Lauren Fitzmaurice - Hand Lettering for Self-Care: Calligraphy Projects to Inspire Creativity, Practice Mindfulness, and Promote Self-Love

Hand Lettering for Self-Care

Calligraphy Projects to Inspire Creativity, Practice Mindfulness, and Promote Self-Love

Lauren Fitzmaurice

Text and photographs copyright 2021 Lauren Fitzmaurice. Design and concept copyright 2021 Ulysses Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication in whole or in part or dissemination of this edition by any means (including but not limited to photocopying, electronic devices, digital versions, and the internet) will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Published in the United States by:

Ulysses Press

PO Box 3440

Berkeley, CA 94703

www.ulyssespress.com

ISBN: 978-1-64604-243-2

ISBN: 978-1-64604-272-2 (Ebook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021937818

Acquisitions: Casie Vogel

Managing editor: Claire Chun

Editor: Renee Rutledge

Proofreader: Barbara Schultz

Front cover design: what!design @ whatweb.com

Cover art: Lauren Fitzmaurice

Interior design: Jake Flaherty

NOTE TO READERS: This book is independently authored and published and no sponsorship or endorsement of this book by, and no affiliation with, any trademarked brands or other products mentioned within is claimed or suggested. All trademarks that appear in this book belong to their respective owners and are used here for informational purposes only. The author and publisher encourage readers to patronize the quality brands mentioned in this book.

For my boys, who inspire me to love, live, and letter every day.

Life is full of twists and turns, stressful days, relaxing nights, laughter, celebration, and so many emotions. We set goals and experience trials and tribulations, achievements, and failures. Sometimes there is a fine line between surviving and thriving. Thats why, through all that life brings, it is so important to focus on yourself, spending time on activities you love. So when life gets tough, I get abrush pen. What, Im the only one? Not for long!

I embarked on the hand-lettering path in the wake of one of the longest years of my life, when I felt completely burnt out and overwhelmed. At five days old, my youngest son, Miles, had undergone open-heart surgery because of a congenital heart defect. He fought and came out of the surgery stronger than ever, which rubbed off on this mama, who spent the next year trying to make sure that he, my other son, Mac, and my husband, Mike, were okay. Doctors appointmentscheck. Dinnercheck. Productivity at workcheck. Time for myself, however, was nonexistent. It was easy to see that all of my energy went into taking care of everyone else and all of my responsibilities.

After 12 long and exhausting months of trying to be the perfect mom, I stumbled upon some posts about calligraphy on Instagram and was immediately intrigued. I had very little knowledge of self-care and was never really that great at it but really felt like I needed a change or something positive to focus on. I didnt realize the self-care aspects of calligraphy at the time. I have always been that girl who has way too many things on her plate and is always looking out for others, but I was in desperate need to find something for myself to focus. In passing conversation with my mom, I mentioned wanting to learn calligraphy as a hobby, and she kindly bought me an online calligraphy class as a gift.

I started lettering, and at first I was terrible and became frustrated easily. But the more I practiced, the less I focused on the stresses and worries of my life. The reward of learning a new skill exceeded my expectations while putting a little pep in my step. As days passed and my lettering skills improved, I found that I was not only taking time for myself, but I began healing too. I felt energized and began sharing my work not only on Instagram, but in all areas of my life. When further challenges came my way, like my sons second heart surgery and other difficult times I encountered, I had a way to cope and find strength through reflection and creativity. Dark times werent so dark anymore. Words and creativity brought hope and encouragement when I needed them most.

Over six years later, I have taught hundreds of people how to letter and love sharing my heart for lettering with everyone I meet. However, the most important person I letter for is still myself. No matter how busy I get or what life throws my way, I know I can overcome it with a little bit of hope, some positive words, my sketchbook, and some lettering supplies.

My hope is that this book can help you choose joy during all of lifes seasons. Take a little lettering break with me! Grab a cup of coffee (or whatever your choice of creative juice), find a comfy spot, and lets get started.

I know, I know, you arent sure lettering is for you just yet. Can lettering truly be a source of self-care and relaxation when it is so brand-new and foreign to you? Yes! Its okay to have questions and be unsure, but lets go over a few frequently asked questions before we dive in. Hopefully the answers to these questions give you confidence and clarity on what actually goes into lettering and calligraphy and your ability to learn this new skill.

Lettering is the art of making beautiful letters with a variety of tools. Theres a common misconception that you have to have good handwriting or be artistic to do lettering or calligraphy, and this just isnt true. Lettering is a learned skill that uses muscle memory to create creative and consistent letters from lots of practice over time. The beauty of hand lettering is that it is created by hand and isnt meant to look like a font. I like to think that there is perfection in the imperfections. Though there are lots of different brush pens and tools out there specifically for the art of calligraphy, you can create hand lettering with any pencil, pen, or marker you have.

LEFTY TIP

Can Lefties Learn Hand Lettering?

Yes, they can! Im actually left-handed. Though it wasnt super-easy to learn, I was able to master the skill, and so can you. To guide you in this endeavor, Ive included little tip boxes just like this one throughout the book specifically for my lefty friends. If you arent a lefty, a few of these tips may actually apply to you too. Dont worry, lefties, Ive got your back!

To enjoy the benefits of hand lettering for self-care, you have to be able to follow the rules. Dont worry, they arent too strict but are really important in creating a healthy and safe space for you to be mindful, creative, and reflective.

Just Start

Simply pick up your pen and get going. If you are waiting to be perfect or to find a better way to learn, all you are doing is spending time worrying when you could be creating. Especially in the beginning, you wont always love what you create, but the most important part is to start creating. The more you practice, the more inspiration will come your way.