Hi there! I'm super excited to share my latest designer cheat sheet with you. I'm sure you'll find it super handy, especially if you're like me where you jump between Windows and Mac platforms all the time. You see, I'm a PC-based graphic designer at my 9-5, but I only have Mac electronics at home, so yes, I tend to go a little nuts from time to time trying to remember the keyboard commands. Save yourself some time and avoid embarrassment My advice to you, no matter what platform you use, memorize these! You'll save so much time 'cause you won't have to stop what you're doing to search the web or look for your cheat sheet. I learned the keyboard commands for lower case accents about 20 years ago and all was smooth sailing until a couple of years ago when I switched to Mac at home. One more thing! NEVER think that it's okay to substitute the letter "ñ" with a regular letter "n" just because you don't remember how to add that little squiggly line at the top. If you do, you'll end up totally changing the meaning of a word or even a sentence, for that matter. For example, you know when we say "Happy New Year" in English? Well, that is translated as "Feliz año nuevo" but if you use just a regular "n" so it says "ano" – that spells a bad word! Well, not really a bad word BUT "ano" is that place you wipe every day after you go number two. And you do really want to be the person who writes "Happy New Anus" on a design project just 'cause you were too lazy to learn your keyboard character commands? I hope not! Well, it looks like you got yourself a free printable cheat sheet AND a Spanish lesson today. Yay, you! Heehee. Just enter your email below to have the cheat sheet sent to you automatically. Print it out and keep it in a binder or keep it on your bulletin board where you can see the codes at a at glance. Cheers to reference sheets that make our jobs easier. Happy designing, my friend. =]
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There's so many reasons why I love hand lettering, but by far my favorite of all is being able to create one of a kind gifts for the people I love.
Above is a short 30 second video showing you the wood burning process as I created a personalized hand lettered spoon for a friend. It usually takes me about a half hour to sketch and burn one side of a spoon. It's indeed a labor of love, and given the amount of time it takes, this isn't a product I'll be adding to my shop often. The Maria spoon was part of a little hand crafted gift package which included another spoon that read "God bless this home" (in Spanish as shown below). I paired them with a kitchen towel and a jar of my home made salsa - and you bet Maria was happy!
If you want to learn how to make unique gifts like these, make sure you sign up for my newsletter to receive inspiration and lettering tips directly to your inbox.
Xoxo, Dio Valentines_Day_Elephant_Doodle from dioperez on Vimeo.
I have always been curious about the way other artists experience the creative process and often wondered if I was doing it “right.” Now with a bit more experience under my belt and thanks to our ability to peek into the lives of other artists via social media, I realize, there is no right or wrong way to create art. Art is a journey as unique to each one of us as our finger prints. There is no right or wrong way to walk through the creative process. You just do. And you learn a whole lot along the way as you discover what works for you, what doesn’t and what techniques to use to achieve a certain look in your work.
So with that in mind, I share with you a short clip of my Valentine's Day bedtime doodles, so that you can peek into my sketchbook and see my creation process. This is the kind of stuff I do every day, just doodle in my sketchbook quickly, without restrictions to simply put a new image out into the world. If I like it, I take it to Phase 2 where I digitize my work, then Phase 3 where I prep the files to be used on stationery or printed on mugs. All topics I will cover through this newsletter and blog in the coming weeks. I hope you had a lovely Valentine's Day and most important of all, I hope you got in little bit of drawing and lettering practice in your own sketchbook as well. Xoxo, Dio Lettering Tips and Inspiration Join the Lettering Bootcamp mailing list to receive lettering tips and design inspiration directly to your inbox. Ahhh, this one's for all of you kind hearted humans who've adopted a fur baby (or fur babies) of your own. ❤ 🐶
And for my 4 pound furry bundle of joy who inspired this hand-lettered design as we snuggled with a blanket on the couch, watching Netflix and drawing on the iPad. There's nothing like snuggling with my personal little "leg warmer" on a cold winter day. She gets so happy when she sees me walking to the couch with a blanket 'cause she knows she's gonna get petted and hugged and told she is loved many, many times in all my annoying high pitched voices that that only she could love. About the lettering on this mug As I mentioned above, I created this piece on the iPad, using the Procreate app. It took me close to an hour to create this design because I'm not very experienced when it comes to block lettering and kept making the letters and erasing them over and over again until I was satisfied with them. When I think of hand lettering, I always think about cursive, bouncy letters and flourishing, which had pretty much become my signature style. But I started feeling a little bit stagnant in said style and hadn't seen my work evolve in a while until I stepped out of my comfort zone. So, if you're on this lettering journey with me, my advice to you today is to not be afraid to try something new. It doesn't have to be ALL new at once. Just give your traditional work a bit of a new flair or a funky spin and see how you like it. As you can see in this piece, I kept my cursive bouncy lettering but I used block lettering (something new to me) as a focal point. By mixing a different style of lettering with my own, I was able to create a piece that has visual impact, is easily legible and has a more artistic look to it that it would have had I only used cursive lettering. Where to find this mug You can find this and other mugs in my collection at HandLetteredMugs.com. Lettering Tips and Inspiration Join the Lettering Bootcamp mailing list to receive lettering tips and design inspiration directly to your inbox. Hi there! With the holiday season in full bloom the demand for custom mugs is here once again. I can’t wait to share my latest designs with you in hopes to inspire and encourage you to keep up with your lettering drills. It will pay off – literally!
To start, I want to thank Yuri Bejarano from Impression Photography for this beautiful image she sent me featuring one of my most favorite creations to this day. WOW! If she can make a mug look THIS good, imagine what she can do for your family portraits. Ha! In the same way that she can make magic with her camera and capture a story through the images she creates, I love how bringing a pen to a mug can also tell a story as it transforms an ordinary piece of drinkware into meaningful piece of usable art that pays tribute to a loved one. Today, I want to share why this particular mug means so much to me As you may or may not know, I spent about six weeks last holiday season in 2015, hand painting mugs to help raise funds for my daughter’s band competition trip. I was extremely blessed to have received much support from friends, family and the Instagram community which allowed me to raise the $1,300 we needed to pay for transportation, meals and lodging. It was through Yuri alone that I sold about 20 mugs after she purchased a few and shared my work with her friends at church. The mugging journey Though I was grateful for the support, I can’t say that the process was easy. On weekdays I’d come home after working an 8 hour shift (plus an hour commute) and rush into the kitchen to start dinner, clean the kitchen, then pull out the art supplies to set up and paint mugs till about 1am. I slept an average of 5-6 hours a night and worked an additional 12 hours on the weekends from mid-November till Christmas. It was a sacrifice for sure. Out of all the custom artwork I created, this piece featuring Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God" became one of my favorites. The passage would pop into my head at times while everyone slept and I worked through the night. I deeply enjoyed the creative process but I quickly became tired, sleep deprived and my body ached much of the time. Yet, I was ecstatic to see how God kept providing me with a wealth of opportunity to raise the funds necessary to make my daughter’s dream come true. I filled three separate orders with this particular design and thought about painting a mug for myself. I kept putting it off though, ‘cause it took me an hour to paint each mug and client work came first. Live and learn This year as the holiday orders began to come in, I decided to digitize my existing designs and upload them to my Zazzle shop at HandLetteredMugs.com where anyone can log on and purchase my artwork on a professionally printed and 100% dishwasher and microwave safe mug. There are currently 42 designs in my gallery and I keep adding to it weekly as new orders come in. I wish I would have taken this route much sooner! So after almost a year, I finally own a mug with this design. I purchased one for myself and one for Yuri. I just had a feeling that this message would speak to her as well - and it did! I have the text messages with hearts and emoji’s crying with joy to prove it. Heehee. She's so cute. A couple of days later, she sent me this gorgeous picture of her mug, in her home, with her Christmas tree in the background. Why I "mug" Since I started this "mugging" journey, I've received several messages from people thanking me for creating artwork that was so meaningful to them. They text or email me to tell me how something as simple as a mug brought a loved one to tears with emotion or laughter. It's very fullfilling to know that the way I arrange letters which contain a special phrase can bring someone so much joy. I feel blessed to be able to create something that moves people so deeply. Some may think that lettering is just a hobby or an easy way to make extra cash. For me, lettering is a way to embellish the world, to communicate and bless others as their loved ones utilize my artwork to express their love and affection. When I read the messages they send me expressing their gratitude for what I do, I sit still. I smile and I rejoice because I know He is God, and I am but a tool transforming thoughts, phrases and passages into tangible symbols of love. Late last summer I received a custom lettering request for a mug that read: "My future husband has and awesome future wife". At first, I felt like it seemed like a lot of text to go on a mug, but being the problem solver than I am, I pulled out my sketchbook and played aroudn with different ways to arrange the text so that it was both artsy and easy to read.
The trick to making text easy to read is by creating focal points so that your eye is drawn to a few main words, allowing your brain to easily process the info and fill-in rest as if by instinct. As an artist, I couldn't help but to pat myself on the back after I completed this design. My customer LOVED it, and that made me love it as well. Who is this mug for? The person who ordered this mug is freshly out of a relationship and hopeful to find Mr. Right one day. But I feel it would also make a nice gift from a future groom to his fiancee and a great gift for a newly engaged friend. Gift Basket Idea My daughter's school is having a silent acution to raise funds for for their music program. I created a couple of gift baskets to donate, including this one with a date night theme, featuring my "awesome future wife" mug. The basket includes: a pink clutch purse, beaded pearl necklace, champage, tea light candles and candle holders, champagne, Modern Muse shower gel by Estee Lauder, and of course, my hand lettered mug. Hoping it raises lots of funds for those little noise makers! Uh...I mean,..mucisians. Heehee. Where to find this mug You can find this and other mugs in my collection at HandLetteredMugs.com. Lettering Tips and Inspiration Join the Lettering Bootcamp mailing list to receive lettering tips and design inspiration directly to your inbox.
Only 7 days into the October Lettering and Doodle challenge and I can already see an improvement in my work! By being given a prompt and a list with verbs and adjectives to pair up with the prompt, I am forced to think outside the box. For example, the prompt for today was "pumpkin" and after reviewing the inspiration list, I chose the word "loud".
So, how exactly could a pumpkin get loud? Hmmm...well, I bet they'd do a great job hyping you up about pumpkin season - that's how! Following this thought, I came to imagine a pumpkin on stage, holding a microphone. Then I thought about what a loud and excited pumpkin would say in just a few words that would be easy to letter. The fun thing about lettering (and doodle) challenges, is that no matter what your skill lever is, you WILL be challenged and you WILL see some breakthroughs. The best part is, you don't need any fancy tools to participate. I tend to use my iPad a lot, simply because I've been a graphic designer for 20 years and I find that creating art through technology is more in my comfort zone as it's the method I've had more experience with. Please note though, that I'm not exactly opting for the easy route as I am currently teaching myself how to use the Procreate app to create my digital illustrations. I'm actually being challenged on many levels, as I:
So don't be shy! Get your favorite lettering/doodling tools and join me! You don't have to commit to drawing every day, but if improving your hand lettering skills is in your bucket list, you will have to commit a bit of time at least a couple of times of week to continue seeing progress. It's like going to the gym. No one ever got fit simply by signing up for a gym membership. Only those who take time to go into the gym a couple times a week and use the equipment, those are the people who get results. Now pick up that writing equipment of yours and get your lettering skills in shape! No doodling required.
PS - Join the Lettering Bootcamp mailing list to receive tips and inspiration directly to your inbox.
Your Lettering Coach, Dio Hello there Lettering Bootcamp students and lettering enthusiasts! Are you ready to get your hand lettering and doodling skills in shape for the holidays? Me too - let's do it! I've put together a list of prompts for you to use every day during the month of October. You can interpret each prompt as you wish by including hand lettering, doodles or both! Now, if at any given time you start feeling a little stuck, don't worry I've got you covered! I've also put together an "inspiration list" (shown below) to give your creativity a little jump start. For example, let's say your staring at your sketchbook not knowing what to create for day 2, which lists "sweater" as a prompt. All you have to do is glance at the list below and pick a word to combine with that prompt. Maybe you then you'll feel inspired to draw a pink sweater, or a dancing sweater. How about a flying sweater singing "I believe I can fly". See what I mean - the possibilities are ENDLESS! So here's what you do:
Click the button below to download a printable PDF of the October Lettering and Doodle challenge.
Sea You Soon from dioperez on Vimeo.
Going on a short 3 day cruise this weekend - my first cruise ever! I'm super excited for this well-deserved getaway. It'll be interesting to see how I do without cellphone and internet access for a few days. I'm not taking my iPad either, just a pen and pocket sketchbook for whenever I get the urge to draw.
Can't wait to tell you all about my adventure through my lettering when I return. In the meantime, enjoy this short video of the drawing process for this piece I created just for you. Xoxo, Dio
Life is all about seasons…just as fruit grows on a tree, ripens, reaches our table and nourishes our body, everything around us is also going through a phase that will eventually require a transition to enter the next season, stage or phase and fulfill its purpose.
While transitions aren’t always easy, keeping your eye on the “prize” will always make the journey a bit more enjoyable. Summers in Palm Springs, for example, are quite unbearable if you want to spend time outdoors. But it’s a great time of the year to schedule a few getaways to the beaches and mountain towns nearby, such as Idyllwild and Big Bear. In this case, the new experiences outside of the desert and the gorgeous blue skies we get to see every day during winter, is what keeps me going. The trick is to just go with the flow and make the best out of every season and transition. Some of you joined Lettering Bootcamp this summer as a means to prepare for all your holiday crafting. While the stage of transitioning your handwriting into a lettering style of your very own might feel a bit difficult at times, think of how GREAT it feels when you finally develop a letter, just one letter of the alphabet, in a way that is truly yours and you LOVE it. What about flourishing? Scary word isn’t it? Well, it’s only scary until you practice it enough to the point where you get so comfortable with it, you want to throw a flourishing party. That’s me right now, actually. Heehee. So, if you’ve gotten lost in the transition, for one reason or another, the key is to not give up. If you don’t have time to log on to letteringbootcamp.com regularly, don’t worry. Use your lettering workbooks and keep practicing what you’ve learned so far. Now, if you’re feeling a little stuck when it comes to exploring different ways to draw each letter of the alphabet – don’t worry! I have just what you need. Log on to letteringbootcamp.com (if you’re a student) and download your free Alphabet Styles workbook. Begin by tracing each letter until you reach a point where you can draw each style by just looking at it. If you’re not a student, don’t worry! I’ve posted the workbook for sale at a VERY affordable price (it's practically free). Just head on to letteringworkbooks.com to purchase your copy today.
See you on Instagram, my friend. Can’t wait to experience all the seasons and transitions of your lettering artwork through the images you send my way. Also, don’t forget to tag @paisleyinparis and @letteringbootcamp so I can see your work and cheer you on.
Best, Your hand lettering coach, Dio ??
PS - Don't forget to join the mailing list to receive lettering tips and inspiration directly to your inbox.
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Hi - I'm Dio!Graphic Designer & Spanglish Lettering Artist Topics
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