Mastering the Art of Calligraphy and Lettering: Hand Lettering Monograms on Porcelain Cereal Bowls in Toronto

How Do You Monogram 235 Porcelain Bowls?

When I first received this email from Lauren of Melissa Baum Events, there is a barrage of questions that run through my mind. The truth is I can letter on anything but the more important questions is, how long will each one take, how permanent do you want the artwork to be (a week before I would be lettering on plates as well where the lettering must be removable) and if it is permanent, is it food safe?

How long each one will take really depends on how intricate the design of the monogram is, for this commission the was two intersecting capital letters of E and B in a serifed style, and so I was able to calculate the lead time required to execute 200+ pcs!

Onto the next question, how permanent do they want the lettering to be? In my mind, I naturally gravitate towards two options: engraving the calligraphy into the surface and filling with gilding, or using a permanent oil pen. Engraving would have a longer lasting quality as it is etched into the surface, however an oil pen would be a faster and easier way to complete the commission and would be permanent to an extent. So I asked one last question that led me to realize BOTH options were not ideal: What will the bowl be used for? To which the answer was… cereal bowls!

Ok, how creative and cute is that? I am assuming is a take home gift for all the guests, a monogrammed bowl with a mini box of cereal maybe? So both options of engraving or oil pen are not ideal as the guests would need to eat out of and wash the bowls. My initial thoughts of maybe they would be a vessel for a candle, or a decorative piece of sorts was inaccurate so I had to come up with a solution and the tool used would be a Pebeo porcelain pen!

This porcelain pen was great because it was fine enough to let me draw crisp lines and small details, it dried in about 10 minutes and after 24 hours if you bake in the oven, the lettering becomes permanent, hot, steamy dishwasher permanent! I tested it myself and it is the best pen I have used for ceramic hand down. Now I am obsessed. What other porcelain things can I letter?

It took me about 20 hours to monogram 235 bowls but this did not include the baking, packing and unpacking time! This is why studio set up fees are important to small studios, there is so much more than just the lettering that happens for every commission.

Celebration of a DECADE of Lettering & Calligraphy...

Love Lettering Turned 10 This Year!

What a huge moment this is for my little studio and I could not think of a better way to celebrate than with a photoshoot with the first photographer that shot my studio all those years ago Janet of Janet Kwan Photography! The world through Janet’s lens is like no other and after working with her on so many projects, it only makes sense she captures this milestone as well.

Pinch Me Moments…

I have had so many wonderful and memorable highs when it comes to my lettering and calligraphy and sometimes I cannot believe that my love of letters has given me so much in life. To be honest I used to think I was a little odd with my fascination with type/fonts/calligraphy and lettering but I think that my little obsession really gave me a vision of what the potential of lettering could be; it lead me to starting a business, writing a book, creating an on-line course, my first solo art exhibit Bottled Feelings, engraving for brands such as BMW, month long activation personalizing bottles of Moët & Chandon champagne in Holt Renfrew, VIP gifting with MIU MIU and Burberry, marketing campaigns with Sephora and even some wedding pieces for the “greatest hockey player of all time” quoted by my husband.

Full of Gratitude…

I am thankful to have had these ten years to cultivate my skill and love of this art. Thankful to have watched my daughter grow from my little dolly, scurrying around my feet at 3 years old to a young lady about to enter high school next year. Thankful to the wonderful network of people, wedding planners, small business owners and clients that have trusted me with their big day, the signage for their space/businesses and most special moments. I am also thankful to the lettering and calligraphy community for the warmth and support they have provided on my journey as an artist and small business owner. Every single person I have worked with has lead me here and I am so thankful to you!

What’s Next For Me…

My goals moving forward is still the same as when I started, to be creative with my ideas, to show traditional calligraphy in a modern and fresh ways, to appreciate the fine art of hand drawn type, calligraphy and lettering, forsaking all types of machinery/vinyls/printers when possible. In a world where we seek the same as a means to perfection, I find the beauty of the human touch and it’s slight imperfections charming. See you at the next milestone!

Special Thank You’s…

To my special circle of people who made this photo shoot come true: Justin of House of Tytan, my stylist and glam, I never look better than when you work your magic. My makeup by another fabulous Janet of Ford Beauty who dolled me up for the night of my book launch as well, and my sweetest friends Annie, Heidi and Toni, my ultimate hype girls, you are the best.

Why Do I Torture Myself and Design Products?

It’s been a long time since I have written my thoughts down in this space, honestly for two years there was not much to write about staring out the window and being confined. However, in this moment, May 2022, it feels hopeful for normalcy to return, so I try to get back to normal things, like contributing to this blog!

Product Design Is Hard …

Over these 8 years along with my hand lettered commissions, writing a book, creating an art exhibit and soon launching an online course, through it all I have always had an online shop and designed things to fill that shop. Let me tell you by far, the time and dedication of product design is the hardest job of them all.

From conception, to prototypes, to packaging, photographing, marketing, and listing, blasting it on all channels of social media and sometimes dumping a big chunk of investment into the product that I have no idea if it will even sell. In an artists mind like mine, everything seems awesome and a good idea. But let me tell you, I have had flops for sure, and stock that doesn’t move and it’s depressing to throw it out, and depressing to keep it. And yet, year after year I continue to semi-torture myself by designing new stationery and tools and you really have to wonder why….?

The Reason Why I Design…

Like everything else in my life, it’s a calling. My world of lettering began with paper, passing notes in class, these secret treasures between friends that became real letter writing as I grew older, decorating the outside of the envelopes to bring delight to the recipient. Now days I design for two reasons:
1. I feel like there is a void in the market, I design things I want and need.
2. I think I am witty and my head/ego needs to show off how crazy it is with it’s designs and lettering, essentially it needs to release it’s creativity.

Above are examples of things I wanted but could not find. Line Template , a quick and easy way to draw lines without measuring! I was lettering a lot of place cards and envelopes that year and figure it was easier to just plop it down and draw guidelines immediately that could be erased after. I also created the template in this plaque shape so I could use it to create a pretty decorative box too without hassle! Wearable Words were designed because I wanted to add a bit of shine to accessorize my bag, coat and pencil case. There were tons of cute enamel pins, but I wanted to create something that described the individual wearing it and words always do that perfectly. The Type Reference Rulers were designed to fill a void of two things, 1. a handy tool that has unique fonts/typefaces on them for reference and the obvious ruler functions; 2. a pretty item to add to stationery flat lay photos! I love pairing this design on a wood ruler, because wood feels vintage, and I love that feel of mixing modern and vintage. Lastly Posecards the one and only photo prop greetings / stylized photo props that have their own website! When my sister got married I really didn’t want her to have those clown wigs and glasses and dollar store items so I took matters into my own hands and designed a whole set of stylized props just for them. That purpose has led to a whole other company that focuses solely on the big and small moments we all take photos.

These items above are the latter… designed purely for joy and love of lettering and stationery. As a hand letterer and calligrapher, the surface of what we letter on is important. Sure a white tented card does the trick, but it really has no personality or tells no story. You can use the word “classic” but for me the place card is a moment to tell a story, a tiny detail that adds magic to your event. That is why I designed this Museum Collection of love notes that can be doubled as place cards or gift tags as well. Even a simply wrapped gift can be elevated with a beautiful card and meticulous lettering. My greeting cards and mailers just bring the child out of me again. Although I work in a super fancy industry, I cannot ignore my core child artist who simply loved writing cards and letters. All these parts are a part of me as an artist, so I continue to put myself out into the world, even if it’s such hard work and torturous at times. This is part of what being an artist is. Hard work and being true to your calling. Until next time friends! Hopefully not too long!

Happy New Year...2021 We Welcome You!

Luxury Letterpress Lunar/Chinese New Year Postcards 2021 Year of the Ox.

There has not been a year in my 41 years of life that I wanted to end more than 2020. It was an unprecedented time for so many and with it came so many changes. My business which was made up of the wedding/event industry was heavily disrupted by Covid, and my in person shows were all cancelled due to Covid as well.

I had a number of months to think about what it was I was going to do next if the following couple of years were to stay this way, would my business survive or sink? This I KNEW solely depended on the decisions I made for my studio now. And in that moment I had to recognize and prepare for what is ahead.

My love of lettering actually began in stationery and sending good old fashion snail mail. With technology on the rise and rise throughout the years, it may seem that good old fashion mail would eventually become obsolete, however I feel now more than ever, people TRULY appreciate a had written note more than ever.
Opening a letter feels like a little gift in itself so beautiful mail is that much more luxurious.

With the extra time in my studio, I decided to focus on my love of stationery, designing tools I love and creating beautiful paper goods with my love of lettering and illustration.

My first letterpress project is for Lunar/Chinese New Year 2021! This year is the year of the Ox, and I have taken my love of the traditional Chinese paper cut style for my illustration and paired it with the artistry of letterpress to create these gorgeous postcards. Knowing that our traditional festive gatherings won’t be happening anytime soon, I wanted to create something festive and luxurious to send to family and friends near and far. Wonderful addition to gifts and fruit baskets as well.

Whatever life throws my way, know that I will take it in stride and continue to use my art and love of lettering to make the world a more beautiful place. Can’t wait to show you more!

Find these postcards and calendars in my shop!

Covid Confessions - Lettering Exhibit #2 in the Making...

During the lockdown I found new ways of coping and spending my time. With the world at a standstill, weddings cancelled/postponed, workshops/gatherings forbidden, I was suddenly shocked into a slight panic of what am I going to do? Although most of my new habits have been positive, learning new techniques on my iPad Pro and Procreate, implementing 30 minutes a day to exercise min 5 days a week, which I have kept up for over 5 months now (pat on my shoulder), cooking so many meals including a family fave, fully loaded Fries Supreme my way, there is a confession I must admit:

I eventually enjoyed the lockdown. Although Love Lettering took a huge hit financially with wedding season getting cancelled, this year I actually had a summer and I haven’t had that in over 5 years. There were days I didn’t do a single thing work related and I didn’t feel guilty about it. I even watched a K-drama (Crash Landing on You on Netflix HIGHLY recommend) which was the first in my lifetime. For once in over 5 years I allowed myself to enjoy the summer, and it took a pandemic to get me there.

I know I am not the only one with confessions from Covid, that is why I am putting an anonymous call for your Covid Confessions, tell me the secret things that brought you joy or madness, the new and naughty routines behind closed doors, the way you escaped from your bubbles momentarily to feel a bit normal. Since Bottled Feelings I knew I would create a second exhibit and showcasing lettering in an art/gallery form will be something I will continue to pursue.

For this exhibit, I will be lettering the confessions on vintage windows of all different shapes and sizes to signify us behind those windows. Similarly to Bottled Feelings, I am looking for a one sentence confession, and then a backstory about that one sentence. This exhibit will also be interactive, but that will be revealed in time. With no end in sight for Covid, I will be building this exhibit piece by piece, window by window until we can gather again. In the meantime tell me YOUR confession, it may become a part of a lettering/art exhibit that marks this historical moment in our lives.

Thank you for being a part of my creative journey once again and I hope I can bring this exhibit to life like Bottled Feelings! Stay well, stay healthy, and stay safe!

We Are Making HISTORY Together...

Self-Isolation 3 Weeks and Counting…

2020 started off so amazing, along with the preparation for my first art exhibit Bottled Feelings, I also started some commissions with some dream clients, HGTV, and Sephora Canada. February 2020 will always be a glorious moment in time where I was able to take my lettering beyond paper, into a physical place, a gallery, and my lettering created conversations between people and helped others unburden their feelings. Its hard to believe a month later we would all be confined to our homes, and as it seems for now, for an unknown amount of time.

Let’s Look At The Big Picture…

This is a world wide pandemic, this moment in our lives will go down in history and will change healthcare, travelling, border security, how we interact as a society and teach us all what is important. You may be finding it difficult to stay inside, let me guess, you’re bored? Think about all the doctors/nurses/healthcare workers that are working overtime to take care of those who have contracted the virus, think of the patients themselves who are in self isolation in the hospitals, often dying alone as family can’t visit at all, think of the employees in the grocery stores, who thankfully have work, but dealing with crowds of panic pandemic shoppers, I am sure they would trade places with us, who have to stay home but still have the luxury of our own homes and our amenities like Netflix, internet, and for me paper/pen and my iPad Pro.

Will This Lettering Studio Survive? Good Question…

I am thankful for so many things…

1. All of my family members are safe and healthy and taking this self-isolation period seriously.

2. Because I always wanted to be at Melody’s beck and call, I never pursued a studio outside of my home, and this has been a blessing in disguise. My heart really goes out to all the small business who still have to pay rent on top of regular life expenses during this period of economic distress. For me its really easy to scale back, and the burden is lighter as I have always worked from home. Throughout the years its always been on my To-Do list to find a studio space, but in this moment, I am thankful it didn’t happen.

3. Time…with this extra time i’ve been gifted, I have started exercising, not having any further excuses of having “no time”. I realize that excercise is yet another discipline that I am NOT good at and lack of time and work has always been my excuse… with NO work, and an abundance of time, I cannot find a better moment to become disciplined in this area of my life. Let’s see how that works out…

4. Creativity. I thank my lucky stars that I was gifted this need to create. I heard this quote that I say often: “Only boring people get bored” doesn’t this make so much sense? My mind and imagination has no limits, its adventurous, its full of ideas and things to letter/draw/make but sometimes you need a WHY…. why are we making? Who is it for? For me I always need a purpose beyond just the making. My current creative journey is my #selfisolettering challenge. It’s a series of 26 letters to document my life during this historical moment in time, a creative diary. When I look back, I will know what I spent my time on… will you? Here is the first 2 letters in the series, follow along on my Instagram to see more…

   Feel free to use and share these badges of self-isolation, just tag me and then I know we are all in this together and doing the same thing =)

A is for Art, without it for sure life would be miserable…

B is for Books, self isolation has given me time to read again…

We Will Survive….

I hope that Love Lettering can continue to thrive after this pandemic, I grew this little studio from the ground up with nothing… my belief and heart tells me that if I continue to create and show my best work and who I am as an artist and human, things should fall into place. The only predictions that are palpable are the ones we create for ourselves.

In the meantime, stay well, stay safe and stay home!

In Review: Bottled Feelings #bottledfeelingsyyz

Thank you to the lovely Charms of Two Lilies Photography for capturing the final minutes of my first art exhibit Bottled Feelings.

There were a lot of questions, comments and feedback for my first exhibit and I want to share and summarize it with you all and also provide some interesting facts about the show, and also reveal the “Most Relatable Bottled Feeling”.

FACTS:
55 Bottles
21 Day Exhibit
249 Ballots for Most Relatable Bottled Feeling

FAQs:

What am I going to do with all the bottles after?

This was the top question I received when chatting with all the visitors to the exhibit and in my heart I always had secret plans and scenarios that would be a dream come true.

First is for Bottled Feelings to exhibit in multiple cities. I would love to bring the exhibit to MTL, YVR, NYC, JPN, LAX and wherever the wind takes it. I purposely gave the show the hashtag #bottledfeelingsyyz in hopes that if it visits other locations it would have the corresponding hashtag with airport code, they say you can wish for it, I, like to plan for it!

Secondly, if the exhibit doesn’t travel, I would like them to be purchased as a set, 55 bottles total and all the stories behind the feelings, and placed on display somewhere in Toronto. Pipe dreams would be a hospital, or perhaps the HQ of Bell Media Let’s Talk as this exhibit translates with mental wellness and talking about our feelings.

---

How long did it take me to letter all the bottles?

This question was asked quite often too and the answer may surprise you… 10 days.

I know this sounds crazy and I gave my curator/planner Annie a mini heart attack when the first day of installation came around and I still had 6 bottles to letter. To be honest with you, lettering 55 bottles was the easy part of the whole exhibit. I have 25+ years of in depth study and fascination with typefaces and fonts, countless hours of hand lettering practise, and a OCADU design background that allows me to play with surfaces and composition like a amusement park. The opportunity of using so many different types of fonts and designing each one really gave me a surge of creativity and release as I have yearned to letter in more than just script/calligraphy styles lately.

Working in the wedding industry, certain styles are required and gothic fonts/ bubble letters are never usually a couples go to typefaces, so this exhibit really gave me a chance to flex my lettering muscles. But the moment I started, I hungrily plowed through the bottles and saw the exhibit come to life finally.

The entire exhibit and planning was a different story! As you may know the concept, the seed that started the whole exhibit started in July 2019, when I turned 40, and the vision debuted Feb 6, 2020 so it took 6 months from conception to fruition, but the lettering on the bottles… 10 days.

---

How did you choose the 55 feelings? Why are the Bottled Feelings so depressing? Can you display more on the positive side?

Often I was asked this question, and I wish I had more positive feelings to display, however I cannot possibly dictate what others want to share. I guess when one hears “Bottled Feelings” its usually not happy thoughts/feelings. I hope one day I can create a hand lettering exhibit/concept where the focus on the happiest or best moments of ones life, I am sure it will present itself just as this exhibit did. I got many more feelings and I really wished I could have lettered them all, however in my gallery contract, I was only allowed to hang/display 55 items. It was really difficult to read and sort through all of the submissions, in the end I hope I chose the best ones that are most relatable to everyone, but even then, who says I know whats most relatable? I always proceed with best heart and mind I can and with that in mind, I usually have no regrets.

---

How did I choose the lettering for each bottled feeling?

Since childhood I always felt like different typefaces tell different stories, so when lettering each feeling, the composition was imperative, but then the font/typeface was also really important for me too. Can lettering feel like a whisper? Can a typeface portray sadness? Certain words give me a strong visual, and that is when it’s easy. When a feeling didn’t give me strong visual vibes, that was when I had to dig deep into my lettering references and composition ideas to create a unique bottle.

---

And the TOP 3 MOST RELATABLE bottles are…

3. The feeling of failure holds me back from a lot of things.
Story:
The feeling of failure holds me back from a lot of things: relationships, parenthood, career.
I try hard daily to remind myself that failure can be a great learning tool, but I still can’t take my own advice and this creates conflict with everyone in my daily life. That is failure and I carry that with me every day.

2. I am an open book…if you ask the right questions.
Story:
A message from a so called introvert.

DRUMROLL please……

1. I know I’m meant to do more.
Story:
There is a quiet calling that continues to urge me to do more with my life, at times I do not know what the more is. It creates a huge pressure to accomplish and be productive and I do not know what will satisfy this calling or perhaps it’s a life sentence.

My thoughts on the results…
I am so very surprised that the most relatable bottled feeling was indeed my own. I figured since that was the bottled feeling that was the catalyst for the whole exhibit, I didn’t think that it would become THE most relatable one. These results allowed me to accept that I am indeed NOT alone with my feeling of needing and wanting to do more.

Second place gave me a huge insight into the mind of an introvert, and it couldn't have just been me as so many related to this feeling as well. This message and story was so simple, yet so many related to it that I find truly fascinating and gave me a deeper perspective when meeting new people. Have an open mind, be inquisitive, and ask the right questions!

Third place was no surprise to me at all as failure truly paralyzes us, but I honestly feel most people don’t know what they are fearful of. Once upon a time I was also fearful of putting my ideas out there, fearful of what others thought of me, fearful of failing in the eyes of so many, family, friends, peers, but one day I just realized that really…. NOBODY cares about what I do really, and the only people I need to impress or worry about is truly Melody, and my husband.

Now I know what your thinking, I MUST care about what others think when I create pieces for them or the exhibit, and I always create in the hopes that others will love it, but I know that its impossible for every single person to love all my work, and if they don’t love it, why should I let it bother me? It’s always my perspective of “Who are they to me and to the exhibit?” As long as I have the best and most creative intentions when creating, and stay authentic to my vision, then I will truly have no regrets when it comes to what I put into the world.

---

If you missed the show…

I hope that one day it will exhibit in another place, are you listening universe? In the meantime if you need some inspiration to remind you that you are Meant to do More, there are some limited edition prints, journals and pins from our inaugural exhibit in our SHOP!

Bottled Feelings - Media Preview & VIP Opening Night

Pinch Me…

At 5pm on February 6th, 2020, at the Urban Gallery, I opened the doors to Bottled Feelings The Exhibition and I became a gallery artist.

It’s a title that I never knew that I wanted, it was totally unplanned until last year when I felt like I needed to do more with my love of lettering. It was then I created a Kickstarter that was successfully funded and today, this month, my vision of a show dedicated to the beauty of hand lettering and the unburdening of bottled feelings came into existence and became a reality.

The Exhibit…

With over 50 hand lettered bottles of regrets, secrets, fear and failure, its hard not to relate to some of the messages that were submitted anonymously. So many of the feelings have stories behind their feelings and they are discovered by scanning a QR code or reading a booklet available on site.

The Crowd…

I am so thankful to each and every person that showed up that Thursday evening, even with the snowy roads 85+ people showed up when there was an excuse not to!

It was a true mix of family, friends, and industry friends that come from weddings, the handmade artisans and my amazing lettering enthusiasts and companions. It felt overwhelming sharing something I have been working on for months with others and I hope that they enjoyed and discovered something about themselves. So many said that they related to many of the Bottled Feelings on display and others mentioned it started meaningful and insightful conversations between each other.

Thankful…

I really dropped the ball that evening on ONE thing, and I think I will have regrets about it forever. I was supposed to give a speech that night, but because my daughter Melody arrived late that night, some of the people I wanted to thank had left already, and with the noise and disarray, I told myself “forget it”. Until now its still a frog in my throat of unsaid gratefulness that I will try to unburden here:

First and foremost I would like to thank Annie of Madison & Ella, the curator/planner of my exhibit, our initial meeting after I reached the Kickstarter goal, we hugged and jumped around in circles to our children delight, and started planning the second biggest moment of my career, the first, was the book launch party, which she also handled. They say that the heart is located in the chest between the lungs behind the sternum and above the diaphragm, but let me tell you Annie is 100% heart, from the top of her head to tips of her fingers. She gives it her all every time and you will never know how it feels to KNOW that everything will be thought of and handled with the utmost care. Annie, I thank you.

Second, Urban Gallery owners & curator, Calvin Hambrook, Wayne Abell, and Allen Shugar, I cannot thank them enough for guiding me through these unfamiliar waters of becoming a gallery artist. From day one your enthusiasm, kindness and stories have created a magical first experience for me and I will forever be grateful. Your patience, knowledge and advice was immeasurable when putting this exhibit together, so thank you.

Thirdly, my amazing friends that MADE the exhibit come to life, two KEY people, first, my graphics & vinyl provider, long time high school friend Jackie Chan of Modo Design Inc., who spent hours installing decals and lettering onto the walls of the Urban Gallery. My vision could not have been brought to life without his skill and handiwork and generosity with his materials and time. To me he is the greatest Jackie Chan that ever existed, thank you! And then we have Rabina Kumar of NextGen Displays with her amazing acrylic plinths, card boxes and laser cut plaque. Her creativity with her medium, acrylic is unmatched and her work ethics, willingness to help, and generosity will take her to high, high, places, this I am sure. Thank you Rabina!

Lastly my family, especially my husband Tan and daughter Melody. I am not quite sure how I got so fortunate to have such a supportive spouse and patient daughter. They allow my creativity to take over the entire house, leaving a trail of pens and scribbles, piles of dirty dishes and unfolded laundry and they love me just the same. I was focused so hard on something I was building that I didn’t realize that other things were crumbling around me, i’m thankful that I have a partner that is sweeps up the mess behind me, that is true unwavering love. To my daughter Melody who supported my exhibit through a donation via the Tooth Fairy, it brings tears to my eyes that you wanted so badly to support Bottled Feelings you used an imaginary character to do so. I hope I made you and the Tooth Fairy proud and I love you.

Bottled Feelings In the Media:

I have some video, photographs and audio to promote the exhibit below, I hope they give a good insight into the exhibit and me as the artist. Thank you for all your support in this new journey as an artist!

Thank you Phoenix Devereux for creating this beautiful video about the exhibit, your prompts and patience really paid off and I love the video! Click the photo below to watch the video:

Thank you Burghouse Photography for capturing this memorable evening for me!

And thank you to Valentino Assenza of 89.5FM CIUT of Howl for the lovely interview about my book Extraordinary Hand Lettering and my exhibit Bottled Feelings. Listen to my segment HERE!

Bottled Feelings - The Exhibition - February 7-29, 2020 - URBAN GALLERY

Happy New Year and DECADE!

It seems fitting that I start something fresh and new heading into 2020 and I am so exhilarated to announce that it is my first gallery show titled Bottled Feelings.

It has been months in planning as it started as a Kickstarter campaign (read older blogpost), became a successfully funded project, and from there I have been working on the back end to find a gallery, sort the anonymous feelings, design the exhibit itself, and of course, hand letter the bottles.

Proud to present this collection of Bottled Feelings from February 7-29, 2020, at the Urban Gallery in Toronto.

Gallery manager Calvin Hambrook and curator/art consultant Allen Shugar gently took me under their wing giving me much insight into this unknown territory of creating a gallery show, and for that I have deep gratitude.

Notes and Intentions for the Exhibit

The show is interactive, each bottle is numbered and 80% of the bottles have a back story behind their feeling, these stories can be viewed via scanning a QR code that is placed beside each bottle OR there is an analog experience with booklets that have the stories in sequence. Be a part of the exhibit after your experience, before you leave, submit a provided ballot card to let us know (anonymously) which feeling you related to most, after the show I will create a summary of the exhibit, and also reveal the Top 3 most relatable feelings to validate for the people that submitted that they are definitely not on their own.

My intention for the collection was/is never to sell them individually, they are a set that defines a moment in time. My hope is for it to go travelling to different places, or purchased as a whole installation. This exhibit will carry the hashtag #bottledfeelingsyyz , if I could write my own story, which I believe we all can, I would welcome the opportunities to go to other cities/countries and create a Bottled Feelings Exhibit for the residents in those places. What would the #bottledfeelingshkg look like with all the political turmoil happening? What would the "#bottledfeelingsdbx (Dubai) bottles read being such a wealthy and conservative country? I am a person that believes we are all trying to be understood and heard and validated, I often wonder if we all have something we can connect over and relate to, even if they are things that are too hard to say.

Come and See Me! I would love to hear your thoughts!

I will not be able to be there every day the show is open but I will be there opening weekend:

Fri Feb 7, 5-7pm - Sat Feb 8, 12-2pm and the Meet The Artist event on Sat, Feb 22, 2-5pm

Limited edition Bottled Feelings prints, journals and pins will be available at the show for purchase, and on Feb 22, at the Meet the Artist event I will have hard copies of my book Extraordinary Hand Lettering for purchase as well.

Please double check gallery hours before you make your way to the exhibit, Thursdays-Saturdays the show is open until 8pm. Hope to see you there!

Send BEAUTIFUL Mail... SIMPLY

Throwback To The Late Eighties….

As a young child, I vividly remember mail coming to the house specifically the Christmas cards. Being immigrants my parents would receive cards from friends and family in Asia and Australia. I recall them opening the envelopes that often had photos of babies and family and the joy my parents felt when they received these letters. I was really into the stamps from different places and the cards themselves too. Back then the musical card was my absolute favourite, playing that high pitch tone of Jingle Bells over and over, open…close…open…close… until my parents confiscated the card from my hands. I haven’t wandered far from that love of letter writing and mail, it fuels so much of my creative life as a designer, I truly truly truly make things I want to see in the world and I share them in hopes they may bring you happiness too. My collection of stationery and cards is extensive and I can honestly say I have a card on hand for any occasion… recently I realized I had to start collecting sympathy ones showing my age.

A Designers Purpose…

Whenever I design something, I really do just want to bring joy to the person that receives it. I spent hours decorating envelopes of letters and cards I mailed out, to me, the OUTSIDE was just as important as the inside of the envelope. The outside would pass through many hands until it finally reached its final recipient, my then boyfriend, my best friend or my family…. I decorated my envelopes in hopes to stand out in a sea of letters, to bring a smile to any postal worker that handled my letter and for them to think, wow this is a special letter/package. I knew a beautiful envelope would feel like a gift in itself, and that is why my mantra of Send Beautiful Mail stays so strong in my vision as a designer.

From bubble letters in my adolescence to nib and ink calligraphy as an adult, my love of lettering and sending mail has not faded in time, only intensified. Intensified meaning I felt it was necessary to take upon myself to create things to make my letter writing journey a bit easier, and that is how I came out with my line, and curved lined templates.

I wanted to create a tool/template that allowed me to create straight and well spaced lines with out measuring! This was an especially painful thorn in my side if I had to address envelopes for clients sometimes over the hundreds. Its as simple as placing onto your envelope and using a mechanical pencil draw light lines that can be erased after the address was lettered.

And this year I created the sister of the first template, my curved line template. I always found drawing curves tricky but knew this layout could make an envelope look really dynamic, so I buckled down and created my rainbow template with curved lines.

Letter writing to me will always be a form of travelling art. I also understand that not everyone has the affinity to spend hours on decorating an envelope, so I have also created a line of screen printed mailers so that others can simply send beautiful mail without the fuss.

These mailers are 7 x 9” and fit an array of things, from photographs, to cards, calendars and stickers. They are great when you want to send something special but don’t want to pay an arm and leg for shipping.

Watercolour Cards by Alicia’s Infinity

Bottled Feelings - The Exhibition

This is the 5th year Love Lettering has been in business, as as the owner, creative director, and artist behind every piece of work that comes out of the studio, I cannot say how proud and grateful I am to have had so many of you include me in your most special moments in your lives, trust me with branding your company and come to my workshops and watched my videos to learn from me. Every moment I get to letter and share what I know makes me feel truly thankful. Along with being our 5th year in business, I’ve turned 40 years old. Now when I was young I thought that 40 was ancient, I thought at 40, one should have everything figured out, however I realized that growth, progress and transformation every year is required for me to feel fulfilled. I think it comes from being creative, I accept that I have a passion for lettering and will continue to strive to see how else I can use that passion to open new doors and pursue new adventures… and thats where this exhibit comes in.

Our FIRST Gallery Show…

Bottled feelings stems from a feeling in my heart from a young age…”I know I’m meant to do more”… back then I didn’t know what that MORE was, and I never told a soul what I felt for the fear that I could never produce that MORE that I spoke of. Telling people you are meant to DO more, requires you to actually DO it, and did I have the guts to follow through? Did I have the talent, drive, persistence, to create the more I felt?

I thought when I created Love Lettering, that was the more. I thought that when I released the book, perhaps that was the more. I realized I still feel like there is more in me to give and show the world with the love of hand lettering and what I can do with it.

It also our first Kickstarter campaign…! I decided to pursue this route because Kickstarter is a creative crowd funding platform that supports artists and new ideas. Backers on this platform want to see and support new products and exhibits that are innovative and I wanted to see if this concept and exhibit would be well received.

You can be a part of my first exhibition experience in so many ways, some don’t even involve money:

1. Take a look at my Kickstarter campaign and support if you can! I have some great rewards and a video that describes my idea and concept in full.

2. Submit your own “Bottled Feeling” this is a totally collaborative exhibit where I will take the submitted feelings and hand letter them onto glass bottles… will yours make the show? All entries will be anonymous (submissions have been closed August 31, 2019).

3. Share my story and my campaign! The more people that hear about it, the more likely I will receive the funding to create this exhibit, so if this is something you want to see happen, please share.

4. If the project is funded, please visit the exhibition! It will be free admission for all guests.

Am I scared? Absolutely. Will I fail? Its very possible. Do I kind of want to vomit? Yes, I do.

Does it mean I won’t pursue it? Hard NO. All the outcomes and feelings I have will never compare to the regret I will feel if I never tried to show the world (or at least Toronto) what is possible when I combine our bottled feelings with the art of lettering. Come take this journey with me. Thanks for reading!

The Challenges of Creating a Love Lettering Workshop...

My first lettering workshop was with Kit & Ace out in Oakville, where I first had to wrap my head around what I wanted to teach the guest students and how I was going to teach my process of lettering beyond paper. Since then I have taught with The Toronto Public Library and hosted private workshops too.

But before that I actually had 2 years of teaching experience as I worked in Hong Kong as an art teacher/facilitator working with kids from 2 years old to adults. Back then I was teaching and creating curriculums that had a broad range, from learning about textures with toddlers to still life drawing with teens. So you see, workshops solely focused on lettering only is a joy to me always as its undeniably my passion.

I believe that it is my calling to share my ideas and process about my lettering and my business through the channel of education/workshops because it has brought me so much happiness and good that I hope I can pass on to any individual that has an interest in lettering too. I cannot bear the possibility of lettering fading away and I vow to be a contributor to the next generation of lettering lovers.

That being said I have had a lifetime of lettering experience and SO many ideas of what I can teach and create, that it cannot be contained in ONE workshop alone. If you have ever met me in person, I think you would know that I can talk about the art of lettering for a LONG time. Anytime I host a lettering experience/workshop the golden rule for me will be did I share enough? Did I provide enough inspiration, ideas and skills of what you can do once you leave? I am driven to give you VALUE, as much of me that I can give in that 2-4 hours you are with me. From process, to tools, to how I run the company, no questions are off limits when you are with me and my goal is to share this amazing skill I am so grateful to have.

If you are considering taking one of my workshops in 2019 the schedule is up in my SHOP, please consider what it is you truly want to work on. Do you want to learn how to draw different letters to create more dynamic layouts? Do you love working on mirror and want to take a deep dive into that surface? If honing your skills of lettering beyond paper is what you are looking for then check out my Back to Basics series. However there are also Lettering Experiences where the workshops are tailored to be a beautiful afternoon doing something creative with the art of lettering. These are perfect if you dabble in lettering or if you want a fun outing with a friend.

Each workshop/experience is different so please do read and see which one works best for you and I hope to be a part of your lettering journey and lifestyle in 2019! See our Schedule…

Finally a PRICING GUIDE now EXISTS!

So, you want to start a lettering business …

Love Lettering is celebrating its 5th year in business and we have learned a lot along the way, so much of it was trial and error, and figuring things out along the way.

What I always knew that I had was the love and passion of lettering, attention to detail and really good customer service skills as I worked in this industry for 20 years before I started the company. However the struggles that we encountered were always the NOT fun side of the business like creating a website, filing for a business licenses, trademarks, and accounting… who likes accounting? Is it because accounting makes us analyze if we are ACTUALLY a sustainable business? Is it because accounting is going to tell us that we made NO money last year? I think that is one of the reasons businesses are successful and not, you have to KNOW your NUMBERS. And that starts with PRICING.

How do you even begin to start charging people?

In the beginning I always began with the approach that my skill and talent was worth way more than minimum wage. I mean, not everyone LOVED lettering as much as I did, not everyone graduated from OCADU in illustration, taught art/lettering abroad for 2 years right? That had to be worth SOMETHING in this creative world. Back then, there were actually not THAT many people lettering as a service and I did feel that there was something missing that I could offer, however, that being said it was really hard to know how much to charge for my services, and man did I make some major errors! See my examples below:

Undervaluing My Time…

$20…….TWENTY DOLLARS for 13 of these table numbers! Can you BELIEVE it? Look at the details! How long did I spend on these pieces? I could not tell you but lets do some math here…. 20/13 is $1.54, and each one had to have taken me at least 15 minutes to create, so yes, I am pretty sure I did these for under $7/hour. Now I know I mentioned that I knew that my hourly rate should be more than minimum, but these 13 pieces were included in a WHOLE set of 10+ pieces, so the entire job itself was probably in the $700 range for these and many other pieces, so I figured HEY, I am making more on the other items and $700 for a job is so great doing what I LOVE but the business minded me today would not take anything less than $10/number for something as intricate as these.

Overlooking details that cost time and money…

For weddings there are 2 items I would say every wedding could use, the Welcome Sign, and Seating Charts. These 2 items are 85% of my usual email inquiries! I thought at one point I could have a “general” price for ALL welcome signs, but I found out that this was NOT a good idea. Here is why:

Sizes of these Welcome Signs come in all different shapes and sizes! Obviously a bigger sign is going to require more time to complete.

Wording, the amount of words ON each piece will also dictate HOW long the sign will take to complete as well.

Illustrations, Monograms, Decorative Fonts these take much longer to draw/letter than your run of the mill freehand modern cursive, so of course these would need a surcharge for execution.

Surface Different surfaces have a different approach to how they are lettered, some are easier to clean and correct errors, some need more prep time before lettering. For example, chalkboard requires more time as there is time spent on sharpening chalk, or pencils while lettering, if I was lettering a 250 person seating chart this would take me much longer than a mirror that uses a paint marker with a continuous flow of ink.

So How Is The Guide Going to Help?

The above examples are only a FEW of the oopsies that happened throughout the beginning of our company and now there is a FANTASTIC pricing guide out now called the PANIC FREE PRICING guide created by Becca of the @happyevercrafter and Joanne of @indetailcreative that actually talks about SO many of the topics and situations that arise when you are just starting out your lettering business. The 98 page guide along with the video tutorials are so crystal clear about how to value your time and what the market price is for creative lettering in the industry as a beginner. I not only found it to be insightful to beginners, but to me! A gal that has been IN the industry for 5 years, wrote a book, and hosted workshops! As I always say there is SO much more to learn but we all start somewhere. With experience you will know when to increase your prices however this guide is perfect for the creative letterer that wants to start a side hustle, OR take their side hustle to a full time career.

What I found especially helpful was not only letting you know about how to price, but also what opportunities lettering can lead you as well! They talk about the wedding industry, commercial work, murals, hosting workshops, making gifts, and SO much more. Topics such as community over competition are brought up as well to show you how undercutting is like peeing in the pool, they may think its okay but they are also swimming in the same pool and making it dirty really isn’t good for anyone. Keep the prices standard, let the work/artist speak for themselves.

I believe if you actually go through this guide/course you will feel confident in pricing and providing quotes for your clients, the only thing left to do is DO GOOD WORK! If you do great work, and you are priced fair its a winning combination and your business will thrive.

The Panic Free Pricing Guide is money well spent as it may pay for itself after one use if a commission comes up and you know how to quote properly. I just know that this will save a lot of people a LOT of time and I felt like it was my duty as an artist and hand letterer to let people know what a great tool this guide is. How much would you pay for confidence when quoting? How much would you pay for peace of mind, knowing how much your skill is worth? I hope you find it helpful, I wish it existed when I started and I wish you all the best in your journey ahead!

Happy Lettering, xox Doris

2018....Let's Wrap It Up!

The Lettering Lifestyle - 2018 Year End Review

It’s the last day of 2018 and if the quote “time flies when you are having fun” then the year sped by like a falcon. It seemed like it was just yesterday I was making plans for 2018, and now I am wrapping it up. There were clear hits and misses for my plans and some unexpected just projects popped into our studio and we made some major progress which is the only solid goal for me as a small business owner and lettering artist.

In 2017 I wrote a book so I figured it would be hard to surpass that momentous year but I took it in stride and created new cliffs for me to jump off of, scaring the wits out of myself at times but in the end, look at me… still here alive and well… doing things that scare me is also a MUST-DO every year. Here is what I’ve been up to for 2018!

---

Let’s Talk Numbers !

Commissions and Signage:

• Worked with 94 Brides & Grooms

• Welcome Signs 60

• Seating Charts 46

• Other Signage, Desserts/Bar Menus/Programs/Love Stories 119

Our most sought after pieces are definitely the Welcome signage and seating charts, these 2 pieces are the most important parts of the wedding as they greet the guests and also lets them know where they are sitting. I believe our meticulous planning and artistic composition and design allows us to work with more and more beautiful couples every year.

---

YouTube Channel - The Lettering Lifestyle

So I spoke about jumping off of cliffs earlier, and there is no higher cliff and nothing scarier than starting my YouTube channel… The Lettering Lifestyle . I knew I wanted to share more of my process and ideas of how to use lettering in my day to day life so I figured this channel would be another route to express my ideas and teach others as well. In total I created 4 videos that showed a variety of surfaces, styles and reasons why I letter. It was a big adjustment to speak and teach in front of a camera and I am so thankful to my team of videographers/editors Henjo Films and About Us Films for making me look and sound great. There shall be more to come for 2019, I am just waiting for the next perfect opportunity to show you how to letter on the next beautiful surface….

Teaching Workshops!

After years of people asking if I taught workshops, this year I finally wrapped my head around what I wanted to teach! There are many workshops out there when it comes to lettering and calligraphy already so what I really wanted was to bring a different element to my sessions… I realized what I wanted to teach was a frame of mind. I wanted my guests/students to learn about this lifestyle that I have lived all my life, one where every surface and item had unlimited creative possibilities if you only knew HOW to draw letters and what tools you needed to actually letter on them. I would like to say I don’t create workshops, but lettering experiences. I have had the pleasure of hosting my own workshop this year and working with others such as Joy Scout Learnshops and The Toronto Public Library as well.

---

Lettering All Around Town!

This year I made it a point to step out of the comforts of my studio and take in the opportunities outside of my tiny little space! Even with the YouTube videos and workshops, they were always in venues that were new to me so my senses were always heightened and I learned to teach/letter on the go, outside of my studio and with an audience at times! I had so many great opportunities lettering for awesome events some of my favourites includes the private clubhouse for the Toronto Blue Jays for their gala the Curveball, wonderful charities such as the Bibliogala for the Toronto Public Library, and the Boobyball. I also had my first book signing at Yorkdale Mall at the Chapters Indigo which was a great experience. I took opportunities to learn as well taking workshops with masters of lettering such as Lauren Hom and Paul Antonio, reiterating the fact that I love to add to my skill set and will continue to be a student in life and lettering. No matter how much you think you know, there is always more to learn.

---

Top 3 Personal Triumphs and Favourite Styled Shoots & Editorials

There really is so much to cover in one post but I wanted to share some moments I felt were triumphs this year, first up! Doubling my booth size at the One of a Kind Show…its been a long time coming, but this year I finally made the leap to a full size booth 10 x 10… this meant a whole redesign of my booth but also signified growth which always makes me happy. Second, I quietly reached 20K followers on Instagram, my favourite social media platform! I really credit Instagram a lot for my small and big victories, it allows me to share my passion and work in such a beautiful and accessible way and it will always be my special place to share! Third and most exciting, I actually worked with Hallmark…yes that HALLMARK on a calendar for 2020. Growing up Hallmark was hands down my favourite store in the mall, it was a paper lovers dream and the best place to find beautiful and unique items, so when they reached out to me, I had to really pinch myself! So more will be revealed when the calendar comes out, but here is a sneak peek of one of my favourite illustrations.

And amongst all the above there are the wonderful styled shoots that I get to be a part of. Some end up on beautiful blogs such as Junebug Weddings and some land right in the middle of magazines such as Mingle Magazine’ Autumn edition and The Bridal Affairs inaugural edition. Here are some of my favourite styled shoot moments.

So you see we have had a great year and made some big moves, no doubt in 2019 we will charge on with our passion of creative lettering and calligraphy and we can’t wait to share them all with you! If you would like to know more about our upcoming workshops as well as receive news and lettered freebies don’t forget to sign up for our mailing list! Happy New Year & Happy Lettering….xoxo Doris

My FAVOURITE One of a Kind Show Finds of 2018...

- How it All Began -

The One of a Kind Show holds such a special place in my heart, in my teen years while working as a waitress, one of my customers who knew I loved art gave me passes to the Christmas show, from the moment I entered those doors, it was a place I knew I wanted to be every year.

I never imagined that I would be one of the artisans participating IN the show! There are SO many talented vendors and I would loved to take home something from each person but that is not possible so here are some of my favourite finds from the One of a Kind this year!

Featured favourite items range from $2 - $40! Proving that beautiful and functional doesn’t mean expensive! My hope for the post is to support small handmade businesses like myself!

---

L O V E F R E S H

I can honestly say I have never used bar soap since I was a child and my dad ONLY bought Irish Spring… BUT this has all changed now since I discovered LOVEFRESH from the show! The amazing scents that draw you in are fragrant enough for you to smell them but not overwhelming and aggressive. I bought 6 pcs on the 3rd day of the show and continued to purchase more daily and they made my car smell so good each night on the drive home that I swore that they could be used as bathroom air fresheners so basically everyone is getting some soap this year…just call me S-Oprah…. “ YOU get some soap and YOU get some soap..!”

---

B Y I N A B E

Now this find was a REALLY REALLY last minute discovery when the oh so stylish Sylvia Wong from Via Calligraphy popped by to visit me at the show the last day, I asked to see all her purchases and she pulled out the most gorgeous little pouch and that is how I discovered byINABE. Beverly, the owner and maker creates magic with her beautiful selection of coloured leather and cowhide. The designs are sleek yet feminine, some of my favourite details are the scalloped edges and gold detailing. I practically started using it the next day as I put my “BABE” pin on immediately after the show. Beverly’s pieces are very reasonably priced and you may get sticker shock from it being so pretty but so affordable!

---

C A B I N J O U R N A L

It’s pretty impossible not to be captivated by the work of Cabin Journal, with the bright colours and beautiful typography inspired by vintage packaging its easy to see why I was drawn to the booth like a moth to a flame. It was really hard to decide what to take home as I wanted so many of her prints and cards, the illustrations are simply gorgeous and it was a task I didn’t mind humming and haaa-ing over each one. When finally deciding on this mini crayola print, one for me and one as a gift!

---

L I T T L E R O S E & C O. and L I L Y K A O D E S I G N S

Laser cut goodies began trending a couple of years ago and I don’t think they are going anywhere anytime soon! Love these splendid wood ornaments from Lily Kao Designs, I was drawn to the wooden bluejay and raccoon as they are staple images for our city Toronto created by simple lines and graphic patterns these ornaments are adorable and beautiful.

Onto another favourite of mine, Little Rose & Co. is not a new artisan to me but her designs are constantly evolving and new things are added creating delight every time. I have actually collaborated with owners Mandy & Brad before on their little village and their hand held wooden cell phone so I know first hand how thoughtful they are when creating their products. These tiny pennant ornaments are perfect for mailing to friends and families overseas as they are light and personalized.

---

D O L C E A R T I S T

When you meet Tabitha of Dolce Artist you will know exactly why her paintings are so sweet because she herself is as sweet as a puff of pink cotton candy. Her paintings/prints are truly an extension of herself, soft and beautiful. This is her breakout year as a business and artisan and at the One of a Kind show as well so I cannot wait to see more from this lovely soul.

---

G O T A M A G O

Lichia from Gotamago is an illustrator from Toronto well known for her charming watercolour stationery. Her talent of painting things that people love and relate to is on point and who can resist pretty & punny cards? This Dim Sum calendar is like an arrow to my foodie heart and her tags are so well packaged I didn't want to open them!

---

T H E O T T E R P O T T E R

It’s pretty hard not to notice Leora of the The Otter Potter tinkering around in her booth with all her beautiful tiny wares, her collections include jewellery, mugs and the teeniest tiny POTS! These speckled beauties are created on the wheel which is even more mind boggling, HOW do you spin something sooooo tiny? It’s magical and that is why I love them, I love anything I can’t figure out! I am a self proclaimed plant killer so lets see how long this air plant cutie lasts with me!

---

T I C K L E B E R R Y ‘ S & V O I S I N ‘ S

Last but not least the gourmet food aisle… of course I could not leave out some of my favourite food items!! Tickleberry’s chocolate from Vancouver is actually an old favourite, their specialty is chocolate covered fruit, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and more! These tiny and shiny morsels are HIGHLY addictive and I found myself sampling every variety and taking home many as well…. as gifts of course… if they make it!

Being Canadian, maple syrup is a staple in our pantry, but the way that Voisin’s spins this classic traditional flavour is downright delightful. My ultimate favourite is the Pure Maple Butter with Cinnamon, it is so good its tempting to eat it right out of the jar…! The moment I tasted it I knew it would be amazing with french toast as its syrup, butter AND cinnamon in one jar! They go from sweet to savoury to spicy with maple apricot jelly infused with jalepeno & chili peppers, so yummy with cheeses.

---

So that wraps up my One of a Kind Show favourite finds of 2018! To be a part of this show is always an honour its wonderful to know that in a world full of mass production, there are still people who take the time to master their craft, dedicate time to their art, keep time old traditions and methods alive and sharing them with the world. Until next year…!

The Lettering Lifestyle | Video # 2 is LIVE... and it's an IKEA Hack!

Every year for as long as I remember I waited for the IKEA catalogue to arrive on my doorstep… for hours after I would flip through, dog ear pages and be inspired by the beautiful rooms, stylish pieces and their reasonable prices… for not a lot of money you can create something pretty stunning and that is the basis of my first IKEA hack tutorial, creating a seating chart installation with Ikea YPPERLIG mirrors. 

Grab the popcorn fellow lettering enthusiasts because only the serious lettering lovers will be engaged until the end!  I tried to whittle this tutorial down, but from minute to minute I actually found the information possibly useful so here we are… a 17 minute tutorial.

Watch it now!

Please click SUBSCRIBE to follow along, I have more Ikea Hacks and inspirational shoots to come!

Huge THANK YOU to the team behind this first IKEA hack video:

Video | Henjo Films

Photography | Heidi Lau Photography

Stylist | Madison & Ella

Florist | Flower Treasures

Vintage Books | Southern Charm Vintage Rentals

Location & Venue | The Alley - Scarborough

Create this look with these IKEA items:

Mirrors : https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/90346101/

Candles : https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/60191916/  https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/90350522/ https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/30338694/ 

Vases : https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/60175092/

The Lettering Lifestyle | YouTube Channel is LIVE!!!

Love Lettering is so proud to announce another chapter of our lettering journey by introducing our new YouTube channel, The Lettering Lifestyle . After the release of my book Extraordinary Hand Lettering I realized that I still had many more ideas to share, many more surfaces and typefaces I wanted to letter and more tools to discover, and so the idea of chronicling my lettering lifestyle came about!  It is on this channel where you will find mini videos of my lettering process, how I letter and transform things, what pens and tools I like to use and wonderful I will also showcase inspirational ideas about how to style with the lettered pieces you create.  Big and small, subscribe and follow along to learn all about how I live my Lettering Lifestyle. 

Watch our FIRST tutorial on our new channel on YouTube called The Lettering Lifestyle

Big hugs and thank you to the amazing team behind this first shoot, they are a bunch of uber talented individuals & companies that come with talent and smile through it all:

Photography | Heidi Lau Photo  Videography | Henjo Films   Styling | Madison and Ella   Catering & Food | Hawley Crescent  Cake & Desserts | Cakelaine  Florals | Flower Treasures  Decor & Rentals | Southern Charm Vintage Rentals  Models & Menswear | Tytan  Shoot Venue | The Alley Scarborough  Hair | Puzzle Creations

Ask Me Anything! Lets Talk Lettering, Tools, Building a Creative Business... and being a Mom too!

Ask Me Anything ... Open Book Right Here!

I find it super difficult to feel motivated to write on the blog regularly when work, dishes AND laundry keeps on piling up all around me, but I have so many people ask me questions and I find myself answering a lot of the same ones repetitively so I think for the blog I will create a series called “Ask Me Anything” in which I will reply in all honesty with what I know, how I feel about…what I use for ...etc…!  So please send me any questions about lettering, tools, methods, work/life balance, being a mom, and I will give you my point of view on these things on my blog. So I will collect questions via email, Instagram, Facebook and on the 15th of each month I will answer a question or two depending on how long it takes me to write the answers!  I hope that you find these entries informative, interesting, and interactive… these are just my thoughts and ideas as an artist, author, mom and business owner of Love Lettering…so lets begin!

The million dollar question:  What do you charge for X? Y? Z?

I get this question all the time from clients asking for quotes, and then ALSO from fellow artists and letterers as well that are starting a lettering business or have been in the business for a while and want to know what my rate is for calligraphy and hand lettering pricing, and my answer is this…  its really PERSONAL!

Now I know that sounds like I’m saying, its none of your business BUT in fact I don’t mean it in that way at all… I mean pricing should be very personal to every artist, illustrator, designer, stylist, planner, photographer, the list goes on and on but the answer is the only person you have to make sure is happy is yourself.  

A little background about me and Love Lettering...

I have really lettered for as long as I remember, since I was in grade school, drawing bubble letters, in high school lettering in typewriter fonts for my yearbook entries, so when I started at OCADU it was not a big surprise that I took my art/illustration seriously.  After I graduated I took a job teaching art in Hong Kong, which included teaching lettering as well and I pretty much knew that it was what I was meant to do… lettering.  So in 2014, I started Love Lettering and I can honestly say I have dedicated no less than 20000 hours to my craft and business within these 4 years and I have published a book about my work methods and tools, I have not included the hours before I started my company, and I am 39 years old… so my question is… how much is my time and skill of lettering/illustration worth?  How much is my creativity and ability to choose the right fonts for the right theme, the ability to draw buildings, flowers and places and laying out love stories worth?  It is whatever I think and feel it is worth at this moment in my life.  See? Very personal because of all the steps that have brought me to this point in my business and life allow me to feel confident in my pricing for lettering. 

Why the huge price differences when it comes to one letterer to another?

When it comes to lettering pricing, why do some people charge so much more and some people charge so much less? There are so many factors involved, businesses with websites, offices, accountants, assistants may charge more because there are overhead expenses are also more, but in the end it is still a personal thing to each artist.

When you ask this question, you have to consider YOURSELF,  how much time have you dedicated to your craft?  How long will it take you to create said signage?  Have you done it before? What type of expenses do you have?

Keep this in mind, there will always be clients that can pay way more than what you are quoting, and there will be clients where your pricing just doesn’t fit into their budget, its not your job to FIT into anyones/everyones budget, but it IS your job to make sure you are getting paid properly for your service and your time to make sure your business can run properly and smoothly. 

Final Thoughts...

When in doubt, there is always the internet to tell you what the “guidelines” to pricing is for calligraphy/lettering etc… but if you are striving to be a business that is in it for the long haul, you must not sell yourself short, you must provide GOOD work and service, and you must establish the confidence to know your worth, and that is really personal. 

Hope this entry has been helpful… until the next time, Happy Lettering, Doris

Showered with LOVE feature on Elegant Wedding Magazine Blog!

It's not everyday when you meet someone and you "click" right away, Tanya from Classy Affairs was one of those people that just understood me and my work right away. She listened to me talk about lettering and what I was trying to accomplish with Love Lettering and has been so supportive from day one of our casual meeting turned friendship.

So when I found out she was getting married I was so absolutely thrilled!  Tanya is not only so lovey, she also has such a creative vision that I knew the celebrations to come were going to be over the top beautiful and I was so happy she asked me to be a part of it!  

Her spin off of the word "shower" for her bridal shower included umbrellas and personalized soaps!  The pretty details that are featured on the Elegant Wedding blog now so head on over and be showered with inspiration!

Find the whole feature and details here!