Free Valentine's Gift Art Print

Below you will find a link to drop box folder that includes files for a professional photograph and a hi-res scan, either of which can be used to print an art-quality print up to poster size. Permission is hereby given for anyone to use this to make prints for family, home, church or other use that is non-commercial. You may try your own color printer, or put the file on a thumb drive and take it to a color copier or a photo printshop. It fits well on an 8 1/2 x 11 paper and I hear that Costco will do poster prints for only $6. In Jefferson City, you can get inexpensive 11x17 color copies at the UPS store near Schnucks.

OK, an added warning for do-it-yourselfers: if you open an image in a viewer or even photoshop, it usually opens at just 72 dpi, which is plenty for viewing on a screen but will not print up nicely. You might want to be careful that when you save the file it is the whole thing, and if you go to a print/copy shop, you can ask them to make sure it is printing at 300 dpi. This might mean they take it back into photoshop and increase the resolution. In Jefferson City they are really helpful at the UPS store by Schnucks and will make sure it is top quality, and you can use heavy photo paper there if you want it extra nice. Even if you  take it directly to a photo place like Walgreens or Costco, make sure you find out if you have the file at top quality uless you are printing it fairly small.

 https://www.dropbox.com/s/slz7wc73w3doleh/Merrell%20%EF%80%A0Book%20of%20Mormon%EF%80%A0.jpg?n=145153546


 https://www.dropbox.com/s/13a315t74fafusk/Book%20of%20Mormon%20big.psd?n=145153546

The jpg should be good enough for most any purpose, the second (huge) file is a scan  for printing really large.

Feel free to print these for those you home or visit teach, for your own home, for anyone you feel could use it. BUT no permission is given for any commercial use, only free gifts.

(If you think it's odd that I picked a quote about the Book of Mormon, here's a link to getting you a free copy in case you are curious just what's its about. http://mormon.org/free-book-of-mormon)

If you have any trouble getting the file, e-mail me through the website home "contact me" and I will send you a link directly.

Please feel free to pass this along, spread it around, share anywhere you like!

Family Trees

Family Tree in calligraphy by Joan Merrell in Jefferson City MO, circa 1999?

One of the first large jobs I ever did on commission was a family tree. The client had an old xerox that was about three pages taped together lengthwise and written out with quite a few mistakes due the the transcriber not understanding the original German.
I had a bit of difficulty coming up with a nice layout. Many times I wished I could take a few children and move them from one family to another to balance things out. Fortunately the client didn't have a deadline, as I found that after working on it for a while I would have to give up and put it aside, sometimes for a couple of months. Eventually I did work out something I liked, using lettering appropriate for the German. I was lucky to have a husband who knows some German and was able to help with correcting some of the text.
I used walnut ink on Nidegen paper.

A few years later, I was asked to fill in a Martha Stewart family tree. This was more nerve-wracking, as I wasn't sure I could correct anything and I had to fit some long names in some tiny spaces. I thought I had really messed up until I realized that one section was repeated because there were common ancestors.

The most recent family tree job was filling out a Fraktur print, which included a little creative correcting of the form to fit in some large families.

detail of purchased family tree print from client with names filled in

I've tried designing a large papercast tree where family members can have names on paper leaves that fit indentations in the casting, but then I realized that ancestors are more roots than leaves, which put the whole thing on the back burner.

Paper Cast Certificate of Appreciation

cast paper certificate, hand done in a mold carved by the lettering artist in polymer clay

Recently I completed three more castings for the Missouri Hospital Association. A few years ago they requested some form of certificate that could be reproduced and have the names and dates filled in as necessary. Making a calligraphic papercasting mold gave them something really unique that their retirees have enjoyed receiving. Some day I'll have to see if I can go back and figure out how many I have done altogether.

this calligraphic papercasting shows raised lettering as well as opposite "indented" letters) cast with cotton linters in a polymer clay mold

     I usually don't write on a cast surface, it is not friendly to writing. I have not yet figured out a good way to be able to write with pen and ink, so I have to use a pointed brush to fill in letters transferred on from pen-designed rough drafts, using acrylic ink after spraying with fixative to help seal. I do enjoy making each name different, using whatever style seems to work well for the length of the name in the available space, as well as looking good with the particular combination of letters.

learn papercasting through tutorials on this blog

     So far the mold has lasted quite well, though occasionally I have to repair small bits. It gets tricky when there are extra words and dates because they have to be quite small, but I have gotten plenty of experience making the castings and now they always come out quite crisp. I keep my eye out for various decorative textured papers or mats for mounting them on, even though it doesn't show very much. I tired other colors but the gold works well -  including the way it shows up differently if different light similar to the way the cast letters show up according the available light.
    So, if you want one, just get onto the board of trustees.................... or learn to make your own castings through the tutorials on this blog :) or through workshops for your group or guild.

Two Versions of a Favorite

Some of you are familiar with a print I did a few years ago that started out as a Mother's Day gift for women at our local church (giclee prints now for sale on Etsy, by the way:)

Some time later, I had a commission to do the same quote in two parts, so they could go on either side of a family photo, and to adapt it to the taste and decor of the client. I spent a lot of time trying different versions because the client is a good friend and I really wanted it to be "right". It's an interesting challenge to make things balance when the quote doesn't divide right in half and the words worth emphasizing are not evenly distributed either. Pretty sure I'm not the first calligrapher to want to rewrite something to better fit - the first family tree I did I really, really wanted to move a few kids to another family.
But I think it was successful in the end.

You can see that some things are similar, like using capitals for emphasis and contrast, and fairly clean and simple letters. Both are written out in gouache on backgrounds done with "saran wrap" technique on watercolor paper. (Arches 90 lb. hot press)

Wedding Painting

I recently was asked to take a painting done by Robin Lee and write out a couple's wedding vows. They had been intrigued by the Ketubah tradition and wanted something similar that could be signed during the ceremony. Since they liked Robin's work, they commissioned a painting from her that was then sent to me to write on. I've written on canvas with metal pens before but not on surfaces done by others, so I had to do a little research to make sure it would work. I ended up spraying lightly with a fixative to give the acrylic paint surface a bit of "grab" and then used acrylic gouache so I could have more control over flow. It was still a little erratic but did OK. I worked out a style that seemed to fit the painting style and could be done at a size to fit the wording (it is a the shorter of two versions sent me, fitting in more just wasn't going to work)
You see the signatures added on Robin's facebook page

And here's a closer look at the lettering, done with a clipped EF66 nib and acrylic gouache with a little acrylic black ink added to get it dark enough since I usually only have red, yellow and blue in acrylic gouache. Of course, to ensure the fairly "flush right" margin I had to do some extra layout and tracing work.

 I had to varnish it since the painter kindly didn't make me write over varnish, and since the gouache didn't adhere as tightly as painting acrylic paint on, I used a conservation quality spray varnish to make sure not to disturb the lettering while adding protection. It did make me realize that some of my previous canvas work probably should not have gone out of here without a protective coat!

Here's an example of a Ketubah by a calligrapher I know, and a gallery-full by another . I have done a wedding certificate or two where all the guests sign it, such as for Quaker weddings.

8: Critique Tutorials for PaperCasting

Anyone who is trying out the process, please let me know any problems or confusion so I can edit and improve the tutorials. Send to joan.merrell@gmail.com
Also, if you send photos and descriptions of problems with test castings, I could use them in the "how to fix your molds" segment upcoming :)

STEP 6: Making your PaperCasting

Okay, those of you who have stuck with it to this point should have:
-planned your design (for your first try it could be something very small and simple)
-conditioned and rolled your clay (if your design is not small, there's also a post on joining strips of clay)
-transferred the design onto the clay
-cut, backed, and baked your mold
(if not, click on the links and go for it!)

Hooray! you are ready to make your test casting. There's a lot of detail here for those who really want a crisp, top-quality casting - you can just plop in some pulp and sponge the water out and see how it turns out if you aren't picky or want a rough look - but you won't be able to tell what defects you might have in the mold.

First you make some pulp. You will need a blender, a strainer, plastic tubs/bowls, cotton linter or paper, methycellulose optional. For filling your mold you will need flat toothpicks, clean flat sponge, thin terrycloth towel.This will not hurt your blender nor make it toxic. (Rinse or wash new sponges - sometimes the color bleeds)

I like to use cotton linters from Twinrocker but you can use other cotton linter, or cheap watercolor paper from a pad from the crafts store, or good paper scraps from your friendly print- or book-maker --- or just about any paper in a pinch but I really think you will be happier with something nice, like a good pure cotton. You will get good detail and no discoloration over time. You won't get a crisp result with paper towels, toilet paper, etc. I'd use copy paper quality at least.

Your first casting is your test casting to see how the mold works, so using pure white will make that easier - it helps you see detail.

Using additives is optional but I learned that I get the best results with a little methycellulose to help all elements of the casting adhere better. You must add it while the water is moving, using the hole in the lid of the blender. It takes less than half of a 1/4 tsp. measure for one blenderful of water. Some papermakers add a little PVA (white glue - teaspoon per blenderful maybe)

If you use sheets of cotton linter, you will need a piece a little larger than your casting mold.  Don't worry about making too much as it's easy to save for another time.

Fill the blender with water, start it blending and gradually pour in a small amount of methycellulose if you have it. While it blends, put the lid on the methylcellulose jar and then put center plug back in the lid of the blender, and by then it will have blended enough.
Tear up the linter sheet into pieces about 1" and drop in. It takes a little experience to tell how much - probably not over about 6x7 inches total. If you are using paper instead of linter, it helps to let it soak a while. Blend until you feel it is pretty evenly soupy - maybe a minute. Pour into a strainer over a bowl or plastic container and shake around a bit until some of the water is out and it's a very wet lump. Dump into another container. You can put the water back in the blender and add more linter and blend again.

Set your mold in front of you, have some flat toothpicks (not round pointy ones), a clean flat sponge, and a fairly thin terry towel handy. Unless there are no narrow or deep parts to your mold, you will probably have to "toothpick" it to ensure a really crisp casting. This is done by taking a small blob of pulp and setting it near the part you are working on, teasing a little bit into a shape similar to the hole and putting it in. You can use fingernails for really tight bits, but mostly the toothpick works well to tamp it down in. Make sure you get pulp into all the corners and don't feel the hard clay of the mold when you push down with the toothpick. It takes a little practice but you can tell by feel and sometimes by look whether you have enough pulp in. You don't want it hard, just somewhat firm with no holes where the clay is not well covered. If your backing is colored, you shouldn't see the color through the pulp. Note: We are still filling only the holes or depressions in your mold. Sponge off excess water and push pulp all down in.

When you feel you have gotten all the depressions filled and sponged off to check, you will cover the whole mold with blobs of pulp. After initial "patting" down to make the blobs spread to cover it all, you should have it more than 1/4 inch thick all over.
You will need to gently slap it with the flat of your hand - you should hear "slap" and see some water flying. Think patting someone's cheek. Keep pushing it back in toward the middle from around the edges so it is within your borderlines or near your raised or lowered edging. You should slap it for some time until it becomes a cohesive sheet - you will tell a difference. Turn it so you are slapping from different directions. This takes a couple of minutes or so. If it just won't smooth out, you have gotten it too dry. All pulp put into or on the mold should be pretty wet. You should need to sponge up puddles underneath the mold now and then.

When you think it is smooth and cohesive, make sure it is all in close or within the edge you want, then make the "deckle" by using your fingertips to tap the outer edge until it is very thin, you should see the clay through it. If you see clay anywhere else though, add more wet pulp.
Check the evenness of your edges and then start sponging water out. Lay the sponge down and gently press, allow to come back up and suck out water. Squeeze it out into your container and move to a new spot. Now is the time your deckle "sets" so check it closely -- if you need to add pulp, make it very wet and pat into place. You can gently pull back  if the pulp is too close or going off the edge.
When you are happy with your edge, continue sponging until you can't get much of any water out any more.

Now you "towel". Lay your  towel on top of the pulp and press with fairly flat fingers all over your mold. Lift up, move to a dry part of towel and do it again.Now turn the mold, move the towel, and press more. Keep towel-pressing until it's hardly damp. You should be feeling depressions in the mold and see some of them and have a firm surface. If your fingers aren't tired you probably haven't done enough, especially if the mold is large.

If you are anxious to see it, lean the mold near moving air from a vent. I usually keep a stiff cardboard (or a tile) underneath as the clay will sag. A small fan is OK but often the edges will dry too fast and start to warp - you can put weight on the corners to help flatten while the rest dries. Do not try to take out your casting until it is quite thoroughly dry or the letters may stay in while the backing comes off!. I always allow at least overnight to dry unless there's a good reason to speed things up.

To remove the casting use something like a butterknife or letter opener to slip under the edges and work your way around and around, gently working it up.If it seems to stick, take your time, keep oging aroudn coaxing gently.. If bits do stay in the mold you can get them out with a pin and glue on with with PVA.

Other problems will be addressed in "Fixing and Refining Your Mold" to follow.
Feel free to send questions!

This is much easier to demo than to write about, you can get personal help and learn many variations on these basic techniques by having a workshop in your area.
Or, stay tuned for information about online classes where we will go step by step through several projects with feedback - not as fun as live workshops but it won't matter where you are, and there will be a "group" to experience it with.