Meet Lyndsey from Wild Sea Calligraphy - host of our Christmas Card Calligraphy workshop
It's almost time for our calligraphy workshop with Wild Sea Calligraphy on Friday 6th December where you can master how to write the perfect Christmas card and gift tag, what better time to find out a bit more about Lyndsey, the founder and her journey so far.
- Tell us about your journey with calligraphy and how it started
I first picked up a calligraphy pen back in 2009, I was working in a small South Devon town and bought a nib, ink, penholder and most importantly a book titled “Mastering Copperplate Calligraphy” written by Eleanor Winters from a little craft shop, as soon as I go them home I realised I was addicted. However, if I think about it, I’ve always adored calligraphy, handwriting and lettering from a very early age.
- What are your top 5 tips for beginners?
- Find an excellent calligrapher to learn from in person, look at their credentials and the type of work they are creating and ask yourself are they original? Are they the best in their field?
- Don’t be too hard on yourself, it’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others but calligraphy is a lifelong journey and they might be a little further ahead. Everything will fall in place with time.
- Learn one script at a time, it’s easy to be a creative magpie when it comes to calligraphy but it will save your sanity if you make sure you a proficient in one script before you start another.
- Sometimes paper and ink are not good friends to one another, you’ll have to be creative to make things work.
- Practice when you can and enjoy the process.
- Can anyone of any age and any ability start calligraphy?
Absolutely, if they have a passion for it starting young is great (maybe swap sharp nibs with brush pens) and it’s never too late to learn something new.
- What’s your favourite time of year and why?
Ooh, this is a tough one... it used to be winter but now it’s the beginning stages of every season - autumn for the cosy nights, winter for the festivities, spring for all the fresh flowers and feeling of warmth on the skin again and summer for evenings at the beach.
- What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
I’ve got a beautiful antique writing desk that I treasure and also some lovely pieces of work created by Barbara Calzolari.
- Any stand out/pinch me moments so far?
So many!!! I hope I don’t miss them but writing my book (The Calligraphy Ideas Book), teaching workshops around the South West, organising Master Penman Barbara Calzolari to visit us in the South West to teach her beautiful script. Teaching in London, working in Harrods and also in Fortnum and Mason. Writing envelopes for the wedding invites of Jamie and Sophie from Made in Chelsea and writing name settings for the Prince and Princess of Monaco (and trying not to shake when I realised who they were).
- Tell us about your book.
I’m so proud of this little book, it’s brilliant if you are interested in learning a style of calligraphy but unsure where to begin, it features some of the best calligraphers from around the globe who have been kind enough to share their work and information about how they created it. It’s packed full of inspiration.
- What’s next for Wild Sea Calligraphy?
There’s lots of workshops coming up in December and also the new year, I’d like to take more workshops online and work on a way to get my calligraphy kits to a wider audience. There’s also room for lots more calligraphy! I’ll be focusing on improving my own skills and brushing up on all the scripts I currently have under my belt.
Wow, royal connections and celebrity clients, we're suitably impressed, so if like us, you're keen to meet Lyndsey and join the workshop, there are a few tickets left here.
