The Art of Whimsical Lettering (12 page)

I often just use freeform, loose watercolor or acrylic paintbrush strokes to cover an entire page.

Simple painted lines, patches of layered color, and stenciled shapes make perfect backgrounds for lettering work.

Using spray inks and acrylic paint with stencils, stamps, sponges, and bubble wrap adds interesting dimension and depth on a patterned surface.

My signature style with whimsical lettering is illustrating quotations and inspirational sayings. Since high school, I have collected thousands of inspirational words and quotes to illustrate in my journals, on paper, or in artwork. I’m energized by words with purpose and by making art with meaning behind it, especially if it touches others. In this chapter, I share some of my favorite quotations and artwork inspired by them.

Two of my most treasured pieces of art are those that I created for my parents when I was still in school.

My dad was my biggest cheerleader in life, always encouraging me to be an artist and fly with the wings of talent that I was born with. One of his favorite quotes was, “Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.” For Father’s Day one year, I illustrated that verse for him on a painting. It hung in his office for seventeen years. It’s just a simple watercolor with some black ink lettering, but this artwork holds great power over my thoughts and memories, and I see how I have grown up as an artist.

While I’m sharing my early artwork with you, let’s embrace the topic of “perfection.” Have you ever made a piece of art, completed it, and realized you made a gigantic error? I have: my parent’s anniversary gift in 1984. I spent hours painting a perfect watercolor illustration, lettering the words to “Through The Years” by Kenny Rogers, their favorite song. Perfection I thought! I was so excited to give it to them. That was until they opened it at a party in front of fifty people. Everyone loved the painting, but then my dad leaned toward me and gingerly whispered, “You forgot a word.” WHAT?!!!!!! It was in the
first
line of the fifty hand-lettered lines. I was mortified, but don’t think anyone really noticed. This “imperfection” made the most wonderful memory and life lesson for me. I really couldn’t “fix” the painting; it was already under glass. I probably would have made it worse by trying to alter the error anyway.

When I look at this thirty-year-old painting, I see it as a symbol in my own life, knowing that my authentic personal perfection is embracing the “perfectly imperfect” human that I am. And I like it, it’s freeing. It’s okay to make a mistake, especially when your heart is in the right place.

Technique sampler with dimensional paint, acrylic paint markers, assorted pens, and collage elements.

The main message is lettered with frisket, causing it to pop out from a colorful watercolor background.

Mixing up alphabet styles with assorted pens and markers on a black gesso background.

The large lettering was created with watered-down acrylic paint in an eyedropper. The negative spaces were then filled with watercolors, and black Pitt pen writing was added over the watercolor.