#Illuminated writing pdf
#Illuminated writing full
#Illuminated writing plus
#Illuminated writing series
#Illuminated writing free

Please use the technique that fits your preferences and your schedule best! However, as the mother to two young children, I have to embrace project shortcuts when I can. Of course, you could freehand draw something inspired by the Arabesque letters pictured above. Alexander Nesbitt died in 1995, but his legacy lives on through this collection of letters that he generously shares with us, copyright free! The alphabet I used for the PDF/this tutorial is from page 93, and it features an arabesque design.

#Illuminated writing full

It’s a book full of copyright-free alphabets that has continued to inspire me over the years! If you’re interested, you can find this book on Amazon. To make the Illuminated Letters Printable Alphabet, I enlarged an alphabet from Decorative Alphabets and Initials. Once you’ve drawn over all the guidelines, you’re finished! If you want, you can add a few black circles along lines here and there to give the piece additional contrast. Watch your nib for stray fibers handmade paper tends to part with its fibers quite easily! You’ll probably find yourself re-dipping your nib in ink often because handmade paper is more absorbent than most other papers. Give yourself plenty of time to complete this step! It took me 45 minutes.ĭrawing on handmade or watercolor paper with a dip pen and ink is something you should do carefully and cautiously. The Nikko G nib is a medium-flex nib, which means you’ll be able to achieve a consistent line width.

#Illuminated writing series

I chose to use this particular ink/nib combination for a reason: Yasutomo’s KY series sumi ink doesn’t have shellac in it, which means it dries a brilliant matte black. You will be rewarded with brilliant liquid gold, which you can then use to fill in the rest of the letter and its flourishes! If you find that the gold watercolor becomes unmanageably thick, simply stir more water into it.Ĭontinue to paint until the letter and the decorations around it are filled with brilliant gold.Īt this point, you’re almost done! All you need to do is trace over any remaining pencil guidelines with sumi ink and your Nikko G nib. Let the water sit for about a minute, then use your paintbrush to mix the water and the paint together. I chose to use violet ink for this letter, but other colors work well, too.īefore you begin this step, add a few drops (1/4 tsp or so) of water to your gold watercolor. If the ink looks too dark, then add some water to your ink-saturated paintbrush to lighten it up a bit. Now, use your paintbrush to apply violet ink (or watercolor) to the outside letter outline and any blank spaces inside the letter. Once you’re finished, your letter will look something like the “S” below. You can use washi tape to secure the edges of the handmade paper to the letter template. Once you can see the outline of the letter, lightly trace over it with a pencil. Try your best to line up the edges of the paper with the black guidelines around the letter! Then, put both pieces of paper on a light box (or against a bright window). Then, place the watercolor (or handmade) paper over the printed letter page. Traceįirst, print out a letter from the Illuminated Letters Printable Alphabet.

Violet India ink(or any color of watercolor I used purple watercolor in the video tutorial)ĭOWNLOAD THE ILLUMINATED LETTERS ALPHABET 2.

Sumi ink (I keep mine in this glass jar).

#Illuminated writing pdf

Printed letter of your choice from the Illuminated Letters Printable Alphabet (you can learn more about this PDF at the end of this tutorial).

5″ x 7″ piece of watercolor paper(or handmade paper I’m using Indian Cotton Paper Co.

They include everything shown below, which I’ll explain under the photo. You’ll need a few key supplies to create this tutorial. If you prefer to follow along in video format, watch this ~15 minute tutorial video:ĭOWNLOAD THE ILLUMINATED LETTERS ALPHABETĭo you prefer written instructions? Keep reading!Įasy Illuminated Letter Tutorial (Written Instructions) 1.

#Illuminated writing plus

I’ll share that PDF, plus my process, with you in this tutorial

#Illuminated writing free

Believe it or not, this (modern) illuminated letter is pretty easy to make because I used one vital shortcut: a free printable alphabet PDF. Today’s project is a gorgeous, totally frame-worthy gift that doubles as a greeting card or a “just because” paper good.

When I need a cool little gift for someone, I make an illuminated letter. This illuminated letter comes together easily with the help of a free printable!