Artist Interview: Lettering with Lauren of Renmade Calligraphy!
Today, I want to introduce you to Lauren Fitzmaurice, who is a fellow let handed calligrapher! She has a really bright and cheerful lettering style. At the bottom of the page, I have listed some of Lauren’s favourite tools, if you’re curious 🙂 Take a look! Now, let’s hear more from Lauren herself-
Hey lovelies! I’m Lauren, the Ren of @renmadecalligraphy. I’m a lefty calligrapher and hand letterer who is obsessed with letters, donuts, glitter, and all things lovely! I’m also a full time elementary teacher, a wife, and a mom to the sweetest and silliest two little boys ever. I started lettering in January of 2015 with pointed pen calligraphy but picked up my first brush pen a year ago. I am also a member of the Tombow USA Design Team and absolutely love Tombow brush pens. I also adore being a member of the calligraphy community and have met some of my very best friends right here through sharing my work through Instagram. I’d love to make new #calligrafriends too, so look me up on IG!
A lettering tip –
It is so important to have fun and find your own style through the process of practicing modern calligraphy. I love to blend colors using my Tombow USA brush pens, try new colors and media, and take new approaches to letters. My biggest tip is to find your own style through lettering. This takes tons of practice but will make your lettering unique and will make it so much more fun! Also, a tip for the lefties is that I always turn my paper to the right about 45 degrees so that my paper is at an angle and its easier to see what I’m writing without smudging. Happy lettering, friends!
If you were on stage right now, how would you introduce yourself? (You can brag! Think TedX or maybe an exhibition of your work.)
Hi, lovelies! I’m Lauren (my besties call me Ren), the owner and letterer behind Renmade Calligraphy. I’m a left handed letterer and calligrapher who is absolutely obsessed with letters. I do all of my lettering in my spare time around being a wife, mom to two sweet and hilarious little boys, and a full time elementary teacher. I feel like lettering has added so much to my life and given me the balance it needed through some busy and tough times. It is amazing how adding just a few hours of a hobby for yourself can make you a better, all around more effective person. I feel like I am currently the best wife, mom, and teacher I have ever been and I think much of that is allowing myself to take part in an activity that uses my creativity, relaxes me, and brings me constant joy and inspiration.
When did you first really get interested in lettering and calligraphy?
I started lettering and calligraphy in January of 2015 with pointed pen calligraphy and then picked up my first Tombow brush pen about a year after that!
What are your favourite art tools and media you prefer?
I love to use the pointed pen with gouache, Tombow brush pens, and watercolor brushes to write my calligraphy. I would say I write most of my work in brush pens, but I dabble and create with all three.
When you find yourself in a creative rut, how do you conquer that?
If I ever find myself in a creative rut I normally take a break and run to get a large iced coffee and a donut or two or turn on a good old, movie… I have every Audrey Hepburn film on DVD and I am super inspired by her elegance and playful personality. I want people to feel the way I feel when I watch those fabulous movies when they look at my work. It’s super inspiring and brings a smile on my face every single time. The perfect way out of a creative rut every time!
What would be the ideal lettering / calligraphy assignment you’d like to work on?
I adore being able to create in my free time and my most favorite orders are always envelopes. There is something so therapeutic about writing the same style over and over with different names and addresses. Another one of my dreams would be to teach others, especially left handed friends, how to letter. I have gotten to do some pretty great projects for some fun companies and people and I am always so excited and grateful when a new opportunity comes my way.
Any advice you’d like to share on finding your own lettering style?
The best way to find your own style is through practice and inspiration. My favorite way to explore new styles is to pick up a pencil or brush pen and just start writing. Yes, there are tons of inspiring people on Instagram and it’s ok to find things that you like in others’ work, but the best way to find your own style is to put down the phone, get out the pens, and just practice until you find what you love.
Watch Lauren’s lettering here:
Shop Lauren’s art supplies:
Follow Lauren on her social media:
Instagram: @renmadecalligraphy
Site: renmadecalligraphy.com
…..
Read Lauren’s extended interview at my other blog Opinion9!
Thank you, Lauren for sharing your lettering knowledge! – Aaria 🙂