Happy Cyber Monday! Good grief the year is flying by so quickly. I've been meaning to write the reprise to my
first gift guide for over a year now. Here it is. If you've got a calligraphy/letter lover in your family, hold on to your pants. My online class at
Calligraphy.org is 10% off with code CYBER2016 from now until 11/30/2016. Discount available on gifts (hint: gift it to yourself, it's always a good idea).
If you yourself are a calligraphile, forward this to your family and friends. Clue them in to the hottest, awesomest stuff to gift this year. I've broken it up into 3 price tiers: budget-friendly, mid-range and SPLURGE! All tools are great for all experience levels. They're tools that I have in my own studio (or ones that I'm lusting after myself). If you have any questions at all, give me a shout-out in the comments below. I'm happy to reply.
BUDGET FRIENDLY
- Ruler: This rolling ruler allows you to easily make parallel lines! It's awesome. I use it constantly.
- Gold watercolor inks: Add water and apply to the underside of the nib to make gold ink. These come in separate containers that are tiny and portable.
- Adjustable oblique holder: Your loved one looking to graduate from the speedball universal? This is a fabulous holder that works with a wide range of nibs, even crowquills.
- Zig twin brushes: These brushes have a foam cone, so they don't fray or dull. They're great for beginners, heavy-handed letterers or the busy mom & pop that have mischievous children.
- Copic Gasenfude: It's a nylon brush marker that has a springy touch and juicy ink that won't quit.
- Copperplate nib sampler: Give your calligrapher the option to explore nibs he/she hasn't tried before.
MID-RANGE
- Sakura Koi watercolor set: It's compact, comes with a fabulous water-brush. The pigments are brilliant and archival. Great for your artist on-the-go.
- Calligraphy.org Gift Kit: I'm biased, but these kits include one-on-one coaching for brush and pointed pen calligraphy. So if your letter-lover has no idea what he/she is doing, we can help. Or we can push him/her farther with off-script challenges.
- A really nice brush for watercolor: I think everyone should have at least one sable brush in their supplies.
- A leather blotter: it helps get finer, smoother hairlines to write with a blotter underneath your work. or you can customize it for a little extra splurge. Mike Ward makes the most beautiful signatures.
SPLURGE