Collaged Lettering is My New Fun Find!

Lettering has always been a struggle for me. I think it started with typography class in art school. I don't know why I struggled with it. Calligraphy class was a breeze but not this one. Was it because of the preciseness of things? Maybe the geometry of it? By the way, geometry was the only math class I actually understood and managed to get a B on.

But then I joined this wonderful thing called Workshop Week. It was something that popped up on my Instagram feed. As I sit here typing, I can't, for the life of me, remember who was sponsoring it. Workshop Week was like the Curious Mondo Polymer Clay Symposium that I took part in last March. Every day for a week, several teachers come with a tutorial that you get to watch for free. You can buy the entire set of classes too.

The classes that caught my attention were the ones on lettering, of course. But there was one that I particularly wanted to see. It was Lynn Giunta's class on Lettering Collage. And there was the kind of lettering I knew I wanted to do.The very same day, I fished out my mixed media pad, started marking papers, and dove in.

First attempt at collaged lettering

I even signed it because Lynn said it's never quite done until you put your signature on your piece. It's a great way to use up bits and pieces of paper--the ones you just couldn't throw away because they weren't small enough or messed up enough. After making the first, I knew this was something I'd be doing without hesitation. The number of words in a quote might be tricky but as long as you're not dealing with a whole paragraph, it works very well. In fact, I think short quotes are better when trying to get a message across--like slogans.

A few days later, I had an idea for another collaged lettering piece. I was rewatching Rent one evening while winding down and crocheting. The next day, the words "no day but today" kept running over and over in my head. That meant it had to be expressed in some form, so ta-dahhh!

No Day But Today collaged lettering

I liked it so much, I decided to make an embroidered version of it. That one's coming along and working with thread is also just a lot of fun. Next time, though, I'll try not to be lazy and swap out the primed canvas for just plain cloth. Time I was kinder to my arthritic fingers!

The next one was a quote from John Steinbeck. If you have not read East of Eden, give it a try. It's one of the books I revisit every now and then.

Now That You Don't Have to be Perfect

More words for that one but for some reason, it went very quickly. I did use one of those fancy punches for the flowers--is that cheating? Cheating or not, I decided I didn't want to fussy cut little flowers. I have two little punches that I keep close by--that flower one and one that makes little circles. I have a big one that cuts out bigger circles too. Some things you just have to have.

The next one is my attempt at making peace with summer. It's my least favorite season. I get what a doctor once called a "solar burn." I have to have the right sunscreen and be mindful of how long I'm under the sun. Otherwise, my skin starts to itch and burn. I also don't do well in the heat--I sort of wither. My lovely neighbor Noreen likes to drag her chair to where it's sunny on their driveway, sit with her Kindle and a cold drink, and soak up the sun while reading. No hat.

Hello Summer collaged piece

Yesterday I decided it was time to make another while waiting for a few materials for other projects to arrive. Another song, this time, and the version I first heard was sung by Ronan Keating. Later on, I learned it was made popular by Lee Ann Womack. I Hope You Dance has lyrics that resonate with me. It's about taking chances, choosing to be alive, staying curious.

I Hope You Dance lettering collage

I found paper that I had used a butterfly punch on. I don't have the punch anymore--I may have given it away or something. That happens. But when I saw it in my stash, I thought it would be a nice touch. The "dance" here doesn't just allude to physical dancing so incorporating all kinds of movement or change or attempts at it was key.

That's it so far. If I can come up with a few more, I'm thinking of turning them into cards and posters. Whether that happens or not, I'm really happy about learning this kind of lettering from Lynn. You can find and follow her on Instagram at lynn_giunta. Then maybe dig up those papers and start cutting!