‘I love the neat, flowing shapes of calligraphy’
When Marylis Ramos was given a set of calligraphy pens, she went on a creative journey.
Ioften wake up early and sit at the table with my pens and a sheet of smooth paper. In the quiet of the morning, I press the nib into the paper and adjust the pressure in smooth movements to create looped, whimsical letters. I can completely lose myself in the rhythm of calligraphy.
As an architect, I’ve always been creative. I now work as a director of sustainability and research with a London firm, so a lot of my work is done with a computer, rather than with my hands, like it used to be.
Balancing being a mum to my son, Griffin, six, and leading a team of consultants can be demanding. My partner, Beinn, bought me a set of calligraphy pens after having a hunch that I might enjoy it. I’d done a lot of drawing in the past, but buildings are very different to intricate lettering. I looked online for tutorials and found websites offering free worksheets to download.
From the beginning, I loved calligraphy. If I start something,
I like to do it properly, so I spent hours perfecting each curve and making sure that transitions between different levels of pressure were smooth. The pressure put on the nib affects the width of the lines, so you can constantly adjust how hard you press the nib and the direction you move it in. Mastering everything isn’t straightforward, but it’s necessary to create the neat, flowing shapes of calligraphy that I fell in love with.
I decided to push myself and signed up for a workshop. We focused on creating beautifully addressed envelopes. I was inspired to try new forms of
Calligraphy was my hobby; I couldn’t believe that I had my first commission!
calligraphy, so I bought books on the subject and found more videos online.
For me, the best time to practise is in the morning. I find that my concentration flows into the rhythm of the pen, so I can switch off from stresses. In the evenings, I practise with Griffin. If he manages a good loop on his ‘y’, he gets excited. I’ve even taught a workshop at his school. Calligraphy can be done with marker pens, even at six years old. It was great to see how quickly the children took to it.
At first, I was gifting quotes that I had written to friends, then I asked a wedding venue if they needed a calligrapher to produce invites. They said yes, and I was surprised when they also offered me a last-minute stand at their wedding fair. I’d never exhibited anything before so, two days prior, I pulled together menu and place card samples. At the fair, a couple spotted my work and asked me to design their wedding stationery. Calligraphy was my hobby; I couldn’t believe that I had my first commission!
The best tip I’ve been given is to date each practice sheet, so I can see how I’ve improved. Learning a new skill might seem daunting, but there’s no age limit for creativity and it’s amazing to see how far I’ve come. Calligraphy definitely won’t be the last new skill that I learn.