Stephen's calligraphy proposal

When Stephen first got in touch to ask about his calligraphy poem I was thrilled. He is a magician by trade, and knew of specialist pens with invisible ink, which he wanted me to use for a calligraphy commission.

Stephen's calligraphy proposal

Special inks and calligraphy

Inks can have very different properties so I asked for a few pens to test: one to write with normally to see if I could vary the pressure to create the characteristic thick and thin strokes of calligraphy. Another to take apart so I could extract the ink and test it with my calligraphy nibs.

Stephen's calligraphy proposal

Illumination with silver leaf

The process was interesting – the invisible ink is actually a gel and couldn’t be thinned. It was very difficult to use with calligraphy nibs and in the end I used the original pen to write this commission. Adding a silver illuminated letter (this is real silver leaf) completed the design.

Hidden in the poem in normal calligraphy ink are the words

will
you
marry
me

Stephen's calligraphy proposal: Will...

you...

marry...

me?

The proposal with calligraphy poem

Stephen’s plan was to show his girlfriend the poem with and then without the full text. This made me quite nervous: the disappearing ink disappears with heat. The best way was to hold a flame to the reverse of the paper until all the words disappeared. I cautioned Stephen to be extremely careful taking a flame to the back of a calligraphy commission (worth about £200) – but all went well.

I believe she said yes and Stephen and his fiancee are now planning their wedding. It promises to be a magical occasion!

Stephen's calligraphy proposal

To find out more about commissioning a special poem in calligraphy please visit Poems With Love’s home page: http://poemswithlove.co.uk

Calligraphy poem with red rose

Calligraphy and design for the poem

The calligraphy is in a wide, curvy italic style which has a lot of impact on the page. The border illustration in red and gold includes 22 carat gold leaf highlights and a single rich red rose painted in gouache.

Calligraphy poem with red rose

Gift-wrapped calligraphy poems

All of our poems which aren’t framed come rolled and gift-wrapped. We have a stock of luxury handmade papers as well as ribbons in many colours. As this was a wedding day gift I added a bunch of paper roses and a gift card with Sue’s name on in calligraphy.

Calligraphy poem with red rose

Calligraphy poem with red rose

luxury gift wrap from Poems With Love

For gift wraps I use a variety of luxury handmade papers, hand-torn to wrap around your calligraphy commission. The colour will always complement the calligraphy design inside, and I’ll use a satin or opaque ribbon to tie the rolled poem.

Poems are sent in a postal tube for safety in transit.

How to order calligraphy poems

Calligraphy poem design ideas

Shakespeare’s sonnet 116 with illustration

The blue illustration is inspired by Russian patterns – my calligraphy client asked for something to evoke Russia and Moscow, and sent me some images to use as inspiration.

The flowing flower patterns and stylised leaves in shades of blue finish the calligraphy poem very beautifully.

How to order calligraphy poems

Calligraphy poem design ideas

Gothic calligraphy styles are richly, closely packed together – when a title offers the opportunity for some creative flicks and character to the letters, I like to grab it by both hands!

This calligraphy poem is not for sale, but if you’d like a commission of your own to be handwritten in a similar style with a similar border I’d be delighted to oblige!

How to order calligraphy poems

Gothic calligraphy style examples

Calligraphy poem design ideas

How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count The Ways...

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!—and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Handwritten in Spencerian calligraphy and illustrated with a single red rose, it makes a wonderful wedding day or wedding anniversary gift.

How to order calligraphy poems

Calligraphy poem design ideas

The vows were lovely and with a little colour and flourishing looked beautiful in calligraphy.

 Wedding vow calligraphy: Brandon & Meghan

Incorporating the wedding colours into the calligraphy lettering is a lovely idea. For Meghan and Brandon this meant dark teal and 22 carat gold leaf.

The calligraphy is written on a parchment paper for a traditional feel (and I hope this comes across in the photographs I’ve shared with you here).

Lettering is in italic calligraphy.

How to order calligraphy poems

Calligraphy poem design ideas

Calligraphy in gaelic – wedding gift

The text reads:

Gu ma fada beò sibh, is ceò às ‘ur taigh

with a translation below of “May yer lum aye reek”

The gaelic phrase is a blessing; it means may your home fires always burn and the wish for the recipient is to have a happy and prosperous home.

A very personal calligraphy gift

This was a wedding gift from a father for his son and daughter-in-law. I was asked to add a little celtic knotwork around the gilded initial letter, which was in 22 carat gold leaf.

How to order calligraphy poems

Calligraphy poem design ideas

As an introduction to the Poems With Love blog, I thought I’d share previous commissions of the same poem in calligraphy today.

Sonnet 116 in italic calligraphy, gold & brown

sonnet 116 in calligraphy

Sonnet 116 contemporary calligraphy design (aqua & pink)

Shakespeare calligraphy poem

This is the calligraphy poem I’m asked to write more than any other:

Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.
Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle’s compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.