When I have a family tree project on my desk, I’m completely focused. Every detail has to be just perfect: I’m creating family heirlooms and unique keepsake gifts which will last for lifetimes. The importance of a family tree to the person who’s commissioned me to write it is something I’m always really aware of.
The pictures in this blog are of Pippa’s four family trees. They were all 100% handwritten in calligraphy, and illustrated with little personal touches to represent the Johns and South families.
There are three of the family’s much loved cats amongst the names – one black cat and two white / tabby cats. Pippa asked me to illustrate agapanthus flowers in the corners, and little blue flowers amongst the green and gold leaves.
The pictures were taken while the family trees were on my desk, before framing.
As writing family trees is a slow and careful process, I often find I’m thinking about the process as I write. In this case, even more so: I’d originally planned to write a master copy, scan it at 1200dpi and reprint the words for the 3 copies before adding the illustrations by hand.
However, I wasn’t happy with the quality of the scan, so I made the decision to hand write each copy in calligraphy.
Yes, it took longer. Yes, it was worth every second. If you’re curious about how long exactly these family trees take, keep reading!
How I write calligraphy family trees, in 14 simple steps
1. Gathering information from you!
2. Working up a draft layout on the computer
3. Proofing and approval process
4. Measurements and pencil layout
5. Title in ink
6. Names in ink
7. Dates in ink
8. Ruling pen lines for the diagram
9. Leaves and swirls including title
10. Illustrations
11. Gold leaf hearts
12. Erasing pencil lines
13. Cutting and framing
14. Packaging and posting!
The information gathering and proof process can take a couple of weeks. The larger your family tree, the longer it’s likely to take to gather all the details and check every single name, date and location. From the first version you send me – which could be scribbled notes or your own sketch of the layout, or perhaps pdfs or screen shots from Ancestry.co.uk – to the final approved proof, we will email back and forth to confirm all the details. This can take from a week to three weeks. Top tip: be as prepared as you can with the information when you first get in touch! It will save time in the long run.
Once you’ve approved a final proof of your family tree layout, I’ll clear my desk, get out my tilting drawing board, and start measuring all of the spacing for your family tree. Each layer of names should be evenly spaced, and it can take a few attempts to gauge the spacing between names on a row. Smaller family trees generally fit on A2 paper, but I’ll order in larger sheets for anything with more than about 12 names on a row, just in case.
Measuring the layout in pencil has to be to the millimetre. I know the body of a letter will usually be 3mm high, line spacing around 2-3 cm and titles 12mm high. It has to be that specific for the calligraphy to work, and I draw lines above and below every word to keep everything consistent.
Pencil layouts can take a full day to complete.
With layouts finalised, I’ll begin working with calligraphy pens and ink. Titles first – and I should mention that if anything goes wrong when I’m writing in ink, I start the process over. I practice the title of every family tree on a separate piece of paper first: the Fraktur lettering style I use is hard to gauge the size of, so to get it centred I always have a trial run. Then I add names, then I go back and fill in dates. Names are done in a modern copperplate calligraphy style, with dates often in capitals (but still with a calligraphy pen). It helps me to write one style at a time rather than switching between the two.
For a family tree of 80 names, the calligraphy itself will take a full day. I add all the lettering and leave it to dry overnight before starting the illustration.
Illustrating your family tree
I get quite nervous about ruling the lines for a family tree! It’s partly because I’ve already put so much work in – and it’s quite a high risk stage of the process! I use metallic gold inks mixed from hard pigment, and a ruling pen. The family tree has to be taped securely onto my desk at a precise angle, and a protective layer placed underneath my ruler so the ink doesn’t spill or drag. The ruling pen has to be set up at exactly the right width, and then I will draw the horizontal lines, wait 10 minutes, then add the vertical lines. I almost always miss one at this stage, so I’ll wait another 10 minutes and add it in!
Once the straight lines are completely dry – half an hour or so later – I will sketch in any extra flowers or details you’ve asked for, as well as the swirling leaf illustration in pencil. Then I’ll use the same gold ink and my calligraphy pens to add the swirls, outline the leaves, and fill them in. At the same time, I’ll add swirls in black to the title of your family tree. After adding swirls to the diagram itself, my arm and hand are in confident swirling mode, I’m confident with the nib I’m using (they can take a while to warm up, or sometimes feel not-quite-right, so being happy with a nib is really important!) – and I’ll enjoy drawing in the title swirls to finish the piece. Almost…
This part of the illustration takes around 3 hours.
Lines drawn, leaves and flowers painted, title swirls complete, I will leave your family tree to dry for a couple of hours, or overnight. If the weather is hot and sunny, a few hours is fine: if it’s cold inks take longer to dry, so I don’t take any chances by rushing the next part of the process: I carefully and gently erase all the pencil lines. Nothing fancy here, just a good rubber and a lot of focus. I can’t afford to rush, be rough and crease the paper!
Gilding details on family trees
The final stage of the artistic bit is gilding. I use a premixed ‘size’ (gilding glue) and carefully paint in little hearts to indicate marriages. The size takes 12 – 24 hours to dry, so this stage takes a full day. Once it’s dry, I apply several layers of 23 carat gold leaf from Handover to the little hearts. I burnish them to a shine, which is the final touch on your family tree!
Once finished, your family tree is cut to size and I’ll either send it to you as it is, so you can frame it at home, or I can frame it for you. If you choose this option we’ll discuss frame styles as part of the proofing process. Pippa’s frame choice was modern and simple, a narrow black frame which would work well in every one of the four homes this family tree was headed for!
Gilding and framing your family tree takes around a day and a half.
Unframed family trees are easy to pack and post: I’ll wrap them beautifully, tie them with a ribbon and use the sturdiest postal tube I can get my hands on. (I have a good stash of these in my supply room!) Framed family trees take a little longer to wrap: they need layers of protective packaging, lots of paper tape to hold everything exactly in place, and a very sturdy picture frame box to protect them from couriers jumping up and down on them in the back of a van.
This doesn’t actually happen, I’m sure. 90% of the delivery drivers who deliver stuff here are lovely, and careful, and professional. However, as I said at the very start of this blog, I appreciate how precious and important your family tree will be, and after all the hours of work I’ve put into every stage of the process, I’m not taking any chances on courier mishaps!
Most calligraphy trees take 3 – 4 weeks to complete. The longest part of the process is often the proofing stage. Most often there’s a date or two missing from the information a customer sends me, and I think commissioning a family tree in calligraphy is a good incentive for people to chase down every last detail they can possibly find! If you’re thinking of ordering a family tree I would advise doing so 4 – 6 weeks before the birthday, anniversary or occasion you need it for. Although, if you’re confident you have all of the information already, I can generally create a beautiful family tree for you within three weeks. Just let me know your deadline and I’ll see what I can do!
I hope you’ve found it interesting to see what goes into writing a calligraphy family tree. If you’d like to commission one of your own, please get in touch! My contact details are here. Visit this page of my website to see prices, examples of calligraphy family trees, and reviews from previous customers.
