Class Intro

Now that you have designed your wedding invitations, it’s time to get them ready to submit for the printer. Not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered. This class by Allison McClanahan @wildwoodcalligraphyandpost takes you through setting up your artwork for the printer using Adobe Photoshop.

Want to join us for class? It's offered on-demand and available now for all Tier 2 students.  Some classes are also available to Tier 1 students. Click here to see the Tier 1 Class Listing.  

Members Only: Access the Class Here

Enroll Now

Topics Covered

• Create and work within a Photoshop file
• Margins
• Safe Zones
• Changing the color of calligraphy
• Saving the file so it is printer ready

Plus:

• Shortcuts for those who don't do artwork or calligraphy, or both!

Supplies

• Calligraphy invitation design you have already scanned or have created in Procreate
• Adobe Photoshop

Other Classes that will Help to Build Your Invitation Suite

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No more turning down wedding invitation jobs because they seem over your head!

We are taking the mystery out of stationery design and giving you all the tools you need for quick and easy design and production. Join us for our 3-part Invitation Suite Design Series taught by Allison McClanahan, a bespoke stationery designer and calligrapher.

Our first class started with designing a watercolor crest, teaching you how to create stationery artwork and digitize it for printing. In Part 2 you will learn all the ins and outs of the wedding invitation suite.

We’re talking paper sizes, paper types and colors, printing methods, wording and etiquette, layouts and artwork ideas, and all the bells and whistles to add. Did someone say ribbons and wax seals? Allison takes you in to her tried-and-true design process and walks you step by step through how to work with wedding clients from start to finish.

You’ll learn about creating look books, what to use for design...

Designing wedding invitations has never been more fun! This class is kicking off a 3-month series on designing a wedding invitation suite. We are starting with learning to design a watercolor crest, and in this class we will be making artwork to use throughout the entire suite. Over the next three months, look forward to learning about the different parts of the wedding invitation suite, how to design them, and what to do to get them from your pen or brush to the printer.

Design a Watercolor Crest is chock-full of new techniques for you to learn, from design and painting techniques to working in Photoshop. You will be inspired to dream and amazed at your new abilities. This class will provide you with grins, whoa’s and “Aha!” moments. The watercolor crest you will create can be used not just for wedding invitations, but for personal stationery, wall-hangings in baby nurseries, and no shortage of creative custom artwork. Take a look at the topics that will be...

Homework Hashtag: #kcaspeedball

You've been introduced to the square Speedball A nib with Hill House Script, but now it's time to explore the Speedball B nib. Its tip has a round appearance as opposed to a square shape. In this class, you will learn how to make your own variations and make a unique A-Z pattern!

Topics Covered: 

• All about the speedball nibs
• Warm-up Exercises
• Variations to the letters
• Making an A-Z pattern

Want to join us for class? It's offered on-demand and available now for all Tier 2 students.  Some classes are also available to Tier 1 students. Click here to see the Tier 1 Class Listing.  

Members Only: Access the Class

Enroll Now

Materials Needed:

• B nib (half size is closer in size to the A-1 we've used before)
• straight pen holder
• ink of your choice
• printed warm-up sheets
• printed grid sheets

Homework Challenge:

Want to see our student's homework? Search the hashtag #kcaspeedball on...

Homework Challenge: #kcajapanesestabbinding

Introduction:

Japanese Stab Binding is exactly what it sounds like. Books are bound together after the binder stabs holes along the left spine and sews thread through the holes to bind the book. It can be the standard 4-Hole Japanese Stab Binding called "Yotsume Toji" that I taught last year or it can be more intricate in design like the Hemp Leaf Binding or "Asa-No-Ha Toji". 

I will be showing you how to create a simple Inner Binding to hold the inside pages together as well as the Noble Binding or "Koki Toji" along with the Hemp Leaf Binding. 

Topics Covered:

• Create an Inner Binding
• Create templates
• Start with the Noble Binding stitch
• End with Hemp Leaf Binding stitch

Want to join us for class? It's offered on-demand and available now for all Tier 2 students.  Some classes are also available to Tier 1 students. Click here to see the Tier 1 Class Listing.  

Members Only: Access the Class

...

Have you ever been tempted to try modern calligraphy? Not sure where to begin? Well, this class is for you! Modern calligraphy boasts a very wide range of styles and is perfect for creating your trademark look! That being said, modern calligraphy can easily get out of hand without a set of rules to work within. In this class, you will learn a basic majuscule alphabet that is very similar to copperplate with a few exceptions. We will also discuss small changes that can be made to each letterform that can drastically change the look of your script while still staying within a set of basic rules. This will help your script to appear whimsical and beautiful while maintaining the integrity of the letterforms! At the end of the class, you'll create your own alphabet using the techniques we discuss in the lesson. So let's get started!

Want to join us for class? It's offered on-demand and available now for all Tier 2 students.  Some classes are also available to Tier 1...

The wedge or triangle brush is a specialty paintbrush where the ferrule and hairs of the brush form a triangle. The tip of the brush comes to a fine point and the body of the brush is full. This unique shape helps the brush hold a lot of water in the body which helps distribute pigment evenly throughout the strokes. Petals and leaves and many other shapes can be created with one stroke. In this course, you will learn to create petals and leaves using a press and release technique as well as press and sweep, press and wiggle, press and pull. You will put these techniques together to create florals, including my signature wedge brush rose.  

 Topics Covered:

• Wedge Brush petals (press down and move back & forward and to one side)
• Jane's "Signature" rose (press down and pull to one side and lift)
• Wedge Brush petals and leaves (press down and sweep to one side and repeat to the other side)
• Using a non-wedge brush to create these petals and leaves

Want to join us for...

Have you ever been tempted to try modern calligraphy? Not sure where to begin? Well, this class is for you! Modern calligraphy boasts a very wide range of styles and is perfect for creating your trademark look! That being said, modern calligraphy can easily get out of hand without a set of rules to work within. In this class, you will learn a basic alphabet that is very similar to copperplate with a few exceptions. We will also discuss small changes that can be made to each letterform that can drastically change the look of your script while still staying within a set of basic rules. This will help your script to appear whimsical and beautiful while maintaining the integrity of the letterforms! At the end of the class, you'll create your own alphabet using the techniques we discuss in the lesson. So let's get started!

Want to join us for class? It's offered on-demand and available now for all Tier 2 students.  Some classes are also available to Tier 1 students....

Inspired by both organic and geometric forms, Art Nouveau first appeared in Brussels in the late 1800's and quickly spread through Belgium and France and all throughout Europe. During this time, the Art Nouveau Style can be seen most prominently in furniture, textiles, architecture, interior design, glass art,  ceramics, jewelry and graphic design. Art Nouveau lettering styles took on the overall look and design of the trend of very high or very low waistlines, diagonal and triangular shapes, curved organic shapes, and long lines. In this class, we will explore the Hill House Typeface using the Speedball A-1 nib. This typeface is said to be based on the "distinctive handwriting" of Glasgow architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh.  Come join me in getting to know the Speedball "square bent nib" through a series of warm-up exercises and let's have some fun learning this stylish asymmetrical typeface!

Topics Covered: 

• Bent nibs
• Charles Rennie Mackintosh
• Hill...

Homework hashtag: #kcaengraving

This class will show you the basics of getting started with engraving your calligraphy on various surfaces and objects for gifts or clients. If you’ve been wanting a way to add luxury calligraphy to your portfolio, elevate your calligraphy or add a new skill set to your hobby, this is the class for you.

Students will learn:

•what tools to use for engraving

•safety while engraving

•items to engrave on and what to use for drafting your calligraphy

•correcting your mistakes

•how to refine your calligraphy on 3D objects such as tile, glassware and metal

•ideas for additional surfaces that can be engraved

Want to join us for class? It's offered on-demand and available now for all Tier 2 students.  Some classes are also available to Tier 1 students. Click here to see the Tier 1 Class Listing.  

Members Only: Access the Class

Enroll Now

Materials Needed: 

•An engraver, brushless...