Moonrise with Verse

So I posted my latest Moonrise Experiment yesterday:
A Moonrise + a Bible verse for my star-gazing husband.  ♥

Mr. Man prefers the color going the other way, backwards, resembling “rays”. So I did that this time for him. (Me, I like the color going down, but to each his own.)

And I knew from the onset, or would that be “outset”...?? Anyway, I knew that I wanted to add a particular Bible verse done in calligraphy to this piece. But what kind of calligraphy? Broad-edged? Pressure/release? I knew I wanted it very readable…

I decided on Versals, but using a colored pencil, instead of gouache and a nib.

Part of the reason I chose to use a colored pencil was that the paper I was using is not the best surface for calligraphy. I don’t get very crisp letters on it, but I have a whole tablet of this otherwise great black charcoal paper to use.

(Actually, I really really really prefer black Ingres Antique, but I just hate to use up my stash. Gosh, sometimes I can be so scarcity-minded, it’s ridiculous. I should just order a big batch of more paper and get over it. Sheesh! On the other hand, there is this huge tablet of black paper just sitting there, beggin’ to be used…)

ANYway…! I did the horizon line first, so I would have the curve for how and where the letters would go. I used a torn paper mask and PanPastels for that. Then I did the lettering, and then I painted the moon. Last, I sprayed on the glitter hairspray.

My letters were pretty shaky, actually. Part of that is still having a weak arm. I am still going to the chiropractor and doing physical therapy for my tennis elbow, and that includes ice and lifting weights. And the arm is still just kinda weak. I figure that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking with it!! Ha-ha!

Sooooo, I’m lettering along, and it’s going reasonably well enough (all things considered), until I reached the word “glory”, and I had that “O” coming up. Aarrgghh!! Beautiful circles for “O”s are difficult enough, but nigh unto impossible when I’m shaky. What to do, what to do?

But then somehow I thought to draw it on first, and give myself a pretty shape and outline to go by. So I did. I used my erasable General’s white charcoal pencil, and lightly drew in an O. If the first try wasn’t round enough, I could always erase it (wipe it off with a tissue) and try again at this point.

And it worked!! Not perfect, but sooooo much better than I woulda done without it! Whew and yay!!!!!!

Gosh, I hope this works from now on. That would be life-changing! I letter a lot of Scripture, and there’s *always* an O in Lord or God or whathaveyou.

So now, what if O’s don’t send me into conniption fits every time I have to make one! Hahaha Wouldn’t that be nice?!?

Okay, then!
To whatever works!

XOXO,
Lucky Dog
♥