Unleash Your Inner Victorian Scribe! ✨
Hey everyone! Quick question: when was the last time you sent a letter? Like, a real, physical letter, not a text or an email? Probably a while, right? We live in a world of instant messages, emojis, and GIFs. And while I love a good dancing cat GIF as much as the next person, sometimes I wonder if we’ve lost a little bit of the magic of communication.
Because back in the day, sending a letter wasn't just about sharing information; it was an event. And for some folks, it was even an art form.
Imagine taking the time, not just to write your message, but to decorate the very letters of your words. Sounds pretty wild, right? Well, that's exactly what some super creative people in the Victorian era (and long before them!) used to do.
Take Frederic Church, for example. He was this super famous landscape painter, known for his epic, breathtaking canvases. But get this: even his personal letters had a touch of genius! He wasn't just scribbling a quick note; he was often designing his own fancy, illuminated letters, making the first letter of a paragraph or even a whole word into a mini-masterpiece.
Think about those ancient, super-fancy medieval books you see in museums – the ones with gold leaf and intricate drawings around the text? Those are called "illuminated manuscripts," and they were the OG inspiration for folks like Church. They saw how beautiful and special those letters could be, and thought, "Why can't my everyday notes be just as cool?"
It wasn't just about showing off, either. It was about personalization, about putting a piece of your artistic self into something as simple as a letter. It showed you really cared, that the message (and the recipient!) was important enough for this extra splash of creativity.
So, here’s my challenge to you: next time you're writing a thank-you note, a birthday card, or even just a sweet message to a friend, why not try channeling your inner Frederic Church? Grab some colorful pens, markers, or even watercolors. Pick a letter – maybe the first one of your message, or the initial of the person's name – and make it fabulous!
Give it some swirls, some dots, make it bold, make it leafy, make it glittery! There are no rules, just pure, unadulterated fun. It's a fantastic way to slow down, get a little creative, and make someone's day feel extra special. Who knows, you might just start a new, beautiful trend!
Original article inspiration:
https://olana.org/program-events/creative-corner-victorian-letter-design/