The Edge

When was the first time you picked up a calligraphy pen?

I remember it well! It was one of those cartridge pens, like a Sheaffer or something similar. I thought that cartridge thingy was so cool. I was in seventh grade, and we had a calligraphy workshop at school. Amazing! We learned italic! I loved it and I still have some of my masterpieces from that time, and, you know, they weren’t half bad, considering I was, what, 12 years old, and had never done calligraphy before. I wrote my Dad a Fathers’ Day card, which [...]

When was the first time you picked up a calligraphy pen?

I don’t really know. I was drawing letters and filling them in with various Speedball pens sometime around age 9 or 10 I guess. But I didn’t use the pens to write letters until age 18 or so.

What is the best advice you ever received (lettering or otherwise)?

Challenge what you read and what you are told.

Why do you letter? What keeps you coming back every day?

I don’t do much calligraphy anymore due to the assault that left me with damaged fingers on my right hand. [...]

When was the first time you picked up a calligraphy pen?

I think it was in 1998. But it took me about 6 months to try. I didn't think it was something for me. I didn't know any technique and I had little information about it. In 1999, I started trying in a more patient way, trying to understand how it worked etc. Little by little, I understood and took a chance on some copies. But everything was very difficult.

What's the best advice you've ever received (letters or otherwise)?

Look at the light! (The Counter form) Think of internal [...]

When was the first time you picked up a calligraphy pen?

It was a long time ago...when I was 18 years old and it was hard to find calligraphy pens in my town. I had to place a mail order (there was no internet or Amazon at the time) to get my first set of nibs. In fact, my very first nib was given to me by someone who would later be important to my professional life.

What is the best advice you ever received (lettering or otherwise)?

Incredible to say, but the best advice I received was from a famous [...]

When was the first time you picked up a calligraphy pen?

In January 2000 at our local community calligraphy class. Back to my childhood, I picked a calligraphy brush at age 4.

What is the best advice you ever received (lettering or otherwise)?

One of my calligraphy friends said “Yukimi, it seems good you to stick on calligraphic textures for your entire calligraphy journey” since she knew I loved textures. Whenever I get lost my way, I recite her words. “Live honestly” from my father has been always in my body, and “follow your own path” by Ann Heckle [...]

When was the first time you picked up a calligraphy pen?

Early 1970”s at an Adult education class with Franklin Hansen – I still have my notes.

What is the best advice you ever received (lettering or otherwise)?

In a sign painting class – do not try for perfection in class – this is where you make your mistakes, so that the instructor is available to critique your work and answer all your questions.

Why do you letter? What keeps you coming back every day?

Challenging—Lettering is like a puzzle, the various pieces come together to fill a space [...]

When was the first time you picked up a calligraphy pen?

The first time I picked up a calligraphy pen was in the early 80’s. I saw a calligraphy fountain pen in an office supply store with some samples of written text. I was captivated, I wanted this too! Soon after, I went to school for graphic arts and printing, and letter writing/calligraphy was part of the curriculum in the first year. These were the best lessons for me. I often think back to Henk Verkamman, my teacher at the time. It was during this time that I got to [...]

When was the first time you picked up a calligraphy pen?

I learned calligraphy in a high school graphics art class in the Bronx. I loved it from that moment on. I still have my final project from that class.

What is the best advice you ever received (lettering or otherwise)?

The best advice I ever received was, “Do the best that you can in the place where you are, and be kind.” These are the words of my back-to-the-land mentors, Helen and Scott Nearing, and I’ve been following that advice since my early twenties. [...]

When was the first time you picked up a calligraphy pen?

I was around 13, and during art class our teacher passed out paper, ink, holders, and Speedball B nibs. I was enthralled by the rich, black, juicy strokes that appeared on the paper. We worked with them for a week, and I didn’t want it to end. It wasn’t until 18 years later that I took a formal calligraphy class, but I’ve never forgotten that early experience or that teacher.

What is the best advice you ever received (lettering or otherwise)?

Always try to sit next to the smartest [...]

When was the first time you picked up a calligraphy pen?

I started my formative writing with a tiny broad-nib pen in Italic when I was a child at school. There was an inkwell on the side of the sloped drawing table and I got to fill these wells as class ink monitor with bottled ink we made from powdered sachets. My formal calligraphy training started when I left school as I was eager to explore more of the lettering arts.

What is the best advice you ever received (lettering or otherwise)?

Otherwise: save all your pennies and study through [...]