Letter X and XOXO

Letter X and XOXO are part of a watercolor and ink study in letter styles and object styles beginning with that letter. Each study will focus on one letter and one object beginning with that letter in order to collect and practice various artistic styles and alphabets.

Letter X, what will you bring?

Do you know how hard it is to find an object that starts with the letter X (already difficult), is conducive to a watercolor study (how do you make X-ray look good in watercolor?), and understandable in regular everyday vocabulary (rather than names derived from long ago unspoken scientific languages)?! It’s almost impossible without cheating (aka dropping letters like this: Xample and Xtreme).

I had decided to go with a scientific term. Xeranthemum. Do you know what it is without deferring to a Google search? I didn’t either. It’s a flower from the daisy family. I’m a wildflower girl, so I was fine with playing with painting Xeranthemum.

Until …

I remembered February and Valentine’s Day.

Now, I don’t think of myself as mushy, but I do love a reason to celebrate. And I want the people I care about to feel special because they totally are to me. I tend to lean more toward the cards that are handed with a little wink and a laugh. One year, I printed some silly cards from landeelou.com. You can see them here. I especially liked the pinky promise one and promptly gave it to my hubby.

So, what does that have to do with letter X? Well, XOXO, of course! I decided to make a few Valentine’s Day designs myself.

Here is what I learned from studying letter X and XOXO:

Dip Pen Letter X Styles

• Letter X! What a spunky little letter with so many options! Who knew that criss-crossed lines could be so fun?
• It can look classy, graceful, formal, whimsy, strong, playful, showy, calm, spontaneous and …
• Favorites: 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 18, and 19. I could even add a few more. Yes, I’m loving these Xs.
• Least favorite: 15. I don’t know but I think I’m falling out of love with this style.

Watercolor and Ink Letter X Styles

• And the fun continues …
• Look at that mermaid style! It belongs in the sea, bobbing beside the tropical fish.  
• How about that cheeky turquoise? What pizzazz!
• The two middle Xs definitely mark their presence with boldness and flair.
• Least favorite: top left. It fits the style I’m working on but it doesn’t have anything extra.

Watercolor and Ink XOXO Styles

• I went with some minimal styles this time, so none of them have background depth. I wanted simple with a few humorous elements.
• Some of these had me chuckling even as I painted. I am amused by quirky things.
• Did you notice the Xeranthemum? Triple X value on that one.
• Favorite: top left. I love to celebrate differences (even when they add irritation at times), and I’m fascinated by how different we all are. What potential value we can add to each others’ perspectives!
• Least favorite: the stick. I like the concept, but I would love to try a version of the winterberry stick that is more loose and free.

There you have it! Letter X and XOXO. What kind of Valentine are you?

Enjoy celebrating with the ones you love … especially your differences!

If you missed previous letters from this study, you can find their links here.