Interview with Beck from A small drop of ink calligraphy
Have you ever looked at a wedding invite or place card that has been beautifully scripted and wonder who did it and how long it took to complete? I know I do all the time. Calligrapher Beck from A Small Drop of Ink was kind enough to answer a bunch of questions for us about what goes into this intricate art form. If you’re like me you’ll be blown away by the incredible work she does and the many different scripts she can do!
We cover things like how long it takes to do different pieces, how she helps people narrow down the choices to ultimately land on something that suits them along with lots of other fascinating insights into the world of hand lettering and calligraphy.
Tell us a little bit about yourself, where are you based etc?
Hi! I am Beck. I am based in Bendigo, I moved here from Adelaide at the end of March. I am loving Bendigo so far, country Victoria is absolutely stunning. I currently work in environmental mapping and do calligraphy as a side business. I used to do floristry and transitioned into calligraphy. I love sunsets, interior design and coffee mugs.
How long have you done calligraphy for?
So I got my first dip pen back in 2016, but didn’t take it seriously until maybe 2019? I started my business and instagram page during lockdown in 2020, and it was the best decision I have made!
How did you learn? Workshops, studied at school?
I started by watching videos on instagram, and then moved on to youtube videos. But it was honestly just a lot of trial and error. I researched what tools and nibs worked best. My first in person workshop I attended was in 2019 with Sheng from Musings of Mei Mei, this was a modern calligraphy course, this is probably what ignited my passion to learn more. From here I started getting more serious and bought some books and downloaded practice pages. In 2020 I did an online Flourishing workshop with the incredible Suzanne Cunningham, and this was honestly the most incredible thing. I highly recommend online workshops, especially during these COVID times.
Also, a great tool to learn the strokes and also to get the hang of the thick and thin lines are brush pens! Calligraphy supplies can be pretty daunting and hard to get, so brush pens are a great alternative. Pens like the Pentel Fude Touch Brush Sign pen and the Tombow Dual Brush pen can be found in Officeworks.
Was it something you always liked? I bet you have beautiful handwriting.
So thinking back I have always been a little bit obsessed with handwriting and fonts. When I was doing projects in primary school, the title was always my favourite thing to design and draw ha ha. I love fonts and graphic design as well.
Oh no, my handwriting is very messy. I have always written in cursive, so all my letters join together, but it can look a mess. So for anyone wanting to get into calligraphy, you do not need to have neat handwriting! Calligraphy is all about muscle memory and practice!
Although there are a lot of different ‘styles’ do you have a favourite and why?
This is a tough question! I think my current favourite is Spencerian Script, but that is because I am currently learning it so it is a bit of a challenge. It is a very flourished script with delicate thin writing, so when it is done right it is beautiful. But saying that, I think my all time favourite would be flourished Copperplate. There is just something so beautiful about getting those flourishes to balance around the letters.
Do you have a favourite pen? I don’t know if there are different nibs but do you have a favourite nib?
Yes! My favourite pen holder is by Tom’s Studio, it is called the Carrot. He is in the UK but he makes all of his pen holders by hand. They are made of metal and have such a beautiful weight to them. Another favourite is the Moblique by Luis Creations, it is a fantastic penholder, especially for beginners. It also comes in a range of super cute colours and is such a good price.
My favourite nibs are the Leonardt EF Principal nib and the Hunt 101, these nibs are nicely flexible and give fine upstrokes. Nikko G is also such a great nib.I used this when I first started and I always go back to it.
Are there any colours you like best? Gold always looks so royal like but I'm also a fan of that walnut you used on Insta the other day!
Oh man, anything looks good written in gold! That is definitely a favourite, I also have a beautiful copper ink.
I love white ink on coloured paper, there is something so simple and beautiful about it. Walnut ink is my favourite ink to practice with! It is so easy to use, cheap, and easy to clean! I am so messy and get ink everywhere, so walnut ink is great because it isn’t overly pigmented and doesn’t stain ha ha.
For black in the Moon Palace Sumi Ink is so smooth and easy to use.
You offer all kinds of wedding stationary-place cards, envelopes etc. Do you have a favourite and a least favourite?
I do! I love place cards because they can be done on so many different mediums, like acrylic, or wood etc. I’m currently working on a project using brown leather coasters as place cards, which is working out really well! I am writing the names on them with white ink
I also love doing artworks, like poems, or wedding vows that are getting framed. There is something so satisfying and beautiful seeing the work framed on the wall.
Least favourite is maybe envelope orders? I love doing envelopes, but they probably take me the longest, especially when it is a big wedding! Also address layouts are time consuming!
How do you get people to decide what ‘type’ they like best? I find it so hard to narrow down which one I like best?
This can be tricky. A lot of the time clients do come to me with an idea of whether they want modern or traditional calligraphy. And from here I tend to show them examples of my writing styles and they can select which ones they like. That is why I like to put the range of my styles on my instagram, so clients can see them and get a feel for them.
How would you describe your ideal client (I have an idea they will have an appreciation for art and design)
This is a tough question! I like clients that have a theme in mind and then I can just run with it! This is probably the best, because I can see their vision and it makes it easier to come up with a design plan. Also having the trust level is great. If we both trust each other, then the design process is quite easy and that is when my best work happens.
I’d imagine it to be a very slow precise craft. On average how long does it take you to work through a process from start to finish? Maybe an envelope design compared to a name tag?
It is a slow process. Traditional scripts take me longer to write as they are more precise. I think it maybe takes me 8-10 minutes to write out one address on an envelope. Place cards are quite quick, because they are one name generally. I can probably pump out 1-2 in a minute. Also, lightboxes are a lifesaver! Saves you having to write it out first in pencil and then have to erase it and risk smudging the ink!
Larger commissioned pieces can take a number of days to complete. Ensuring the layout is correct, probably takes the longest. And that is if you don’t make a mistake! I was doing an A3 poem and I was about to start the last paragraph and I knocked my table with my foot and the ink spilled and some drops got on the artwork! I had to start again! Absolute nightmare, but it happens ha ha. It is all part of the job!
Do you offer packages or is it more of an individual choice?
At the moment it is more of an individual choice. But I am excited to get some packages together and start to offer them, keep an eye on my website. I have found some great suppliers so am excited to do some invitation packages as well as signage packages.
Do you do a design then digitalise it and print it on other paper? Can clients pick a certain paper?
Yes I do. So I will either write it out on paper and scan it in and digitise it, or I will write the calligraphy out on my iPad Pro. I then use these on the invitation design. So you can have custom calligraphy on your printed invitations!
I have the most incredible paper supplier, the range of paper types and colours is insane. So for any work I can order a particular paper that suits the needs of the client. I do most of my digital printing through this supplier as well.
As someone who knows nothing about what you do is there anything you would like people who are considering having you design their wedding stationary to know? (There is that old saying that you pay for the x amount of years experience that I imagine lots of people have a hard time understanding)
A lot of clients that come to me don’t understand how long calligraphy can take, and the price that comes with that time. It took me a long time to develop the craft so the price also takes that into consideration and for commissioned work especially, the design process can take longer than it takes me to write the calligraphy. This is my side job, so I am doing this in my spare time!
And due to COVID there have been delays in shipping and getting particular products into Australia. So sometimes getting the products you need can be more expensive, as you have to get it from somewhere else.
Do you have a process to get into the creative flow? Music on-if so what type? Or silence?
I have to have some kind of noise, usually I put on a tv series on my computer that I have watched a million times, like Friends or The Office. I have seen them so much that I can just listen to it and picture what is going on so I don’t have to watch it. My space also has to be very clean. So usually before I start I will go on a massive cleaning spree. I cannot have a cluttered work space, it stresses me out ha ha
What inspires you? Other peoples work, packaging, art?
I would say it is the calligraphy community. I started this page last year and the amount of incredible people I have met, and the amazing support I have received through social media is overwhelming. I am constantly in awe of the work people produce and I think this pushes me to keep practicing and keep producing, and keep getting better. I also have amazing support from my friends and family. They recommend me to other people and share my work.
The wedding community in Bendigo has also been incredibly welcoming. I have met some amazing people and collaborated on some beautiful wedding shoots.
If I am feeling like I am in a bit of a rut, I love to go out for a walk around the neighbourhood when the sun is setting. I love flowers and interior design, so I get a lot of inspiration from people’s houses and gardens. I also love a good sunset, that always inspires me!
Do you take on commissions on other works? (Pieces for the home etc)
Yes I do! I love doing commissioned work. Art works, poems, wedding vows are so great to do. I love the process of layout, to drafting, to doing the final calligraphy. It is so satisfying to get to the end and see the finished product. Especially when a client gets it framed and hangs it on the wall. It is always a proud moment.
What is one random thing about you that people mightn’t know? (You don’t have to answer this if you don’t want!)
I have a Bachelor of Geophysics (I love rocks, science and geology), and a Masters in Environmental Policy and Management. But I wish I did Graphic design or Interior architecture at Uni!
Completely self serving question here and I think I know the answer - Do you think workshops will be on the cards this year?
YES! I am excited to start organising my first round of workshops. I will look at doing a workshop for both modern and traditional calligraphy. I am aiming for Spring (COVID permitting)! So stay tuned!
I’d like to thank Beck for taking the time to answer the mountain of questions I had and give us such a wonderful insight into the wonderful world of hand lettering and calligraphy.
We are also really hoping to host a workshop or two in the near future here at Billy Billy so keep your eyes peeled for more info about that coming soon.
Are you as blown away as I am?! Beck is one talented lady! You can get in touch with her via her website here or follow her on Instagram here