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

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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...

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

...

My name is Allison McClanahan, and I am a calligrapher and stationer. For my wedding clients, I work with ribbon and wax seals which makes a piece of mail extra fun to receive. In this class, I’ll show you my favorite methods for creating wax seals and tying ribbons.  

Topics covered

• Wax and sealing stamps sourcing
• Ribbon sourcing
• Gold marker brand
• Wax seal formation--various methods and shapes with a focus on the glue gun method
• Ribbon/wax seal combinations
  • opposite direction tails
  • same direction tails
• Ribbon tying
  • knot
  • bow
• How to keep your wax seal and ribbon from attaching to the paper

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

Supplies

• Sealing wax (I prefer glue gun sticks from Artisaire) 
• Sealing stamps (shown in video:...

If you love the look of foil as I do, this class is sure to inspire you! Whether you want to add an elegant touch to personalize handmade cards, scrapbooks, journals, photos, gifts, home decor, and more, having the ability to foil your calligraphy is sure to be eye-catching to your recipients. This class will walk you through the steps of how to use the foil quill pen on various surfaces in several different projects. From cards to envelope addressing, to place cards and ribbon, I am excited about showing you how to add a personal touch with foil to your designs.

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

Supplies:

• Foil Quill Pen - We R Memory Keepers Foil Quill Freestyle Pen Note: be sure to get the Foil Quill Pen, as there is a cutting...

Today, we will create lovely carnations that will never wilt. You can use any color of your choice. You can use a wedge paintbrush or a paintbrush with an angled edge. A wedge paintbrush is a must-have in your collection of paintbrushes. I have some suggestions under "Watercolor" (Community) for where to get these brushes. They are often on sale so shop around!

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 in Tier 2 Now

Supplies:

 Paintbrush:

 - Wedge brush or Triangle brush (ex: Beste or Silver Ruby) 

 - Round brush (size 6 or smaller)

 Paint:

 - Any color that you would like your carnations to be will work (pinks and greens)

 - Paint used in the video: Quinacridone Rose, Hansa Yellow, Serpentine Genuine and if you want to get...

In this class, you’ll learn:

• Types of Kraft paper and a few purposes for using them,
• Tips for lettering Kraft paper with paint pens, gel pens, brush pens, or pointed pens

After joining in on this class, you’ll be equipped to confidently handle projects on Kraft paper large or small! 

Materials Needed:

• Kraft paper (envelopes, paper, gift tags, journals, anything made from Kraft paper) 
• Posca Paint Pen (any will do, but this is my preferred paint pen)
• Brush pens
• Pointed pen and nib
• Gel pen

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 in Tier 2 Now

Homework Challenge

Want to see our students' homework? Search the hashtag #kcagetkrafty on Instagram to see samples from this week's homework. Our students who participate in this challenge get...

The acanthus leaf is an artistic motif going back as far as Ancient Greek architecture. Once you learn to recognize it, you will see it everywhere and start to understand how to approach creating your own. In this class, you'll learn to create the Roman period acanthus style and we'll apply it to a stunning stationery suite design with drawing, painting, and wax seals. 

Topics Covered

• History of the Acanthus Motif
• Anatomy of the stylized plant
• Drawing from simplified to complex
• Stationery suite design
• Acrylic paint embellishments
• Wax seal stamp tips

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 in Tier 2 Now

Materials Needed

• Sketch paper 
• Pencil
• Fine liner
• Flexible tip black marker
• Ruler
• Vellum 
• Envelope
• Piece of cardstock 
• Acrylic or gouache...

Have you ever thought about learning to bind or start book binding and felt overwhelmed by not just how many types there are out there, but by the supplies required to make some of them happen?  I have one for you today, that is perfect for someone who wants to try binding without having to invest in a lot of tools or time. 

There are many different types and techniques of binding and book binding available. They range from being simple to complex and have various looks and functionality. Many require supplies like boards, clamps, glue, cloth, etc. on top of the basic binding supplies. The most versatile of these is Japanese Stab Binding. It is a simple binding technique that requires just a handful of supplies. You can use any type or paper and even mix/match materials. The only requirement is that the material has to be cut to the same size. No folding or gluing required!

You can use this technique to create your own calligraphy or watercolor...

Do you have a creative passion or dream? Do you feel overwhelmed wondering where and how to start bringing it to reality? Or do you need help pinpointing what sort of goal you'd like to achieve in the first place?

Using tried and true methods that helped me create the business off my dreams, we will build a road map and vision board together to get you going down the right path towards successfully achieving your goal with clarity, confidence and calligraphy, too.

Note: Your goal doesn't have to be big and exciting. No goal is too small!

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 in Tier 2 Now

Materials:

• Notebook/ journal
• Pencil, Pen, or Markers of Choice
• Calligraphy tool of choice
• Small pieces of paper for calligraphy/ lettering quotes
• Magazines, Pinterest...