Steve Husting's Calligraphy

I created this piece for my devotional app, Steps of a Disciple. I have four more to go before the series of 16 is complete.

I used heavy Strathmore watercolor paper. I first tore painter’s tape in half lengthwise and applied it to the paper a few inches apart, then added watercolor paint between the torn edges (where “Possible” is). Then I scrunched up plastic wrap and applied it to the painted area, and held it down with a loaded box on its end.

About 2 hours later I removed the box and the wrap, and that gave the texture. I used a ruler and gold marker to draw slanted lines on top, then removed the tape. I added more watercolor above and below the “torn edges,” then shot it with my Canon camera.

I lettered the words with two Parallel Pens on a separate sheet of paper, then photographed them with the camera too. The word Possible was about 8.5 inches left to right.

Then I combined the lettering and background in Photoshop, turning the lettering white with a small dropped shadow, and blurring to white the edges of the background.

I just completed another calligraphy piece for my iPhone app, Steps of a Disciple, where I cam creating one calligraphic work for each chapter, featuring a verse from that chapter. This one is for Mark chapter 6.

I used watercolor paper. I used a Pilot Parallel pen for the lettering at left and right of the “I.” I applied a wet erase marker to some edges of the large letter, then it ran when I sprayed it with a mister. Then I brushed water inside and tapped those areas with a brush dipped in ink until it was all covered.

When it dried, I added several random marks inside the capital with colored micron pens. I shot a photo of the finished piece with my Canon Rebel T3i and make a few more changes in Photoshop CS4 (moving the “it is” inside the capital, and rotating and placing the verse reference to the right).

I’m happy with how this piece turned out, and I think the users of the Steps of a Disciple devotional app will be pleased too!