14 Year Old Calligraphy Artist Mythri Margam (Gorgeous Lettering!)

Mythri Margam of @creative_letteringart makes some amazing lettering pieces..and yes, she’s only 14! Her art is just going to get better and better from here, and it’s already pretty amazing. Here are some of her pretty detailed pieces. Love the depth and thought behind them.

Love her experimental aesthetics in sharing her lettering pieces. Here’s a quick observation.

1/ Holding up your paper against a natural background (sunlight is a must, ideally)

2/ Colored papers as an assorted background with some tiny cute stars sprinkled. Plus pens added on the side. And a little clip, because peg clips are always aesthetics. Laundry inspired aesthetic? Any cute items suffice if you don’t have a peg clip handy.

3/ A fabric inspired background like this weaving piece here also adds texture and character to the overall aesthetics of the photo. Add in a little swatch, some leaves, stationery (gold clip here) and some pens and there you have it!

4/ Pens placed very nicely on the edge of the page with the main art taking most of the space is pretty much always a win-win. Throw in a solid color background (here, she used two colors in a diagonal placement).

14 year olds got style and aesthetics! Definitely more than I had when I was 14!

It’s not only about the letters, Mythri also draws and paints beautifully!

And let’s appreciate all these concise pieces :

Head over to surelysimple.com to read her interview and see her basic banner tutorial.

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Empowering Calligraphy with Amanda Kammarada

I absolutely adore Amanda Kammarada’s bright, bold and positive calligraphy style. I have been following her ever since I started my insta journey, and she is so inspiring to me (and many others!) with her bright, airy aesthetic and her positive quotes. I also love her approachability to her tutorials she creates- anyone can learn something new by looking at her work.

I love how she also shared a behind the scenes #wip of how she planned this piece!

Also a #harrypotter fan, and you can see many references in her work!

She’s also made some harry pottered themed coloring sheets, find them on her site!

There are a lot of written names on her insta, and loving these namecards. Great art tip> create a subtle blend with contrasting shades (pink, yellow + teal, yellow) and topped off with a name in gold!

Plenty of #ipadlettering and #ipadillustration in her work. I love these simple and prominent pieces:

Love this irregular script!

Love this digital mandala she made! So pretty and distinctive.

More fun ipad lettering.

Her Etsy shop is stocked with cute lettered items like stickers, mugs, phone cases, pencil cases, wall prints and more. Check it out here.

These pet ornaments are amazingly cute!

This one is slightly not related to lettering but look at this Halloween DIY ! Skeleton flamingos? I absolutely adore how creative people bring out their creatives selves in their daily lives.

And, she’s a published author too!! Absolutely fantastic, and I know, they say never to judge a book by its cover, but that cover looks pretty darn fantastic! Definitely consider buying it if you’re a lettering enthusiast / learner / collector! Or just a fan of Amanda’s work!  Buy it here.

Head over to surelysimple.com to read her interview and see her basic banner tutorial.

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#SimpleAlphabets Lettering Inspiration: Brittany Luiz

Have you seen #SimpleAlphabets on instagram? The long and short of it is- for everyday of June, we shall be lettering an alphabet a day + some extras. I’ve asked some letterers I admire to share their skills throughout the challenge- as well as to also divulge a few secrets about their creative process. Fun, right? You can join in anytime- just head on over to @surelysimplechallenge and @surelysimpleblog and read this page to get all the details. 

Let’s meet Brittany Luiz!

#SimpleAlphabets Lettering Inspiration: Brittany Luiz

Please tell me a bit about yourself.

My name is Brittany Luiz and I’m a handlettering artist as well as the Social Media & Content Manager for Tombow USA. Anyone who knows me knows that I love my job so much – not only do I get to “play” on social media all day, but I get to also literally play with the most amazing products while I’m doing it. When I’m not scrolling through newsfeeds or filling up sketchbooks with letters, I am hanging out with my husband and 8-month-old son, who is quite possibly the cutest child on earth.

#SimpleAlphabets Lettering Inspiration: Brittany Luiz

How would you describe your lettering/ calligraphy style?

I’d describe my style as “imperfect with personality.” I decided several months ago that I just don’t have the patience for perfection, so if my letters aren’t completely straight or I have gaps in my layout, I’m okay with that. I like to think that my style is representative of who I am as a person – a little quirky, fun and bright.

#SimpleAlphabets Lettering Inspiration: Brittany Luiz

What makes you motivated enough to keep on keeping on with your work?

Working full-time and being a new mom makes it tough sometimes to be motivated, but as I’ve descended out of the fog that is those first few months of new mommyhood I’ve started to get a better grip on how to manage my “free” time and make the most of it. I practice lettering daily – whether that means getting up 20 minutes early, staying up a little late, or lettering at the kitchen table while my husband and I watch The Walking Dead. I’m currently in the midst of my second #100letteringdays challenge on Instagram where I have committed to handlettering (and posting!) every day for 100 days. The last time I did this I grew immensely because it really forced me to practice while I was still in the very early stages of learning how to letter. This time around, I’m pushing myself to try new techniques and hopefully take my lettering to the next level. You would be amazed at how quickly you can improve by committing to practicing – it’s that drive to be better than I am now that motivates me. Plus, it’s fun and relaxing for me to practice my lettering. If I mess up, there’s always another sheet of paper!

#SimpleAlphabets Lettering Inspiration: Brittany Luiz

Would you rather go the freelance way or do you prefer a more regulated and secure way of work?

Before I started working at my current job I was on the path to working for myself 100% as a freelancer. It’s what I thought I wanted to do. Now that I have a job I am over-the-moon in love with, I can’t imagine doing anything else. I do still take on projects on the side though, so I feel like I am living the best of both worlds.

 

What makes you the happiest when it comes to looking at your progress?

I’m so happy that my lettering is finally starting to resemble what I wanted it to when I first started. It’s so frustrating when you can see something beautiful in your head only for your hand to betray you and produce something nightmarish. My hand has finally caught up to my brain and they’re both pretty much on the same page now.

 

Half glass full or half glass empty? What’s your attitude in life in general?

My glass is half full 98% of the time. I reserve the other 2% for wallowing in self pity and drowning my sorrows in Starbursts. I’m a generally happy person and sort of live in my own unicorns and rainbows universe most of the time. I’ve become really good at finding the bright side of things and it has helped me to get going down the career path that I have always wanted to take.

#SimpleAlphabets Lettering Inspiration: Brittany Luiz

Who do you look up to in your field? Or in life as a whole?

I have so many #calligracrushes! I really look up to Amanda Arneill. I have had the pleasure of actually working with her and she is amazing. Not only is she incredibly talented but she is so thoughtful and humble and sweet. I also really look up to Lauren Fitzmaurice of RenMade Calligraphy. We joke that we’re #calligratwins because we could seriously be the same person sometimes. We both love our full-time jobs, but also love lettering. She is so talented and is such an inspiration to me to see that you can be a successful freelancer while also being successful at your day job. In life as a whole, I really look up to my dad. He has taught me so much over the years and the nuggets of truth he passed on to me have helped me keep a clear head through challenging situations both professionally and personally.

#SimpleAlphabets Lettering Inspiration: Brittany Luiz

How many hours do you put in for your work everyday?

Ha! How many hours am I not working is the real question here. My work is so intimately related to my hobbies and interests that the lines are almost always blurred. I work my day job from 8-5ish Monday through Friday, and probably spend a good 20 additional hours throughout the week working on other work-related or freelance-related projects.

#SimpleAlphabets Lettering Inspiration: Brittany Luiz

What book/ podcast are you currently reading/listening to?

I’m currently reading Amy Poehler’s “Yes Please,” which is so amazing I can’t stand it. I knew I was going to love the book when she referenced Stephen King (my all-time favorite author) twice within the first couple of chapters. Plus, she’s Amy Poehler. I mean, come on – how can you not like her book? I’ve also been binge-listening to the Sean Wes podcast for months and it is worth its weight in gold. If you’re a creative person and even the least bit interested in being able to make money by pursuing your creative passion, you NEED to listen to his podcast.

 

How do you think you have evolved in your art- has it changed you?

My art has definitely changed me. I think it’s made me more aware of design in general. Part of my job responsibilities includes graphic design and I have noticed that my strictly digital designs have improved so much since I started handlettering. I think those creative pursuits just kind of bleed over into each other and have both evolved as I have evolved in my style and approach.

#SimpleAlphabets Lettering Inspiration: Brittany Luiz

What’s next in your artistic journey?

I just purchased a domain name – brittanyluiz.com – where I will be starting a blog, posting portfolio items and hopefully some lettering worksheets, etc. soon! Other than that, who knows? I’m on this train and just waiting to see where it takes me.

CONNECT WITH BRITTANY:

Website: www.brittanyluiz.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/brittanyluiz

Thanks for sharing, Brittany!

Be on the lookout for the letter Brittany shall be teaching here on @surelysimplechallenge and @surelysimpleblog AND @opinion9!

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