21 Day Challenge (shortened 100 Day)

 About a month ago, a shortened version of the 100 Day Project was announced:  The 21 Day Project. At the time, I thought I'd partake as I have PLENTY of unfinished projects. However, when it started (Sept. 17), I didn't know what to do (or rather, couldn't choose), so I "bailed".

However, on Day 4, I got the idea to do 21 Days of Pointed Brush Lettering, as I recently took Julie W's online class (have yet to finish!) AND I always need brushing up (pun! 😆) with this tool. (Plus, I own so many!!! I feel like giving up, but never do, as I don't know why. Probably b/c I do I so many!)

I also rarely use these, so that's what also prompted me to partake.

Anyway, here are Days 1-5 (playing catch-up):

First up: Almost all of my pointed brush pens! Lots of Pentel ones, as well as Bimoji and Wink of Stella (gold, blue, green), AND even some old metallic ones!

(*the copper metallic one w/tape on the cap -- 3rd from Right -- is one that I use daily for watercolors, as it dried up. I can still get a little life from the others.)

The 4 I used for Days 1-5:  

Bimoji, Wink of Stella (old/used up), New(ish) Pentel Dual metallic (black/red) and an old blue Pentel.

Bimoji (it's so dainty!) -- from my ABC's of Lettering Challenge earlier this year.

elongated practice alpha w/old Wink of Stella pen and walnut ink

(from July, when I started Julie's class)

from a few years ago (2021?) -- IG lettering prompt.

Blue Pentel brush pen (i love how it smudged)

Again, Bimoji. (from my 2022 100 Days of Redos!)

And the Pentel Dual Metallic pen. (new)

Orig. created this for another mini-folded book, but I think I'll turn it into an env. instead.

Stay tuned for that!  :)

Closer view.

Alternating uncial & gestural

Another from my Redos Challenge 2021: 100 Days of Redos 

(I should have titled, Inspo/Redos Challenge

Exemplar I saw on Pinterest (I believe it's Amity Parks? -- https://www.pinterest.com/pin/284993482656217988/ ) 

Decided to try it 3 diff. ways:  walnut ink with drop in gold, b&w and in color.

For the color one: I like most all of it, except for the tail of the X, and the Y (too big?)

B&W:  again, the X (on the right, tail) and my P is a bit crooked.

There are errors in each piece, but it was still fun to create. (I love the altered uncial, or whatever it's called -- "La Quadrata"?)

Art Center Class (Abstract Callig.)

Wednesday night, I took a class/workshop at our local Art Center. It was taught by Tome Hope, who I've been wanting to take from, but never had the chance. The class was Abstract Calligraphy, and I wasn't sure what to expect, but was thinking along the lines of gestural/expressive/abstract marks.

The class did not disappoint!

experimental piece using India ink and pointed pen on rice paper. As you can see when I first tried, the ink bled rather badly. So that's why I decided to try the dainty extended lettering. Loved how it turned out! (Tome did too. 😁)

We first started out with this project: taking small pieces of squares and using the least amount of cutting to make an alphabet. This was to get our minds thinking about the actual shapes of letters.

(Although fun and interesting, I'm not a fan of cutting and pasting, or rather, pasting. I need to find an easier way! Or maybe make it more mindful.)

*We were giving various strips of colorful paper, so I chose red at first, then black, as i ran out. So, i decided to start combining my scraps, and layering. I used some hole punched pieces (the black dot for the i and a red one for the o -- wish I had made it bigger though). Also used hole punched pieces on the D, M, V, X & Y. I love my Q, T and U (used a sliver strip of red).

Kinda fun, but I gotta admit, I was antsy to play with tools!

We then went on to play with balsa wood. She also handed out vellum sheets of paper so we could do layers. For this, you can see my balsa wood designs under my pp lettering ("Be kind to your mind.)

This is a sheet of balsa wood designs & letters, as well as some automatic pen.

Another sheet of balsa wood play; and an experiment with A's.

So much fun! Can't wait to keep playing with this new tool/technique!

Grid Alpha (Dancing Caps)

Another alphabet!

Did this July of 2020 for an IG alpha challenge.

Dancing Caps/Versals and grid rubbing 

Wish I had done more background colors, but I still like! (except the L -- would redo that....and the C)

Close-ups of some faves:

I always thought this looked a bit like a fish.

I really loved this when I first created.

Love the splatters.

Music Nib Alpha

In "honor" of 36 Days of type this year (completed end of April), I'm going to continue to share other alphas I've lettered over the past few years.

The samples below are from 2019.

This one was lettered in 2021.

I'm so glad there is now a 5 split nib automatic pen, as using my music nib was so challenging! The ink would not flow well, and it would be so frustrating. I still don't know how to correct that.

So, before I got the automatic pen, here is an alpha I did with the nib:

And below are extras (flipped letters):

And here are some other lettering samples.

from 2019

Another Keen on black (for a HLC on IG in 2019)

white india ink and pearlescent watercolors

Alpha Challenge 2020

In early 2020, I wanted to do my own daily lettering alpha challenge on IG. I got a little bit of a late start to it (Started on Jan. 9, finished on Feb. 4) and here is a collage of some of my fave letters (as I sometimes posted more than one creation):

Descriptions (in alpha order): 

Row 1:  A (RW); B (blackletter w/chisel nib); C (Crayola/ brush); D (3d letter/decorate cap); e (FP)

Row 2: f (music nib); G (uncial); h (bleach); i (italic w/split nib); J (RW & color pencil)

Row 3:  k (italic with marker); L (Dec. Cap); M (fp); foundational n (w/split nib & color pencil)

Row 4:  O (rw); P (brush markers, metallic); Q (watercolor); italic r; S (fp)

Row 5:  t (scratch art w/music nib); U (fp); V (fp w/dual inks); W (brush w/bleach, astrobrights paper); X watercolor)

Row 6: Y w/music nib; Z (RW)

Julie W. class (Fun & Funky letters)

Ever since Zoom classes started online in 2020, i've been wanting to take some (esp. from Julie W!), but would always talk myself out of it. I really don't need anymore classes, or project ideas, as I have plenty to do to fill my time. 

But then, this past year, there were a few I decided to try and take, just for fun, and for a sense of connection to the lettering community (in addition to IG). However, my schedule didn't work with the times offered.

I finally decided to sign up for some recorded ones (as a little Cmas present to myself!) and am so glad I did! Even though I already know a lot of the techniques, etc., it's been fun making projects through the guidance of Julie.

Here are some samples so far (I have 1/2 hour left of this class, and more ideas to share).

Thicks & thins, alternating letters. Pilot Parallel slant

one tool, one letter, 10 diff. ways

(added other letters, trying to emulate Julie's work.

one letter, 2 tools, 10 diff. ways

Used my 6mm Pilot and b nib (size 3?)

Use a tool in non-conventional way:

3.8 mm Pilot, on its end

and with script lettering.

I'm having so much fun! Can't wait to show my other creations.

 

Semi "Block" alpha

 Saw a similar alphabet to this on Pinterest and tried to emulate:

here is the link (someone posted from instagram) -- I made some alterations:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/284993482656350441/

Also, I like to give credit when I can, to something I'm trying to replicate, and I hope I do that well on here! (sometimes I think I may have come up with an original idea, only to see it online later!) 

Who knows if what I'm giving credit to is the original or not, as the person who posted might have copied something as well. Although it's fun to try things I see (also in order to better my lettering), it's not cool to pass off as one's own.

Mixing colors (again!)

Playing with my new slant tip PP & Vanness ink.

funky alpha

Walnut ink too

Name of ink (dusk in bloom -- light blue)

One of their songs came on while lettering (and I didn't know what to letter).

 

another exemplar

Cannot remember which fp I used (I need to start making notes!)

Walnut ink w/drop in colors.

Parallel Pen Play (slant tip)

Bought a new slant tip PP recently, as I wanted one that I could use whenever, with whatever ink. I've also been having fun mixing inks! So here is just an abstract alpha using this tool.

 

Radius cut Parallel Pen

I'd been wanting one of these ever since seeing it at JNB, and now P&I carries them!

I must say though that I love my slant nib a lot more.

At first it was so "weird" to use, and I don't know why (I kind want to get a bigger size, just to compare), but, as you can see below (last pic!), it's growing on me!

Demo vid: