Meet our new Artist of the Month... Raheem Khatri. Based in Australia @calligraphybyrkhatri loves to work on broad edge scripts. Read on to find out more about our Artist of the Month!
What is your background and when did your passion for Calligraphy and Lettering begin?
I am a Trainer in Hospitality Management for last 5 years. I always had special attraction towards different types of stationery since my childhood. My Calligraphy journey started with Lockdowns when I had a lot of time on hand and honestly, I surprised myself with the improvement. I think over the years the practice has provided great amount of maturity in letterforms.
Who / Where do you take your inspiration from?
My inspiration is not limited to sources, and it can come from any letter forms or artwork I observe. Predominantly I get a lot of inspiration from social media where are numerous great artists.
What in your opinion is the hardest and the most rewarding parts of working in a creative industry?
The hardest part is it requires a lot of practice, dedications, tools, time etc. but at end of the day every time you are improving and that is rewarding and self-motivating. Secondly some artwork that you spend hours and days to create might not impress the people and basic work people might fall in love with. But it is very important to do what you like to do for consistency and self-improvement.
Do you have a favourite style?
I predominantly like to work on broad edged scripts. My favourites are different variations of Blackletter however I am not hesitated to try different classical and modern styles time to time. I also like to use vibrant colours and sometimes like to blend them as well.
What are the most exciting projects you have worked on and what are you working on at the moment?
Calligraphy is only a hobby for me, but I think the most exciting project is to collaborate with Manuscript.
How does your work relate to your everyday life?
Calligraphy gives me a sense of achievement after every work and takes me away from other chaos. But sometimes on a bad day Calligraphy practice could be hard, frustrating, and stressful.
What are your favourite tools to use?
My favourite tools would be Parallel Pens, Calligraphy Markers and Broad edged nibs that I use on regular basis for practise calligraphy.
What would your advice be to people new to the creative industry and any tips on how to get started?
I think to learn calligraphy you need to have good observation skills. If you can observe every tiny detail of letter form than you can put that into practice. Also, you've got to have patience and perseverance and practice regularly and you will see an improvement.
To see more of Raheem's work you can follow him on Instagram. Remember to follow @manuscriptpenco on Social Media where we will be showcasing his work throughout the month.
