f.a.q.

Below are answers to the questions I get asked the most. Hope you find this helpful!

Q. How did you get started designing event stationery?
I majored in graphic design in college. When my beautiful, unique, wonderful friends started getting engaged, I was pretty unimpressed with what they were sharing with me in the way of their choices for wedding paper goods. It seemed the options were either super generic {pick your font and color} or super expensive. Not okay with me. So much thought and detail goes into planning any event. I believe the invitation and event stationery deserve just as much detail and consideration. So, I took maters into my own hands–and I’ve never looked back!

Q. How did you get started in calligraphy?
My mom enrolled me in a calligraphy class in a summer program when I was in 5th grade. I thought it was pretty cool, but all it really meant for me was that I ended up lettering the certificates for everything important that ever happened to me from that point forward… my whole 6th grade class graduation certificates… all the 1st communion certificates… and then there was confirmation certificates… {I did batches of these for probably 7ish years… one year I spelled “Lutheran” wrong and had to re-do about 30 of them. Hey I was like, ten…}. It wasn’t until after college that I really, really began to enjoy calligraphy and lettering as a passion. When I started designing wedding invitations, I would BEG my friends to let me address their invitations for them so they didn’t mess them up my beautiful designs with their potentially messy handwriting! The outside of the envelope is so important because it’s the very first impression. The more addressed, the more I realized that I actually enjoyed that part of the invitation process even more than designing. And that’s when I began to play with the calligraphy I’d learned as a little girl and to develop my style to make it mine. I like it when things look a little less than perfect–a little quirky, a little mix of modern and vintage all at the same time. I try to emulate that emotion in my calligraphy–fancyish, but really approachable.

Q: What kinds of pens and ink do you use?
For calligraphy, I use traditional dip pens with a variety of tips and Speedball or Bombay India Ink {and I play around with mixing my own colors}. From time to time, I will also use gel pens, thin illustration markers, and Micron pens if they feel right for the specific project. If you’re interested in trying calligraphy for yourself, just head to your local craft store and pick up a starter kit. You could purchase one that has some ink included, or try a pack that has a variety of nibs {pen tips} so you can get a feel for what you like best. After that, it’s basically just trial and error. If you’re new to lettering entirely, I would purchase some varying weights of microns and start there. If you’re not so hot at lettering, a calligraphy pen will only make it worse, not better. I lettered for an entire decade before I ventured into the world of dip pens! Most importantly, it’s great to be inspired by other artist’s work, but do try to develop your own style. If you try to make your writing look like someone else’s writing, you’re only going to leave yourself feeling inadequate. Trust me. {And hey, if you can’t figure it out, I know a pretty good calligrapher if you’re in the market for one…} *To get started right this second, you can order some calligraphy pens and tips {here} and ink {here} both from Paper Source.*

Q: What is your artistic process?
I usually letter/sketch/paint/draw… depending on what the project entails. Then I scan the art into my Mac with my scanner {I use both an Epson and HP, depending on the project}. Then I use some combination of Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop in the Adobe Creative suite to add the graphic elements and move my illustrations and text around the way I’d like. I send PDF proofs via Adobe Acrobat Pro. After a design is approved, I print and embellish as I see fit. I really feel pretty strongly that anything I print should have some sort of embellishment on it–in a digital age, I think it’s comforting to receive something and to know that a human touched it. Sometimes I print myself, other times I send out the files for my clients to print. I use digital, offset, and letterpress printing… just depends on the project and the budget.

Q. How and what did you use to build your blog/website?
I built my site using WordPress.org, loosely following this tutorial from Design Sponge. Design I can do {headers, buttons, etcetera}, but I myself will be of no help to you in creating a functioning website. If you’re interested in custom WordPress design & installation, my friend Emily at Jones Design Company would be your girl. Click here for more info.

Q: Can I use images from your blog on my blog?
Sure! Here are my housekeeping rules: All illustrations, designs, photos, hand-drawn lettering, and collages you see here are created by me unless otherwise specified. If you see something you like, you’re welcome to link to it or borrow it, just so long as you give Lindsay Letters the credit and include a link back to my site. Likewise, I will make every effort to pay the same respect to you as well. {If you ever have any questions about this, don’t hesitate to ask}. Thanks so much for visiting! xo, linds