Ken Brown Realizes His Dream

When Master Calligrapher Ken Brown left Oklahoma State University in 1961, he had no idea that what he had learned in an architecture class would change his life forever.

Ken had always admired hand lettering. Even as a child, he noticed the beautiful lettering on signs and billboards, and even his parents' house plans. "I recall marveling at the way the sign painter in my hometown of Hugo, Oklahoma would letter bold, beautiful script and block letters on signs and billboards around town," Ken says. He dreamed about creating his own billboard someday, but, as Ken admits, his handwriting could have passed for a doctor's. It seemed as if his dream would never come true.

However, upon signing up for an architecture class during college, he discovered the art of hand lettering. Although his first 10-line poem was crudely lettered, the work of the more experienced students inspired him. He was now determined to master this beautiful art.

"I left college in the spring of 1961, at the urging of the dean of men, since my grade point average for two years was barely a whole number," Ken says. However, throughout the following years, as he tried out all different kinds of jobs, Ken did calligraphy almost every day. And his lettering steadily improved as a result. He began moonlighting with his hobby, and he soon was earning more money than at his day job as a promotional writer for the ABC affiliate in Dallas, TX. So he quit his job and formed the Ken Brown Studio of Calligraphic Art in 1972. He was realizing his dream!

Ken knew he had to make his mark, and when he heard of a contest sponsored by the Hobby Industry Association (HIA), he knew just how to do it. The contest was for the most original promotional piece. Instead of creating a brochure or flyer, Ken bought 22 mini window shutters at the local hardware store. He then got the names of important contacts at the top craft distributors in the nation. Using his beautiful calligraphy, he crafted a personal note to each person promoting his booth at the upcoming ACCI trade show- on the shutters. He addressed them, stamped them, and mailed them as they were, without any kind of packaging. They all arrived safely; he won the contest, attracted 19 of the recipients to his booth, and scored his first big order for his decoupage prints he was producing at the time! The rest, they say, is history.

Since then more than 40 million impressions of Ken's calligraphy have appeared on art prints, magazine ads, videos, kits, books, calligraphy markers, and various other tools. What's the secret to his success? "Practice, practice, practice," Ken says. Ken Brown is proof that you don't have to have perfect handwriting to master calligraphy. You just have to have the perseverance to learn the craft well.

Ken Brown has two complete calligraphy programs with Plaid that will help you teach yourself the art of calligraphy. His unique 14 stroke method makes is easy to learn. Calligraphy with Ken Brown uses markers and templates to help you learn to perfectly form and space your letters. FolkArt Brush Lettering uses the same strokes to help you learn to create these letters with a brush. The result makes a beautiful addition to decorative painting pieces. Both programs include educational support, such as books and videos that make learning easy and fun.

The time-honored art of calligraphy is not a "faddish" thing, like macramé or the hula-hoop, says Ken. And once you learn it, you can always use it.

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