I LOVE HAND LETTERING
and I've been doing it ever since I learned how to write, but . . .
I never loved the pressure to be perfect that came along with traditional calligraphy or modern brush lettering.
Watch this quick video for a Rundown
& Sneak Peek at the Lessons!
Are You Ready to
Funk Up Your Letters?
Have you ever felt afraid to add text to your art journal pages?
If there is one sentiment that I hear over and over from the art journaling community members, it is this:
I am afraid of adding text to my art journal pages because I don't want to ruin them and I just don't love my handwriting.
My goal in presenting this course is to take artists who want to overcome this fear through a series of exercises that will yield CONFIDENCE in your own ability to add words to your pages.
I believe this is a totally achievable goal, because just like most of you, I don't love my natural, everyday handwriting, but I LOVE lettering in my art journals.
Just like I love to draw leaves, I love to draw letter forms.
My art journal pages don't feel complete unless there are words on them.
It is part of what makes my art "my art."
When I add hand lettering to an art journal page, it is also an opportunity to really concentrate on the meaning behind the words that I am drawing.
It is a slow process and during this time, I am connecting with myself. I meditate on the thoughts and feelings that I have as I am writing the words. I don't need to try to do this, it just happens naturally.
There is no reason why my letters need to be perfect or compared to anyone else's. All that matters is that I enjoy this process of drawing each letter form. The more I do this, the more comfortable I become with it. The more I practice, and make mistakes, the more I discover my style and what I love
Let me take you through my ten week process that will yield confidence,
but NOT perfection.
Using a combination of drills and a lot of tips and tricks that I have developed over many years, we will work through my process that only takes a few minutes per day.
Consistency is key, and the practice exercises are not difficult because we will not be using any fancy or fussy calligraphy tools or brush lettering pens.
You will develop and use YOUR signature typestyle.
The other thing that I know about art journalers is that we don't want the pressure of feeling like our art needs to look like someone else's or that it needs to be precise or perfectionistic.
My system works with our unique needs as art journalers. It adapts to most if not all surfaces and allows for change and evolution as we grow as artists.
Muscle memory is THE KEY to hand lettering confidence.
Your lettering ability is a muscle. Use it or lose it. This course is like making a commitment to going to a gym to train your muscles. Doesn't sound very fun when you put it that way, but I love this process!
Like all good things, this won't happen without some work and commitment. I'm asking for about 15 minutes per day for ten weeks. It won't matter if you skip some days-this is nothing to stress out about!
We will start with basic drills, work quickly up to letters, move on to our own signature typestyles and before long, we will be adding our letters to our beloved art journals!
Not your typical brush lettering class.
I've got so many tips and tricks to share with you that are specific to adding words to art journals.
You'll have so many uses for your signature type.
This skill is not limited to art journaling! Use your new confident writing in any mixed media art project.
Lettering can be both meditative and satisfying.
Not only is hand lettering fun, it is a primary way that I meditate, find flow state and calm my nervous system.
Take the Love Your (Imperfect) Letters
30 Day Challenge!
After I've taught you enough about imperfect hand lettering for art journalers to get you really rolling, take the Love Your (Imperfect) Letters 30 Day Challenge.
Don't worry, this is low stress. Miss a day or two or three? SO WHAT! This is an imperfect lettering challenge, right? You can catch up or skip ahead as you need to.
In addition to all of my lessons on hand lettering and tips and tricks for adding it to your art journals, I provide a new hand lettering prompt for art journaling each day for 30 days (beginning in Week 7 of this curriculum).
The manual for this course contains loads of great quotes, but you can always choose your own! I demonstrate each challenge technique in a short video.
I love to follow your progress!
Use the hashtag
#loveyourimperfectletters
Post a photo of your challenge work to Instagram using our hashtag
#loveyourimperfectletterschallenge
Following along and encouraging others, learning from each other and finding inspiration together . . . that's all part of the fun of doing this challenge.
Still on the Fence?
Read more Student Reviews!
This was the first course I tried. I’m a retired art teacher with lots of imposter baggage so the online course worked for me. Wendy’s serious but positive approach is so good for me, it gives me confidence, helps me trust my instincts as well the energy to try new things. It makes me happy when she exclaims how cute a letter or style is and gives me energy to try all the things. This was a good ‘gateway’ course to the world of Fodder School. I haven’t stopped since!
Marilyn Seals
I loved this course sooo much. Of course everything I have taken from Willa Workshops has been amazing, but this stands out as one of my favorites. I have messy writing and that held me back from putting it in my art. But this course helped me practice basic shapes to make my writing more fluid, understand that lettering is just drawing and explore what type of lettering appeals to me. I tried so many different techniques and really had fun. I love how it was presented systematically without being boring. I felt so encouraged to embrace my own lettering, imperfections and all. It is definitely a course that I will go back to again and again.
Heather Reardon
Of all the classes I have taken, this is my favorite! Wendy is the best teacher and I use what I learned in the class every day.
Paulette Gledhill
have always hated my handwriting. Mom said I should have been a doctor. So when I saw this course, I knew I had to take it. I am impatient and rush too much, so it has been tricky for me, but I love the instruction and logic behind it all. I just need to slow down and practice more- and stop comparing my lettering to Wendy's amazing lettering, but I am making definite progress! And I no longer feel I have ruined my journals with my terrible penmanship. I wholeheartedly recommend!
BethAnn Harrison
I have just begun my journey into art, and I realized I didn’t care for my handwriting paired with what I created, even though my handwriting is perfectly fine. I was thrilled to find the Love Your (Imperfect) Letters class. Through it, I was astonished to discover that I actually have an artistic style in lettering! Who knew?? It was hidden away all this time, and the class helped me define it. I loved the practice drills and variety of lettering types. I didn’t have art journals to letter in, and I didn’t need to; but creating art journals will be my next class, and I can’t wait to letter in them; I will be revisiting the different lessons in this class for a long time! In the meantime, I already had a friend ask me to letter a message in a birthday card she made for a friend!
Rhonda Marple
I enjoyed this course so much! I'm a complete novice at this type of thing. The course was fun! Wendy has a friendly, totally non-judgemental manner, and I felt encouraged and supported, even on-line! She's a talented artist and a great teacher - I'm really happy with the results and find myself referring back to the notebook/journal all the time. Highly recommend!
Chris Watkins
Wendy's "Love Your (Imperfect) Letters" course definitely helped me to improve and gain confidence with my hand lettering. Each lesson helped me to develop muscle memory while also honing my own imperfect lettering style for use in my art. I especially enjoyed the 30 daily challenges and followed along as part of my 100 Day Project (see attached photo) and repeated my favorite techniques to complete all 100 days in my mixed-media books. To this day, I love incorporating imperfect lettering into my artwork, bullet journal, and mail!
Mel Beach
I am currently taking both the letters and the watercolor for relaxation course. I am about 75% done with both. I can definitely share my artwork when I’m done. I’ve combined both courses in an art journal I made as well as in a cotton watercolor journal. I began these courses when my best friend, with whom I’ve spent 20 years doing art, died last month. These two courses have been a lifeline for me. The combination of the short videos and Wendy’s authenticity have gotten through this fog I’ve been stuck in and are helping me sort through some pretty big emotions. Wendy has unknowingly helped me to not feel so adrift and hopeless. Seeing her work and her words in her journals gave me the permission to freely write down my own. And it’s been liberating.
Tiffany Robinson
This course changed my whole writing experience in my journals. The lessons were extremely thorough and persistence was the key for me. Like most of Wendy’s courses the lessons just seemed to going and going so was excellent value for money. I feel I can now confidently write in any of my journals, whether it be a quote, a heading or daily writing, knowing it looks unique to me.
Cathy Watson
I just wanted to say thank you for all your generosity in teaching and sharing your love of art. I’ve been having fun for a while with the first 3 years of Fodder School. THEN I found your Love of (Imperfect) Letters course. Since my heart has always belonged to pens and letters, this was MY course! I am LOVING all the drills and experimenting and searching for fonts! Your approach to teaching is so inviting and welcoming, I can’t tell you how at ease it makes me. This year, and especially the last 2 months, have been brutal for me. Having a safe, enjoyable practice awaiting me each day has helped to mget through. Thank you, as always, for all that you do for people you don’t even know. You give me hope.
Phoenix Dals
Willa Workshops Generic FAQs
- What is your refund policy?
- There are no refunds on online courses
- How long do I have access to this course if I purchase it?
- You will have “Lifetime” Access to all classes unless otherwise mentioned—"Lifetime" is relevant to the lifespan of the Willa Workshops business (I don't plan on leaving anytime soon!) or the longevity of the technology
- Does this class have subtitles/closed captioning?
- All classes should have English, Spanish, and French subtitles. Some classes may have more language options. Please contact me if you notice a video does not have closed captioning!
- How do I watch these classes?
- All Willa Workshops lesson content is prerecorded video. Once your purchase is complete, you will have instant access to the classroom, and are free to work through the content at your own pace
- You can access Teachable and watch the lessons in your browser (PC, Mac, Android) or the Teachable app for iOS (recommended for iPhone and iPad)
- Are the class videos downloadable?
- No, at least not available as local downloads to your device. The Teachable app for iOS may allow you to download lessons for offline playback.
- Can I share access to these courses with another person?
- No. One student per registration. This is an honor system that if violated will result in your removal from the course with no refund.
- Can I post images of what I create from these courses on social media?
- Please do! Always tag @willa.wanders and mention the course in your post description
- Can I sell the art projects that I learn to make in these courses?
- Yes! Please keep them for yourself, give them as a gift, or sell them.
Meet Your Teacher!
Wendy Solganik
@willa.wanders
Wendy Solganik, aka “Willa Wanders” on Instagram, is a life-long artist and crafter, currently working in watercolor, hand lettering, mixed media collage, art journaling and handmade book arts. From production wheel pottery to scrapbooking to knitting and so many more passions, Wendy always dives deep to master a craft.
After a fifteen year stint as the co-owner of Luscious Verde Cards, a successful, Louie award-winning, custom invitation design, printing and manufacturing company, you can find Wendy at home in her spare bedroom art studio moving around from art project to art project. It is the experience of a delicious flow state while she is creating that keeps Wendy coming back to making day after day.
Wendy balances making art with energetically running her online art course platform, Willa Workshops. Over the past four years, she and other artists from around the globe have launched over 40 new online mixed media art, handmade book, collage art and watercolor painting courses. This includes the epic year long mixed media collage art experience called Fodder School, which is the creation that Wendy is most proud of.
You can listen to Wendy interview other prolific artists on her podcast, “Show Up or Shut Up with Wendy Solganik.” Her work has been featured in Uppercase Magazine and Strawberry Moon, and you just never know where she will wander to next. Find all this and more at willawanders.com.
