Lauren Fitzmaurice is a full-time elementary teacher, a wife, and a mom to two little boys. But as it turns out, she’s also a master of pointed pen calligraphy. Having come to lettering only in 2015, she’s managed to hone her craft in a relatively short time. She now shares her work on Instagram and teaches her craft to others through workshops and online classes.
“I feel like lettering has added so much to my life and given me the balance it needed through some busy and tough times,” she gushed in an interview with Surely Simple. “It is amazing how adding just a few hours of a hobby for yourself can make you a better, all-around more effective person. I feel like I am currently the best wife, mom, and teacher I have ever been and I think much of that is allowing myself to take part in an activity that uses my creativity, relaxes me, and brings me constant joy and inspiration.”
Her first and most important tip to starting calligraphers? To have fun! “It is so important to have fun and find your own style through the process of practicing modern calligraphy,” she told Surely Simple. “My biggest tip is to find your own style through lettering. This takes tons of practice but will make your lettering unique and will make it so much more fun!”
Aside from using a pointed pen, she also works with gouache, Tombow brush pens, and watercolor brushes to write her calligraphy. “My favorite way to explore new styles is to pick up a pencil or brush pen and just start writing,” she says. “Yes, there are tons of inspiring people on Instagram and it’s ok to find things that you like in others’ work, but the best way to find your own style is to put down the phone, get out the pens, and just practice until you find what you love.”
Take note!
