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The Art of Calligraphy By Melissa J Wantuck  |
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Wedding etiquette recommends invitations are addressed by hand. For busy brides, the thought of writing dozens, if not hundreds of addresses on envelopes by hand sounds like a lot of time-consuming work. It’s also an uneasy thought for anyone who thinks they don’t have neat handwriting.
Typically we discuss in this column topics to help the happy couple plan their wedding. But there’s another side to wedding planning and it’s for people who offer services to the happy couple.
For anyone looking to make some extra money, did you know about the lucrative business associated with weddings called addressing envelopes? If you have neat handwriting, you’re all set. If you don’t have neat handwriting and this idea interests you, all you need to do is practice writing neater. And for anyone out there interested in writing beautifully, calligraphy is perfect for you.
Learning calligraphy is done the same way you would improve your handwriting: you need to practice. There are many books available that you can get to learn how to write using calligraphy or check out classes in your area that may be offered by a calligrapher. Calligraphy may be an art form but anyone willing to put in the time and effort can do it. It can be well worth the effort if you choose to do so in order to make some money by addressing envelopes.
According to the TheKnot.com (www.theknot.com) calligraphers might charge between $2 and $10 per address, depending on the level of experience. If you’re starting out in the business and charging $1 or less per address, and figure it will take you about one minute to write each address, that’s $60 an hour!
What does it take to become a calligrapher, you may ask? We’ve already mentioned practice. You’ll also need a calligraphy pen. These are fairly inexpensive, $2 to $4. A calligraphy pen is simply a pen with a tip that looks like a line, not a point. The tip of a calligraphy pen is called a chisel point. The chisel allows the writer to sweep back and forth between the think and thin lines in a character.
Next you’ll need an example of a calligraphy alphabet, both lower and uppercase, and numerals. This is available in countless books or in a kit that comes complete with calligraphy pens and tools for practicing.
Jim Bennett is a calligrapher who has been teaching calligraphy for over 25 years. He has written the book Calligraphy for Dummies, part of the popular Dummies® series. Bennett also offers a free calligraphy lesson on his website http://www.studioarts.net/calligraphy/lesson.htm . If you are looking for more than just a book to get started learning calligraphy this Calligraphy Kit by Walter Foster Art Kits offers plenty of tools to get you started, including a book with the alphabet, multiple pens in different colors, and lined paper for practicing.
Once you’ve practiced your calligraphy and are ready to put your talent out for hire, there are a couple simple ways you can advertise your services. First, create sample sheets of your work. Next, establish your price. Take into consideration what you’ll offer for addressing invitations, the outer and inner envelopes, and return addresses. Visit the office of your local paper that prints invitations and ask if you can give them your name and contact information and post fliers on public bulletin boards. Addressing envelopes is a fairly local business so help your business along by using word of mouth advertising as well. Start with your friends and family and ask them to pass on your information.
You’ll want to ask for a respectable length of time to complete the addressing, typically 10 to 14 business days and ask if the bride has any extra envelopes in case of mistakes but you’ll want to keep those to a minimum.
The most patient and practiced calligrapher will be able to make a steady business of addressing envelopes. Have fun with it and enjoy your new trade of beautiful penmanship.
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