I’ve always been a fan of calligraphy.
I love how the hand and brush moves in certain strokes, how elegant and beautiful the letters are and how perfect they are as props in flatlays (LOL). As I’d gladly put it, calligraphy is like giving life to words.
And so, I got really curious when I found out that there’s an Instagram account called ‘Calligrapuff PH‘ that aims to write all the words in the English dictionary in modern calligraphy. I mean, I can’t even do it with my three-lettered nickname but here’s a girl in the name of Rem Cruz who’s actually going for the whole dictionary. Isn’t that awesome?
Check out some of the photos of Rem’s Calligrapuff PH as she shares with us a few things about her modern calligraphy project.
What made your pursue modern calligraphy?
“In 2015, I took a class on modern calligraphy on a whim – calligraphy and lettering was never in my plans because I have lousy handwriting. After the class, I didn’t really pursue it. However, recently, I fell in love with art created by calligraphers and letterers, such as PaperKat & Abbey Sy which inspired me to practice, and with every passing day, I found progress. It started with simple words, then phrases, then sentences.
I use brush pens for modern calligraphy because they’re easier to use and they’re travel-friendly. Now, calligraphy is a part of my daily life. I always carry a brush pen and a piece of paper in my bag because you’ll never know where you’ll find new inspiration to write about.”
A photo posted by Calligrapuff PH (@calligrapuff) on
What inspired you to write the words in the dictionary?
“I was looking for something new to write about, something that I can commit to. It was a challenge before because there will come a time where I can’t think of a new word to write or the quotes I see online are just the same ones over and over again.
It just came to me one day that writing every single word in the dictionary will be the answer to my problem. There wouldn’t be any challenges to look for a new word to write, well, for at least three years or so.”
What’s the goal of Calligrapuff?
“At first, Calligrapuff was supposed to be a hobby page to put all my calligraphy works into. But now, I would want it to be a page where people could learn a new word every day and understand the English language more. Honestly, with this project, I am coming across words that I haven’t even heard of before, and I’m still at A! Imagine how much I would be learning once this project is done. Whew!
This would also be a great practice for those who are trying to learn English as a second language. They could visit the page every day, practice some words, and expand their vocabulary in a fun way.”
Any future plans for Calligrapuff?
“In my calculations and with my pace right now, Calligrapuff’s dictionary challenge would take almost three years to finish! I wouldn’t want to bombard the Instagram feed with too much words in one day, don’t I?
If I do finish it in the future, maybe the Tagalog and other Filipino dialects would be up next!”
A photo posted by Calligrapuff PH (@calligrapuff) on
Any word for those who would also like to try calligraphy?
“Don’t be afraid to try. There are a lot of mediums that you can use – brush pens, pointed pens, watercolor, etc. Calligraphy isn’t about how good your handwriting is; it’s about learning and practicing different strokes with the tool you have chosen. You’ll be amazed at how much progress you can have by just practicing calligraphy a little bit every day.”
Wow, right? Talent and perseverance all rolled into one Instagram account. Visit her page, Calligrapuff PH, for a daily dose of modern calligraphy and new words to add to your vocabulary.
On a larger scale and with all the projects and ideas we’ve been featuring lately, it seems to me that this year is a good one for pursuing passions, learning new skills, exploring your talents and basically just going out there and trying something new.
Who knows, maybe a few months from now, the article you’re reading is about you and your project. *wink*
Would you also like to try calligraphy? Tell us in the comments.
