Pen and Ink Musings

There is something indescribably magical about about the hand-written word. Have you ever been in an antique store, and opened up an old book or postcard, and thrilled at seeing a hand penned script scrawling across the page, perhaps declaring to whom the book once belonged, or recalling a long-forgotten event? It's like having a little glimpse into someone's life, seeing each unique hand.

I'm not against modern communication. In fact, I'm very thankful for it! I love being able to call, text, and email friends and family at any time, and hear back from them almost instantly. That is a great blessing, if used properly. But - I don't want to loose sight of hand-written communication, records, and drawings, etc. I think all these things are so beautiful and have been neclected for far to long. They are due for a revival.

So, I'll share with you a few of my inspirations and goals in this area, and some of the things you can do to bring back the art of pen and ink.

 Write a letter.

Whether it's a handmade birthday card, a newsy catch-up letter from a friend, or even a long awaited love-letter, there's always a special "something" about recieving a letter in the mail.

Emails and texts are so...casual, so ordinary. Years after you have recieved a certain email, do you go back and pour over it, sigh over the wonderful typefaces? Um....no. Not really. Emails are read, they are useful, then they are forgotten. Chances are you won't even have your electronic messages years from now, as they will have probably been deleted...or lost in a computer crash.

Old-fashioned letters are a different thing. They can be kept, and treasured, taken out of their box and re-read years from now and not loose any of their charm. And, yes, I do keep a box where I store all the letters I wish to keep.

I have an especial fascination with trying to write letters the old-fashioned way. Unlined paper, homemade envelopes, writing in my fanciest script - perhaps even using pen and ink and a wax seal. 

Here are a few fun and helpful articles on the subject of letters from the olden days....

Guidelines for writing 19th C. Letters

How to Post a Letter 19th C. Style

Civil War Love Letters

Journal.

It has long been my goal to keep a journal regularly. Oh, I do have many journals I have filled over the years, but I have not been good about writing in it every day. Something I want to change.

I always take inspiration from reading diarys and accounts from my favorite eras (one of the best is 'Sarah Morgan, the Civil War Diary of a Southern Woman') and thinking how thankful I am that they took the time to write down a day-to-day record of the things happening in their lives. Even the most 'mundane' details are extremely interesting to me (what they were wearing, cooking, what was inside the shop in town....etc.) as a student of history. That's how I try to think about my own journaling. Even if nothing particularly 'epic' is happening, small details and everyday happening are just as important - or perhaps more so because it is these little details that are often forgotten as years blur our memories. And though I don't plan on anyone else reading my journals, it's a neat journey to the past for me to go back and read some of my old volumes, I am always surprised at how many little things I would have forgotten, had it not been for writing it down at the time!

I've always wanted to try other types of journaling too - for instance an inspiration/ephemera/sewing scrapbook/diary. This could include fabric and notions swatches fo future projects, inspirational magazine or book clippings, quotes and sketches. This would also be a fun way to experiment with collages and color combinations, either for future artwork, interior designs, or sewing projects!

Draw.

I have an intense need to draw, and I often feel like I fail, because I push that desire to the back of my mind, 'just until I get this one job done'......Mainly the only type of artwork I do now is dress sketches for upcoming projects.

One of my main goals this year is to paint, draw, and sketch more and varied subjects.

Read.

To really write well, you need to have a good vocabulary. The best way to learn? Read - read challenging books. Books of information, books of fiction, books of history. Books that were written well before our present century.

(Sir Walter Scott, Jane Austen, and Charles Dickens are always a good place to start for the fiction side!)

I could never stand the though of a kindle or electronic book. I realize that they can be useful...and I know they have a place. But I have adamantly refused to have one. Nothing could ever replace the feel and experience of opening a book for the first time (or the fiftieth....:), flipping through the pages, and discovering the adventure anew.

Practice.

Don't like your cursive hand? Think your artwork skills could be improved? Signature is sloppy? Don't have enough discipline to actually finish that long read? (and I'm talking to myself, here) There is only one way to get better - practice, practice, practice. If you become confident with your pen (or pencils, or paintbrush....) all of this will be so much easier and fun!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on old-fashioned paper arts, journaling, penmanship, reading and art. Any tips, ideas, or reccomendations?