We never cease to be amazed by the creative uses people find for their Paperblanks journals. It’s no secret that we’re fans of the art of calligraphy, so we’re especially excited to get the chance to Peek Inside Kimberley’s notebook this month and see the steps she takes to create her calligraphic entries. About her journals, she writes:

My name is Kimberley and I have written this for Paperblanks demonstrating the different styles possible for writing calligraphy. You can find me on Instagram by the username kimbi123, to see some of my ways of writing.

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I’ve been practicing and writing calligraphy for just over three years now, and have learnt many new styles. I have experimented with many different tools, paper and quills, and over the years have developed my own preferred style. I was inspired by the cursive writing of the 1700s and 1800s, loving the relaxed “letter” style.

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As I experimented with my new pens and quills, I became a lot more confident and had a go at many different styles. I learned how to correctly use the tools, and used different types of paper.

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However, none of the books I wrote in compared to Paperblanks journals. The thick, smooth paper allowed me to write easily as the paper never bleeds the ink or shows through to the other side. I was really surprised as I am usually disappointed by books that are beautiful, but are mass produced and have low quality in their pages. This was not the case for my Paperblanks notebook. Paperblanks books and journals are clearly produced with quality, and the older-looking covers make them a clear standout from the crowd. This sheer quality comes in handy when I create decorative first letters that use lots of ink, and must have faith in my tools that they won’t let me down. The picture below shows the tools, quills and pens I use to create my calligraphy:

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I prefer to use quills, as I can make the lines thicker or thinner by applying more or less pressure. They allow me to be free with my writing, and create any font I wish. Writing in a Paperblanks book:

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Writing in an average exercise book makes my work crinkly:

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If I could give advice about writing calligraphy, it would be to use the correct utensils and books needed. You must never buy anything cheap that will make your writing harder and messy. I use quality quills and pens made by Sheaffer, bought at Pen City, Melbourne. I highly recommend writing only in Paperblanks journals, as they can be used for so many different purposes and styles of writing. Enjoy!!

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About Paperblanks: At Paperblanks, we believe that art should have a place in all aspects of life. That’s why we follow the artist’s way in everything we do – creating, crafting and releasing designs we believe have the power to touch people. For more about Paperblanks, go to our website at paperblanks.com.

14 COMMENTS

  1. Wow Kimberley!! This is amazing work!! It’s good to see someone keeping the tradition of old English writing alive!!

    Follow her amazing Instagram: kimbi123

  2. Fantastic to see such beautiful calligraphy and so many different techniques. Writing skills is unfortunately something we are all loosing as technology takes over.

    • Hi Raymond,

      We agree – in our digital age it is becoming ever more important to celebrate writing skills. It is inspiring to see that people like Kimberley are still practicing the art of calligraphy, and making it something hip and modern!

      Best,
      The Paperblanks® Team

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