I recently took a course on iPad lettering and I learned a lot more than just making pretty letters. These lessons are helping me with creativity and confidence in ways I didn’t expect!
Meet my friend Holly: Ipad creativity guru
I have been friends with Holly McCaig for more than a decade. We met back when we were digital scrapbookers. She’s been a mentor and inspiration for me as well, and was one of the people who helped me take a leap to start my own business. (This is not an affiliate post, btw!)
Holly is an amazing artist, photographer and entrepreneur. Her website Holly Pixels focuses on iPad creativity, and she teaches people how to hand letter, draw and plan using their tablet.
I’ve got an iPad pro and Procreate and finally decided to try Holly’s free iPad lettering course back in the fall. I installed the brush, watched all the videos, downloaded the workbook and practice sheets… and then I got STUCK!
Brought to you by the letter A
I was spending a lot of time practicing lowercase a. Weeks trying to copy this one letter and I just couldn’t get the hang of it.
So in spite of all the frustration, I really wanted to figure this out. I wanted to learn lettering for my own designs. And as my favorite green jedi says: Do or do not. There is no try.
I rewatched some of the videos. I considered how I was sitting, holding the pen, placing the iPad. And I began to make some swirls and swooshes and got a look that I really liked!
That’s when I had a lightbulb moment.
Holly is a professional artist. She’s been hand-lettering, drawing and creating for years. I’ve been doing this for a few weeks. I can’t compare my work to hers!
This reminded me it’s totally okay to be just okay! I’m not going to be perfect. It’s okay to create letters that look like my writing and not hers.
So much more than lettering
Getting past this block was a big deal for me. I was able to move past “a” and practic other letters and words, and just feel creative and enjoy the process!
Lettering requires patience, taking things one stroke at a time. Creating consistency requires practice. Sometimes you need to step back, hit the undo button and try again.
I’m practicing everyday. I write out letters and sometimes words that feel inspiring or just names of characters from whatever I’m watching on TV. Even though I still need lots more practice, I feel so much more creative, inspired, and confident.
So I’m reminding myself not to compare myself to others, I’m finding joy in my own creativity, and I’m learning how to letter. Not a bad result from a free class. Holly recently redesigned the website and this lesson is like right there!
Go check out Holly’s work
Seriously, go visit Holly’s website, Insta and YouTube channel. You’ll be inspired!
