tips and tricks

[luciab]

I've been working on calligraphy this AM and figured out a good trick to help fix my spacing troubles. I always print out the text I want to use on the computer, in big letters so I can read it easily while I work. A long time ago I figured out that once I have an idea (from practicing the text) of how many words will go on each line, I can then adjust the width of the borders so that the same number of words print per line of the Word/Word Perfect document. This really helped keep me from losing my place. Today I realized that if I draw vertical lines top-to-bottom on the print out, with corresponding lines on the scroll page, I can use them as a guide to help keep my letters from spacing out. Then I figured out that if the printed text is justified on both edges, the resulting calligrapy text would also align, at least much more closely than it has before. The result still isn't as perfectly aligned as my Laurel's was, but damn! It's so much more evenly spaced than anything I've ever produced before. I'm so proud of myself! I know there are some natural calligraphers out there who will think this a very awkward way to work, but.... pbthpthbth! It's going to help me a lot. Now I can start on the rest of the design. The fun part-- Whee!!