This month our featured artist is the talented Rachel from Writers of Rohan. Rachel has been calming life’s storm with calligraphy since 2017. When she's not melting in the Florida sun, she's creating DIY designs, beautifying her bullet journal, and leading live lettering workshops. For more ideas, check out Writers of Rohan Calligraphy on YouTube and Instagram, where Rachel's quick-talking humor and eye-catching layouts will inspire you to embrace the endless (and messy) possibilities of creativity through lettering.
This month we are lettering on faux pumpkins, the supplies in the box include:
- Mini pumpkins
- Posca Paint Pen
- Molotow Liquid Chrome
- Handmade Inks
- Workbook and Design Layouts
Rachel also shared some tips for lettering on live pumpkins and gourds!
- Always sketch out on paper first to judge size and to practice on a flat surface first.
- Pump your paint pens on paper and write a little before writing on your pumpkin to avoid paint blobs.
- Place your design slightly above the true center of the pumpkin. When your pumpkin is resting on a table, you don’t want the bottom of your design to be hidden!
- Place a piece of washi tape where you want your baseline lettering to sit on your pumpkin.
- Try to find the least bumpy section of your pumpkin to improve writing control.
- Rest the pumpkin on a table while writing, rather than holding in the air for stability.
- Write very slowly. The bumps and ridges on pumpkins can lead to unexpected slips of your pen.
- Rotate your pumpkin while writing. I find my hand is sturdiest when making strokes that pull towards my body (rather than away), and will often turn the pumpkin to imitate that motion as much as possible.
- If you are writing on a real pumpkin that has a waxy surface, you can use a similarly colored water-based marker to sketch out your design. I use an orange Tombow Dual Brush pen on orange pumpkins, for example. You’ll be able to wipe away any mistakes with a damp paper towel, allowing you a trial-run. Then, you can trace over your design with a paint pen like the Sharpie Oil Based Pen. If you act quickly, even paint pen mistakes can sometimes wipe away with water before they have started drying.
- Don’t stress over little mistakes or shakey lettering. Pumpkins are challenging surfaces to write on, but remember to have fun!
Cheers to lettering on tricky and unique surfaces. Once you've tried it, no surface is safe. You always have your hand and pen to create with and we can't wait to see what you come up with! Happy Fall Y'all.