Mischief Managed

I am a reader and a lover of quotations, so I often choose a word, a phrase, or a quote from a book I'm reading as the subject for my warm-ups.  One of my favorite bits of magic from the Harry Potter series is the Marauder's Map.  To open the map one must say, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good" and to close it takes just two words:  

Other times, I just pull out a phrase as I'm listening to the recorded book:

 

A Casual, Modern Script

This script took some practice!  Before I could begin addressing these double envelopes, I had to do some warm ups.  I plugged my earphones into my iPod and cranked up some early Genesis (Selling England by the Pound).  As I listened, I wrote out snatches of lyrics.  And sang along.  Which could have been embarrassing had anyone been around to hear me singing with headphones on. . .

Next, it was time to mix the navy blue gouache.

And finally, I can begin to address those envelopes.  

 

This was a fun lettering style!  I'm glad I had the chance to spread my wings a little and give this one a go!  If you are interested in this one, it is a hand, pen-lettered script designed to coordinate with the brush script Spring LP.

It's just more fun. . .

. . .when it's French.

Vacation Doodles

My granddaughter's name

Walnut ink, twinkling H20's.

My grandson's name

Walnut ink, twinkling H20's, Winsor and Newton Gold gouache

Snapped with my iPhone.  I really need to get a new camera.  Any suggestions?

(Yes, after months of 9-10 hour days in the studio, I still took half of it along with me on vacation.  Time to play is hard to come by!)

Number Two

This image is disappointing--I used all metallic inks and it just doesn't show up very well when scanning.  The leaves are green--really they are!  And the lines don't show up at all 'in real life' but there they are in the scan.  But imagine crisp, glittery, metallic color--white, gold, bronze, green and blue.

I'm happier with the arrangement in this one, but I still see clumsy execution and things that I would change.  

I made this for my friend, Emily, who is the daughter of my dear friend, Dorothy.  The Antiqua Baroque Concert is the ensemble she plays with.  We attended their concert on Sunday afternoon and it was marvelous!  The instruments played by the four musicians included the recorder, the Baroque trumpet, Baroque horn, the cornetto, violin and viola da gamba, and the harpsichord, played by Emily.  

My First Attempt at Flourishing

Pangram Three

Carolingian

Black Sumi Ink

Mitchell #2

White Scrap paper

Digitally reversed colors

When you sit with your pen. . .

“When you sit with your pen every year of your life is right there, wired into the communication between your brain and your writing hand.” 

Ted Hughes

Mr. Hughes was speaking about the creative activity of writing but I think it can be said that when a scribe sits down with her pen, engaged in setting down the thoughts of others, every year of the scribe's life is there, too, and the muscle memory of years of practice and work run along that wire between brain and writing hand, don't you?

Dictionary Word of the Day: Majuscule

majuscule
\MAJ-uh-skyool\ , adjective;
1.
Of letters written either as capitals or uncials.
noun:
1.
A large letter, either capital or uncial, used in writing or printing.

Inspired by today's Dictionary Word of the Day, this is my first attempt at broad brush calligraphy.  There's a learning curve so I'm not entirely satisfied but I thoroughly enjoyed playing with this new (to me) technique.

Playing with Zigs

 My son's bedroom is right below my studio and when he's home, I can hear his music drifting up.  He's been listening to the Beatles today. . .