Tags: arts calligraphy crafts Lifestyle Blog Lifestyle Blogger Lifestyle Blogger in Manila Philippines Meg Hernandez Meghann Hernandez Metro Mom Mommy blogger Mommy blogger in Manila Philippines motherhood watercolor
In general, anyone can write a fair hand. We all just need to exercise the writing muscle from time to time. With the advent of technology, when our hands started getting busy with the typewriter, computer, printer and emails, hardly anyone writes anything meaningful by hand anymore.
I guess, what makes handmade products and mementos more valuable nowadays is the sense of novelty it brings and the fact that it is more personal, both to the spectator and the creator. Calligraphy, for example, despite it being one of the oldest forms of writing, it has made comeback as new hobby and art form for this generation. For people like me who grew up playing with paper, pen, colors and glue, it is refreshing to see children and youngsters of today, in the age of tablets and gadgets, being introduced to this art because it sets their creativity in action and excites their spirit and imagination.
This new craze has also turned several moms into avid paper and pen enthusiasts, bringing together a new pool of watercolor artists and calligraphers. Armed with brushes, pens, and color palettes, their new found skills have opened doors to a fresh career, making a living out of branding and paper goods.
For some, who do it for a hobby, like bento artist and full-time mom, Russet Cainglet, they utilize this art form as their way of journaling daily reflections and inspirations. Russet, a former child educator, believes her hobby has progressed from a mere passion for literature into an interest in illustrating classic letterforms — giving movement and life to each word through dancing strokes and colors.
Russet’s account online, @thismommyiscrafty, is one of the few I’ve pinned and followed on Instagram. The hand drawn calligraphy videos she creates are so relaxing to the eye and so pleasing to watch that I find myself hitting the playback button from time to time. It’s no wonder that she has amassed a following of over 1,800 followers in such a short span of time, quite a feat for someone who has, as she would claim, “average skills.”
Photo courtesy of Russet Cainglet
“Arts and crafts have always been my thing since I was a child,” shares Russet. “I had foregone my dream of taking up fine arts in college, but the love for colors and everything handmade has stayed on. It just didn’t occur to me, at that time, motherhood would take me back to my first love through different forms of crafting. Everything I make has a purpose in our life, just like my bento boxes. As for calligraphy, it has become a way of bonding with my kids, aside from it being a creative output through which I express my thoughts and vibes. It has given me artistic freedom to voice out and share my reflections, in different strokes.”
As a beginner trying to write calligraphy, it can be a little tough. Just like me, who felt my hands were “too heavy” and my fingers “too chubby” to maintain the difference between fat and thin strokes as the pen goes up and down.
As Russet would put it, “Practice makes you better. Keep writing. As long as you stay true to your intuition and intention, as well as style and voice, you will be able to feel more comfortable and happy with what you do. After all, it is the experience and journey into this learning that makes more sense — more than impressing others.”
“It helps that technology has found a way to reintroduce this classic means of lettering and communication. It has given birth to a share movement wherein people generously show and share how they create their artworks online. That’s how I learned. I would go online and search for tutorial videos and try to follow through the lines.”
According to Russet, every work should bring out your own identity. “How? By following through your own stroke and style. After all, we each have our own penmanship, right? When you learn from tutorials, try not to copy the exact fonts and typeface they are using. Be comfortable in your own style and stokes.”
For inquiries on private calligraphy workshops and events, you may send a direct message to @thismommyiscrafty on Instagram or email tset11@yahoo.com.
Photos courtesy of Russet Cainglet.
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Story published on my newspaper column in Edge Davao.
