weather	:		raining
outside	:		10.6°C
mood	:		...

So, somehow, word got out at Work that I have nice handwriting... printing, or whatever. But, a co-worker asked me to write her son's name for the Take Your Child To Work Day participation certificate.

Oh, the PRESSURE they put on me. =)

No. She just wanted me to print the name, but personally, I'm of the old-fashioned mindset that names on certificates ought be done in English calligraphy script. So, how am I to do decent, passable — dare I think "nice"? — calligraphy without my pens and proper equipment? No, that's just the cover-up excuse. The REAL question is how the hell am I supposed to pull off decent calligraphy without having practiced in over 5 years?!?!

I cheat. That's how. =D

I typed the name up in MS Word. Changed the font to Zapf Chancery or regular Chancery. I don't remember if I bolded or italicized it... I wouldn't have had to. If there were a nicer font available, I would have used that (Old English or some other nice Chancery-like one would have looked fantastic). Even Times New Roman, bolded and italicized, would work in a pinch.

I printed it out and placed the certificate over it. I took a regular ballpoint pen and coloured in the lettering using small scrubby strokes done consistently at a 45° angle. This gave it a kind of artistic "washed-over", Impressionist look.

That's the Ukrainian spelling of "Vladymir". She was happy with it and, in the end, that's all that really matters. If I had enough practice, I could probably do the letters from memory without having the printout underneath. =)

Oy, if I didn't have Parkinson's before, I'm well on my way now. =D