Step by Step Calligraphy - Illuminated Text and WOYWW 139!

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Well, it is wet, wild and woolly here again today, we have had 135mm (over 5 1/2ins) in about 4 and half hours and we are on flood watch again. Praying it may ease, and does seem to be doing so.

For bloggers who have been concerned, I am thankfully not in a flood area but am praying for those who are - one of my good friends is, and was flooded badly last year. It is tidal here as well and thankfully the high tides are not big this week, they were last week. We came off okay last week, for which I was thankful to the Lord. It was flooded north, south and west of here and the highway and major roads were closed for few days on coast and some were inland. 

A land of contrasts is our Australia - as Dorothea Mackellar said in My Country : 

"I love a sunburnt country a land... of droughts and flooding rains, 

I love her wide horizons, I love her jewel sea..."

Now to the purpose of this post, WOYWW, or for those who are unaware (are there any?) What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday hosted by the brilliant Julia, find her at her Stamping Ground for our worldwide blog hop – HERE!  
As you can see I am still in a mess – but very different variety. I am in the middle of doing some calligraphy. My desk this week will give you a few progressive shots.

You will see the layout changes quite a bit from the first to the next ones.

  Picture one is the beginning where I “fiddle-faddle” around; praying as I go, God's Word is living Word and need to be considered carefully and prayed over, that the true meaning shines through.

So here I am trying to work out the best emphasis for the words, and the most balanced layout. This can take some time (days, weeks sometimes) and lots of sheets of scrap paper…and make a few mistakes too - there is one on there – however it is checked at each of the many stages…

Photo 2 is the final choice of layouts thus far revised and working on the size of the prints lines, once the layout is sorted.

You can see on Picture 1, I have used double ended calligraphy textas (which would horrify a true calligrapher) to work out the letter sizes. 
Once this is decided, I then transfer to tracing paper( picture 3). I use tracing paper for several reasons.

Primarily, this is because the decoration can take some fiddling, and then the good paper may be messed with drawing, erasing, etc. 

Secondly if someone asks me to do it again as another order, I have it to this stage already to lift out of my file. Saves a lot of time and it is not unusual to be asked again as have a portfolio, and give a discount for ones done before, because of time saved.

The last stage today’s desk is the tracing paper layout in pencil and I am fiddling with the design of decoration. God willing, next week will have it on the paper next week and up to the inking in stage…

Here is the last pickie, a piece of a weed as I call it, a Mother-in-law Tongue is what is commonly called here. The funny thing is they have become very fashionable and expensive to buy at nurseries! But this one decided to grow between our fence and the flower is rather attractive I thought! Well, off to peek at some other desks (as much time allows, sorry if don’t get around to all!)…

Thanks everyone for popping over for a peek and chat, and may God bless your day wherever you may be,

Shaz in Oz. x

 PS. Thanks so very much for all the new Wonderful Encouragers of this humble blog - you are all appreciated more than words can say. It still amazes me that folk like to pop over here! so a big welcome to you one and all, and many thanks to those who have been wonderfully encouraging over a longer time. :D
PPS. I have changed the design a little as you will see next week, God willing, taking on board the comment made by Sarah below, and in more prayer with the LORD... so thanks everyone for your thoughts on this! I deeply appreciate you all...mind you am rubbing out again!! As I found three top lines were slightly crooked by 1mm - 3mm, amazing how it suddenly leaps put at you - this why it is not done on paper first!