Learning Brush Lettering: Final Update

Can the internet teach me a new style of handwriting? This is the question I went into my Networked Learning Project (NLP) to investigate. As our society becomes increasingly reliant on the internet, I was tasked with seeing if I could learn a skill that I was interested in through only internet resources, such as videos and help forums. I can proudly say, after weeks of searching the internet and practicing, that the internet can indeed teach me a new style of handwriting – brush lettering.

Figure 1: Practicing letters using a brush lettering marker | Photograph taken by the author

Through this experience of learning how to write words and quotes in brush lettering, I am walking away with not only a new skill but also an understanding of what it is like to learn from the internet. From someone who did not have access to much technology beyond a computer lab or two in high school, this was a new experience for me. As I spent time searching online for help when I was stuck with what to do next or how to correct a mistake, I put myself in the shoes of my students who spend a lot of time learning skills from the internet. It was an interesting experience, to say the least.

I created a video to share my experience with learning brush lettering using only internet resources. From this experience, I learned how to use basic strokes to write letters, and eventually words. I found that YouTube videos, like The Beginner’s Guide to Brush Lettering: Basic Strokes, from Destination Decoration helped me to apply what I was learning into practice. While I also used blogs and help forums, being able to visually see what someone was doing and follow along with my own pen and paper was where I learned the most.

Figure 2: Practicing brush lettering | Photograph taken by the author

I also learned what it was like to be a novice at something again and using resources from experts online was an interesting experience. For example, there were videos and blog posts that I read that were created by people with years of brush lettering experience. Often, they would skip over a step, like which pen to use of how to hold the pen, assuming that this was basic knowledge at that point. While they still taught me new skills, it was sometimes difficult to understand how to start at something from people who have not been at that point in years. This is where I learned the importance of pedagogical knowledge and applying it to my own classroom work. While content knowledge is important, so is knowing how to teach it. It is the ability to put yourself back in the shoes of a novice and know what issues and questions arise in the process, as discussed by Bransford et al. (2000).  As a teacher, I often have to put myself in the shoes of my students when introducing a new concept and be able to understand what it is like to learn this for the first time and use that to create a lesson that will reach all students.

One key takeaway beyond learning the skill was the motivation that was needed for this project. Based on this experience I will admit, learning brush lettering is hard and takes a lot of time. I practiced a lot, sometimes it was just doing the basic strokes repeatedly or practicing random words (see Figure 2). I learned how important it was to be passionate about this project. If I had no interest in learning brush lettering and it was assigned to me, I do not think I could have completed this project. Because I had a personal investment in this project and saw a use for what I was doing, I was much more willing to work at it, even when I struggled with writing certain letters or connecting letters together. Bransford, Brown, and Cocking (2000) write that “learners of all ages are more motivated when they can see the usefulness of what they are learning and when they can use that information to do something that has an impact on others” (p. 61). I knew that I was learning a skill that I had deemed as useful and therefore I was more motivated to complete this project.

Figure 3: Supplies I used while learning brush lettering | Photograph taken by the author

Overall, I enjoyed this experience. While it was challenging at times to find the right resource, it was an enlightening experience that I will reflect on as I continue my teaching career. I can see myself using this style of networked learning in my own classroom. Many of my students already rely on the internet to teach them skills at home and being able to leverage that in the school will help them learn new concepts and skills, with the support of a teacher and classmates.

Previous updates on learning brush lettering:

• First update
• Second update

References

Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L. & Cocking, R.R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Retrieved from http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309070368

Destination Decoration (2016, January 4). The beginner’s guide to brush lettering: Basic strokes [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENj1xxj9STs&t=252s

All pictures are the property of the author