I’ve always admired other people’s handwriting, especially since my own can get pretty terrible at times. I’ve often wished that my handwriting was a little prettier, especially when I’m rushing to write something down. But over the years I’ve learned that (for me) legible penmanship can only be achieved if I slow down, which isn’t usually the case when I’m putting on to paper.
Sloppy penmanship aside, I’ve always been fascinated with modern calligraphy and hand lettering. I love those beautifully addressed envelopes, with the barely legible addresses and fancy flourishes. I’ve tried my hand and hand lettering using various writing utensils around that I already have (pens, pencils, markers, brushpen set from my favorite Asian, etc.), and I’ve even spent hours watching online tutorials, but nothing ever stuck. Two things I’ve identified that stopped me from reaching my true potential: (1) lack of patience and (2) lack of practice – apparently this applies to most things in life.
So I was beyond excited when my friend asked me to join her for a beginner modern calligraphy class this past weekend. It’s so much easier to learn things in person than online! We took a beginner (Level 1) workshop with Angi from Angelique Ink at Share & Do Good in Long Beach… and she was awesome! Angi was such a helpful instructor, reminding us to go slow and helping us out whenever we were stuck or unsure of ourselves. She made us all feel at ease with trying a new skill, and she’s seriously so friendly.. an AWESOME INSTRUCTOR!
I walked away with a much better understanding of modern calligraphy and what I need to do to get better at it – namely practice and be patient. Good advice for life, right?
Think Tran 