - she paints beautifully in just about any medium and has taken painting classes for over 15 years) always told me lettering was my strength.  Through my childhood that didn't mean much.  Through college and law school, I thought it was just something I enjoyed doing more than anything else but never thought much else (in retrospect it was glaringly obvious, but you know how that goes).

Then when I started these shops and graphic design, the passion started creeping up again!  Since then, I've been doodling on just about every occasion I get (mainly snow days!).  I haven't had time to list any in the shop yet because it's the digitizing that I'm learning about (it is a MAJOR and STEEP learning curve!). 

In the mean time though, I wanted to chronicle some of the first steps. 

This one is ROUGH around the edges ....  I didn't do research, or sketch, or thumbnails.  I just sat on the couch with the fire going and off went the pen.  I realize it's HORRIBLE and SO rough but it was a true "a ha!" moment in my life. 


Then I did this one (still VERY rough around the edges and I'm trying to teach myself how to digitize these days) ... this one was much more involved.  I made a mood board (with colors, elements I want (like an arrow) etc).  This one alone has taken me a couple weeks because I didn't like my first draft (it was too simple) and during the day I do the shop and lately my little ones have had quite a few days off school (which means I work late hours to keep up with the shop!). 


That being said, with the free time I do have, my hope is to pursue this more!  I love the REALNESS of handlettering, the flexibility, and putting my creative mind to work! :)

Now if spring would just hurry up and get here so I can get inspiration from the sun instead of melting ice!

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