Here was my latest calligraphy job, creating name tags for a family dinner. Of course I had to fly 3,000 mile , carrying supplies, not having seen the tag itself.
My sister said red, so I packed up minimal supplies, hoping I had chosen correctly. I chose 2 small tubes of watercolor, hoping one hue would do the trick. The brighter red worked. The calligraphy pen had a 3.5 nib, another word for the point, which is a good size for small writing. I took a small cheap paintbrush to mix it. For a palette, I threw in a plastic yogurt top, knowing it would be left behind.
I like to write on a slant board. Better perspective on the letters, as well as easier on the neck. A couple of books under a Masonite and I was set.My preference is to write on a light box, with lines, to make sure I am accurate. Without those options, I was writing free form. Of course, 4o years of doing this, gives one a bit to fall back on.
The reality is, we can bring our skills to whatever life presents us, whether far or near.
My sister was happy; I observed some guests taking their name home with them; and I thought they turned out well myself.
Our creativity is always with us.
This is a close up of an 8 foot long wall hanging I created for a show. The title is Words. Since that is the art media I am using at this very moment while writing my blog, I naturally think about their impact.
Words have a lot of power , don't they? They can influence us to have certain feelings. If they are good words, or words of praise , than we feel very happy. If they are words of criticism or anger then we might feel upset or angry also .
When I look at this watercolor, I notice I am using lots of colors to bring in my desired impact to the audience. Certainly colors evoke reactions, or subtle mood alterations, don't they? Isn't red a color that jumps out, like the oranges and yellows? The greens, purples, and the blues are more subtle aren't they? Consider the contrast of which colors go next to each other. These are certain artistic choices we make when we we are looking at a blank page, a clean slate, the tabula rasa.With our color choices,we artists can have an effect on our audience. With our words, we can all have a lasting influence on each other.Whether verbal or written, our words can stay out there in time and space, or on a page, for a very long time.
Any thoughts on times your words had more impact than you expected?
