Steady Hands are Not Only Required for Surgeons

Yep! It's NOT!

I've watched 9 seasons of Grey's Anatomy in less than a year (now I'm still stuck on season 10 because I suddenly know another TV series, Sherlock, and I haven't finished it too even though it only has 9 episodes). Anyway, I know how important it is to have steady hands if you're a surgeon. You hold a heart in your hands, for God's sake! Someone's life depends on you. You literally hold someone's heart in your hand and not just some cheesy lines in a song!

BUT...

Just like the title, steady hands are not only required for surgeons.

If you're following me on Instagram or Snapchat (@ztamaria), you must know that I'm currently into lettering. Or you can call it brush lettering, hand lettering, modern calligraphy, or typography. Anything sounds good to me.

I'm still learning actually. So, I am no expert. My letterings are still messy and sometimes the color combination or composition doesn't look matching or... weird.

This is when I practiced earlier this month. I just wrote anything that came into my mind. So it was really random.

Well, being a surgeon is impossible to me because I don't have steady hands (other than the facts that I don't have any Science background, or photographic memory like Lexie Grey, or the intention to face the possibility of losing patients). But actually, lettering needs steady hands too. *sobbing*

So you know how hard it is for me to do lettering, right?
But you know what? It's really fun!

This is not me. Seriously. This is too perfect.

The feeling of engraving the brush pen on the paper somehow feels relieving to me. And it makes me happy when I see that I can make a good one. Or when I made a really messy one, I'll just repeat it again until I feel it's good enough. This is definitely a hobby, so I am not so hard on myself and hurry myself to master it. I'm enjoying it!

I like the idea of using lipstick. Maybe I'll do it some other time.

Oh and if you're wondering if lettering can actually make money, YES IT CAN. There are a lot of people who make money by designing wedding invitation, cake toppers, accessories, and so on.
But if you're some kind of people who say that a "real" job is when you work for someone in a company, then no, it's not a "real" job. But hey, I think you live in a world like 1,000 years ago. (Don't be so narrow-minded, guys, c'mon).

Anyway, I already bought some brush pens a few months ago (Koi Coloring Brush, Sakura Calligraphy Pen, and Sakura Pigma Brush) because I saw some amazing letterings in Instagram and I want to learn to make it. So first I need the tools to practice, right? But I didn't really use them after I bought it.

But then I promised a friend that I will give him a present that I made by myself (since he made me something too). I'm planning to give him something that I design and I think lettering would give a special touch on it. So yeah, he's one of my motivation to start.
Remember the guy I told you in my blogpost about Tinder? I'm talking about the same guy. Yep, he's still my friend. Even though he's such a jackass jerk sometimes. :p

Sometimes I post my lettering on social media and currently I am joining a monthly challenge by @togetherweletter in collaboration with @springfreetrampoline on Instagram.

So I have to make letterings as creative as I can according to the words of the day and then post it on my account everyday with hashtag #springfreeletters and also tag them on the photo. The themes for this month are spring, active, and outdoor (because it's June!). It's been 17 days, so it hasn't finished yet. But I'm thinking about posting the finished 15 now and posting the last 15 later.

So here they are!

Day 1: JUMP

I'm currently learning lettering so I decided to join @togetherweletter's challenge this month. I know it's still messy af 😂 but I hope it's improving *fingerscrossed*
Btw thanks for the yellow-colored notebook, @raishaprabwasari 💛 you know it's my favorite!

Day 2: JOY

Yep, that's what I choose today!
...and what I should choose for the rest of my life, I guess 😅

Day 3: ADVENTURE

Doing lettering and exploring all the cute fonts is such an adventure to me 😊

Day 4: OUTSIDE

I'm the type of person whom you'll find listening to music or watching movies at home on a Saturday. But just like any other people, I need to get away and go outside once in a while to get some fresh air and sunshine and refresh my mind from all the troubles and doubts.
(Apalagi kalo lagi kurang piknik kayak sekarang 😪)

Day 5: TODAY I...

am grateful
that my mom came home safely,
for the new make ups she gave me,
that I walked my dog, Dmitry,
and for you, obviously.
Yes, all of you who spent your precious time to read this. Thank you 😊

Day 6: SUNSHINE 🌞

(in my favorite colors!)
Even though it was gloomy and raining here in Jakarta, but I felt the warm of sunshine in my heart when I shared my happiness to the loveliest cats and dogs in @ppsadoptabledogs* 😊💛

Day 7: BOUNCE

Exactly 1 week of the challenge! I forgot to bring the lettering tools but this coffee shop was just too cute, so I tried to be creative and did lettering on the receipt with @benefitindonesia's Benetint..
It's messy tho, it's so hard to do when you don't have steady hands 😅

(Location: Geek Coffee, Senayan, South Jakarta)

Day 9: EXPLORE

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
- Mark Twain

A few years ago, I heard this quote from @ariovenario and I've been exploring, dreaming, and discovering ever since. 🌊

(Featuring Scuba, my blue ukulele)

Day 10: ACTIVE

When it comes to sports or any physical activities, I am NOT an active person. I always have excuses not to do it. HAHA. But I think it's quite important since I realized it's good for my health. So, maybe I should get started 😅 Wish me luck!

Day 11: BACKYARD

This is the first time that I use @kuretakezig_usa brush pen and it's sooo smooth, I love it! 😍

Day 12: PLAY

"They'll tell you I'm insane
But I've got a blank space, baby
And I'll write your name" ;)
- @taylorswift

Day 13: GAME

First time I saw this quote in the movie A Cinderella Story back in 2004. I love it how it tells you not to let the fear of failing keep you from trying. That's why I really like to try something new in my life even though I might fail. Because.. what if I succeed? ;)
What about you? Does this quote mean something to you?

Day 14: FAMILY TIME

It's been 2 weeks of the challenge! 😄 anyway, this is the only black-colored brush that I have and it's been my favorite :*

Day 15: EDUCATION

SASHIMI** (XI IPS 2) in the background! Miss you much, girls 😘

* @ppsadoptabledogs is an Instagram account of Pondok Pengayom Satwa, a cat-dog shelter in Ragunan, South Jakarta. They provide cemetery, daycare/hotel, and vet too. If you're thinking about adopting dogs (I don't know about the cats), you should make a visit! They are so freaking CUTE!!

** SASHIMI is the name of my class when I was in 11th grade in high school. Yes, in my school all of the classes have names, it's not weird. It's actually an abbreviation of Sosial Dua Shiap [Siap] Memimpin (Social 2 is Ready to Lead). Gosh it's so creative!


P.S.: Give me some comments below! I'm open to critics, questions, or ideas about what I should make or ideas of the tools or paper that I should use. Or any other opinion, really ;) Thanks in advance!