A reader’s eye simply gets tired and will check out. I am a big believer in mixing legible fonts with the more ornate. The eye of the audience needs to be caressed and invited in, not given hard labor. I have to say, tons of curly cues and complex ligatures can sometimes be too much. Font selection usually dictates this as well. Some names look nicer written together than others. Assigning different colors to these elements will also help create a mood. Initials and date written out, initials and number only date, date at the top, date at the bottom, all these styles should be reviewed if possible because it will really change the look and can affect the feeling of the event. I’ve done it several times, but this is something to consider. Leslie Smith and Charles Johnson, LJC is actually a no no… Because the couple is not married yet, using the new last name initial is thought to be poor etiquette… I know, I know. As far as the new last name initial, i.e. There is something nice about having only a couples initials… No “and” or ampersand, no wedding date, just both the first initials… Very striking. There are SO many ways to create a monogram, I thought I’d cover a few as couples start to think about “all things paper!” This design element can then be carried through the balance of stationery to create a distinct, recognizable look.

I’m finding that more often than not, a couple wants a monogram to be featured on their invitations. I think each guest will feel like he/she is getting a gift.Ĭongrats Jeri and Andrew… Can’t wait to do the menus! –ct The letterpress printing style is already so breathtakingly beautiful, yet the hand written quality of this artwork will add a personal touch. I MUST say, I cannot wait to get a printed sample. Fortunately, the same layout worked with the additional line.

Very challenging to re-purpose such a specifically measured layout… I was obsessed with keeping the revised version consistent with the original, while at the same time reducing the entire layout about 5-7%. Note: As a calligrapher, I’ve found that after mastering a number of lettering styles, it is extremely easy to wander off and add a loop here, or a flourish there…įinally, after some minor tweaking, the below version became approved and I finalized it in ink… Gorgeous, right? Well not quite… Had to keep the cork in the champagne because (look closely) we noticed the ceremony address was missing… *Sigh* Had to get over it, it had to be added in! I know this seems impossible, but it is SO easy to do while you are laboring over other details… Lesson learned! Also, there were specific letter styles that they wanted to make sure I kept consistent. The client gravitated towards the more conservative style and made some spacing edits. The pencil can appear to be a little messy, but it is the only way… The pencil rendering is a tough sell to a client since it is far from an actual “proof”. Using a light table with the template underneath my paper, I provided two pencil renderings… One a tad more conservative than the other. Once that was done, and I was confident that they were equidistant, I printed the template. Think “swashes” and “drama”, yet the style should still be refined and elegant.Īfter deciding how I would render their lettering, it was necessary to not only count the number of lines the invitation would require, but also the length and height of each line. The font needed to be custom, as the client wanted a certain mood created to announce their French-inspired nuptials. The below represents a couple of the samples provided to me for inspiration. Here are the steps that I took to reach the production quality sample: This will help to ensure that the client is happy prior to “inking” a final. Multiple pencil renderings need to be done before actually lettering in ink.The centered invitation is unforgiving in this regard. Even less discerning eyes can tell if a line of type is off, even by a little bit. A template has to be created to make sure all the words are perfectly centered.Nothing worse than seeing your work printed and wishing you could make a small change here or there.

The original needs to be, in a word, perfect.

Creating original artwork for a printer to use for production has some challenges. Right before Christmas, I was asked to hand letter an invitation panel that would eventually be letterpressed.

Burgues script font free