10 Ways To Find Time To Practice Calligraphy Daily
Learn 10 ways to find time to practice calligraphy and incorporate the practice into your life DAILY!
HOW TO FIND TIME TO PRACTICE CALLIGRAPHY?
I often get asked… what’s the best way to improve my calligraphy? Or how did you get so good at calligraphy?
Wanna know my secret? PRACTICE!
Yes, that’s it — practice, practice, and then some more practice. I always tell everybody who’s starting this lettering journey. The key to getting ahead is getting started. To get better, you need to practice consistently.
There is a big difference between practicing every day and practicing every one in a while. Consistency is key is you want to see improvement. Especially if you want to get better at calligraphy fast. It’s simple. The more you practice, the more you improve.
I wish I could tell you there is a magic pen that will make you write amazing instantly. I’m still working on creating it, ???? but until it’s done, I can help you in other ways. Like helping you find time to practice calligraphy!
First, if you want to get more serious about your calligraphy practice, check this blog post. It’s about 5 bulletproof steps you can take to make time to practice calligraphy.
I can tell you the steps I mentioned on the blog post work because I’ve applied it many times when I was serious about learning calligraphy. You can apply this method to learn any new hobby or create a new habit.
Now, let’s get to the ideas that can help you get started with practicing calligraphy DAILY…
10 WAYS TO FIND TIME TO PRACTICE CALLIGRAPHY DAILY
1. Wake up earlier or good to sleep a little later than usual.
Depending on what time you need to get up to start your day, I’d recommend you wake up 20 mins earlier than usual. 20 minutes is not a lot of time, but it can be very useful if you use this time in a smart way. What I mean by that, is to use those 20 mins ONLY to practice your calligraphy. No phone, checking emails, Instagram, none of that. These 20 minutes are just for you, your paper, and your brush pen (or even pencil).
If you’re not a morning person, then do the same I recommend above, but 20 mins before your usual bedtime.
Pro tip: leave everything ready the night before. Whatever it is that you want to improve on, make sure you prepare beforehand so when you wake up, you start practicing right away. I love practicing with worksheets and I always recommend them. If you have access to my resource library, I have tons there for FREE! or you can get my Modern Calligraphy Workbook for Beginners. In it, I explain everything you need to know to learn calligraphy.
2. Practice in your everyday writing.
We all have lots of things to write on a regular basis. Instead of doing regular handwriting, take this time to practice your calligraphy. Whether it is writing your grocery list, to-do list, or anything in your planner or journal, this is the perfect time to sneak in some calligraphy practice daily! You can see how I incorporate my lettering into my bullet journal here.
3. While listening to church sermons or any other type of commitments where you’re taking notes.
Writing the things you hear makes it easier for you to remember! So while you’re listening to a podcast or at church, take your notebook and start practicing your lettering by jotting down the phrases that most get your attention.
Here is an example of it from the amazing Amanda Arneill.
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4. Have social media free-time.
Usually, we mindlessly scroll through social media and spend SO much time on it without realizing it! Start paying attention to how much time you spend on social media. I can tell you it’s way more than 30 mins a day. Once you realize all the time you’re spending on social media, replace 20-30 mins in practicing calligraphy. The important thing here is to start being mindful of how you use your time on things that are not beneficial for you.
5. Skip watching TV for 30 mins
I’m not a TV person. But every now and then comes a show on Netflix that requires binge-watching! I just have to know what’s gonna happen next. When this happens, I try to take a step back and sneak in some calligraphy practice BEFORE I start binge-watching. My husband is my partner in crime when we watch these shows, so I let him know in advance that I have to practice calligraphy or work on my blog before we start watching. He helps me keep that promise to myself.
So my suggestion here is to use TV time as a reward for having done your practice for the day. And let your family, friends, partner, into your intentions of daily practice! You’ll be surprised by how encouraging they can be when they see you want to get better at something you love doing.
6. Practice while watching TV
I really think that focused practice is better. But some practice is better than no practice at all. If there is no option, bring your practicing tools to the TV room and practice while having your show on the background or while the TV commercials are going on.
7. Be a little extra with your next reunion.
This is one of my favorite ways to sneak in calligraphy practice! Wanting to address my wedding envelopes was what got me into learning calligraphy in the first place. Now, every time I get to send invitations, I make sure I use my calligraphy to address the envelopes.
When I’m planning my babies’ birthdays, you’ll see my calligraphy within the decor of the party, like in the welcome and food signs, favors, and anywhere I can put my lettering on!
8. Practice during your lunch break.
When I used to work at a corporate office, my lunchtime consisted of me usually mindlessly scrolling through my phone. Or sometimes, I’d just keep working through lunch.
With time, I’ve learned that to be more productive, it’s better to take breaks from what you’re doing. So using your lunch to take an actual break from, might actually help you with your productivity at work.
Use your lunchtime to practice calligraphy while you enjoy your delicious meal!
Now that I’m a stay-at-home mom, my lunch break is their nap time! So while my babies sleep, I usually take that opportunity to practice for at least 20 mins.
9. Start saying no!
When you say yes to everything, you are saying no to yourself.
Some time ago I heard that if it’s not a definite yes, then it’s a NO. When you get invited to an event, get asked for a favor, or to start a new project, if you’re not 100% excited about from the beginning, then you should say no.
Now, this is something that I’m still working on. I tend to say yes to every favor I get asked because I love helping people. Especially if it’s something craft or lettering related they ask me to do. But when I’m not super excited about it from the beginning, I’m often left overwhelmed and tired.
Plus the time I’m using to other things I don’t love, it’s time taking away from my calligraphy practice.
Make your calligraphy practice an appointment with yourself you can’t cancel. Start saying no to others and yes to yourself!
10. Have your notebook and favorite pens with you at all times!
This one might be obvious, but I can’t tell you how many times I wish I had my notebook and brush pen with me while waiting at the doctor’s office.
What I don’t get with appointments is that you have to be there on time, but the doctor can take forever to see you. But you can’t be there more than 15 mins late, because you lose your appointment and get a fee for not attending. Okay, rant over! lol
Make sure you have a separate notebook and pen or brush pen for practicing on the go!
Lastly, if you’d like to know where to start learning definitely check this blog post when I show you how to start learning calligraphy using a regular pen. Or review the list of books and resources I recommend for you to get started with learning and improving your calligraphy.
LIST OF BOOKS & RESOURCES I RECOMMEND TO START LEARNING CALLIGRAPHY
- My Modern Calligraphy Workbook for Beginners. I put everything I know beginners need to get started with this beautiful art.
-
Brush Lettering Made Simple: A Step-by-Step Workbook to Create Gorgeous Freeform Lettered Art
I hope some of these ideas are helpful for you to find time to practice your calligraphy.
Maybe you won’t be able to use all 10 of these ways to practice your calligraphy every day. But I’m sure you’ll have a couple of options to choose from here. Whichever one you choose, before you start practicing, make sure you are putting in practice these 7 calligraphy practice tips. These tips are going to help you improve your calligraphy even faster!
Xo,
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I am 67 yrs old Diabetic with arthritis. I took Calligraphy as part of my Art class in High school (40 yrs ago.) I have a difficult time keeping my lines straight. I wanted to learn Calligraphy again so I coould use in in the cards I make. Please help.
Hi Jennifer, I’d love to help you learn calligraphy! I have several workbooks where I cover step-by-step how to learn calligraphy. The first I’d recommend is my workbook for beginners using small brush pens, you can find it here:https://shopvialdesigns.com/products/modern-calligraphy-workbook-for-beginners
If you’d like to learn calligraphy using a regular pen, you can try this one instead: https://shopvialdesigns.com/products/calligraphy-with-a-regular-pen