"Calligraphy is the most intimate, private, and spontaneous expressive means. Like a fingerprint or voice it is unique with every person." German Zapf

An Inspired Interview with Suzanne Cunningham

We could have chatted with Suzanne for hours, and it was indeed a delight to have her share a bit of her story as a calligrapher with us during our live Instagram Q&A session. After all, who wouldn't be elated with the chance just to sit and listen to her talk about the joys of calligraphy? 

Keep reading to learn about Suzanne's getting started story, how she landed her first wedding client, and what to do if you're technically challenged. 

Enter the world of Kalli Camp Academy, a community to learn, flourish, and grow in the art of calligraphy. We aim to make it possible for artists at every skill level and culture to grow in their craft and connect with others on a deeper level through true friendships centered...

"Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on." Louis L'Amour

Advice for beginners, tips on flourishing, being a lefty calligrapher, and more...

We had the most enlightening conversation with an inspiring mama calligrapher, and couldn't fit everything into one post. Here is Part 2 of our Q & A session with Younghae Chung of Logos Calligraphy and Design. 

"It's important to think your way through calligraphy so that it all looks beautiful". Those are wise words spoken by Younghae Chung of Logos Calligraphy during our live Q&A session with her.  From the start of her journey to publishing her first book, Younghae chatted with Heather McKelvey and turned the pages of her journey from an anxious mama to becoming a fearless flourishing artist!

Enter the world of Kalli Camp Academy, a community to learn, flourish, and grow in the art of calligraphy...

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart." William Woodsworth

Sharing the beauty of calligraphy...

We had the most inspiring conversation with a beautiful mama calligrapher a few days ago, and if you missed it, there are so many gold nuggets you'll be delighted to find sprinkled throughout. This is Part One, where we get to know Younghae. Stay tuned for Part Two, where we dive into what she does, tips for lefties, favorite nibs and why, flourishing, and more.

"Calligraphy is a gift you get to experience as well as pass on". Those are the exact words spoken by Younghae Chung of Logos Calligraphy during our live Q & A session with her on Friday, May 26th.  From the start of her journey to publishing her first book, Younghae chatted with Heather McKelvey and turned the pages of her journey from anxious mama to becoming a fearless flourishing artist!

Enter the world of Kalli Camp Academy, a community to learn, flourish, and...

Hello and welcome to the Kalli Camp Academy blog, where we share educational and inspirational tips on being a calligraphy artist. It is our hope that this blog will become a resource for you as you navigate your creative journey. 

We aim to make it possible for artists at every skill level and culture to grow in their craft and connect with others on a deeper level through true friendships centered around shared passions. We also aim to support each other and help grow our small businesses as a result of this collaborative endeavor.

In our live interview on April 29th with KCA student, Tico Kanzaki, she shared her Copperplate frustrations and how she overcame them, her recommendations for focused practicing, and what to do if you're heavy handed.

Who is Tico Kanzaki?

Tico is a graphic designer by day and calligrapher by night from Japan, now living in the U.S. Her calligraphy journey began in 2019 using the Tombow Fudenosoke brush pen. When the pandemic hit, she found...

“Help! The printing company wants a vector file!? What do I do?” If you’ve ever designed a graphic and had a request to provide a vector file, chances are you felt a sense of panic. Working with vectors can seem intimidating on the surface, but with a few simple tools and understanding how to use them, you should be able to create and edit vector files of your artwork. Whether you need a logo, a cut file, or a batch of SVGs to plug into that font-making software, Adobe Illustrator will be your best friend.

Topics Covered

• How to import a graphic into Illustrator
• How to convert that graphic into a series of paths (the basis of the vector)
• How to use the selection, direct selection, and pen tools to edit those paths
• The “hot spots” I focus on for vectorizing calligraphy
• How to collect your graphic(s) for export.

This class is the perfect complement to our How to Design a Logo and Digitizing Your Calligraphy classes. Let’s get started!

Want to...

Have you ever wished you could center your practice pieces without all the fuss of creating a layout? In this class I’m going to show you how to use an optical illusion to give your calligraphed passages the appearance of being centered, when in fact, very little actual centering is taking place.

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.  

How to Access Your Members-Only Class:

• Go to www.kallicampacademy.com
• Log in to your account
• Click on Classroom
• Click on Tier 2 -- Class Archive
• Click on Calligraphy Critique and Layout
  

Enroll

Supplies

Any supplies you have on hand will be perfect. I am including links to the supplies I prefer for your convenience. Many of these are available at John Neal, and I link to my supply page there for reference. Others are available at local...