Addressing Envelopes with Calligraphy

allison calligraphy classes snail mail stationery Oct 25, 2020

Calligraphy on envelopes! This is what drew me to calligraphy in the first place, and it is still my very favorite thing to do.

Topics Covered:

Consistency in letter forms
Using a Lightbox with your favorite guidelines
Using a Phantom Liner
Judging your spacing for centering
Common addressing anxieties
Flourishing to take up space/balance
Knowing where to start on your envelope
Suggestions for talking to clients about postage
And other resources and tips spread throughout!

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Materials Needed:

• Envelopes. I recommend Paper Source and Cards and Pockets for smooth quality envelopes. In the video, I am using Crane and Co’s Lettra which is slightly more challenging to write on, but has a lovely texture. It is 100% cotton. I found my box of Lettra envelopes on Amazon. I recommend using light color envelopes for practicing.
• Your favorite nib. In the video, I use both a Hunt 101 (on the practice paper), and I use a Hunt 22 on the Crane envelope). A Gillott 404 is a great nib for textured paper.
• Calligraphy ink- I used sumi ink in this video. All the envelopes I suggested take every ink I have tried on them from walnut and watercolor to gouache and sumi.
• Your favorite guidelines. You can cut these to size and insert them in your light colored envelopes. Guidelines with slant lines on them will help you practice your consistency.
• Light pad (especially for light colored envelopes!) Mine is the tiktecklab A4 size that I found Amazon for about $20.

Homework Challenge

Want to see our students' homework? Search the hashtag #kcaaddressingenvelopes on Instagram to see samples from this week's homework. Our students who participate in this challenge get entered into a drawing to win prizes.

Instructor: Allison McClanahan

Website: wildwoodcp.com

Instagram: @wildwoodcalligraphyandpost