The Life of Letters

In this episode, Laura is joined by Daniel Reeve, the calligrapher behind some of the most iconic props in cinematic history. Daniel shares his remarkable journey from a childhood fascination with Tolkien's scripts to becoming the person responsible for bringing the written world of Middle-earth to life on screen in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films.

From the intricate maps and invented scripts to the legendary Red Book and the ring inscription itself, Daniel walks us through the painstaking and deeply creative process of designing authentic lettering for a world that had to feel truly real. We explore the role calligraphy plays in storytelling and film production, the challenges of working on props that millions of people would scrutinise, and why authenticity and character in script design matters so much… especially when the source material is as beloved as Tolkien's.

A fascinating and wonderfully detailed conversation about what happens when a lifelong passion becomes the work of a lifetime.

Find out more about Daniel: www.danielreeve.co.nz. Connect with him at danielreeveartist on Facebook, or @reevedf on Instagram.

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If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it - it really helps others discover the podcast - thank you!

Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes.

To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauraletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife.

Our podcast producer, Heidi Cullip, introduces the next series of The Life of Letters with, me, your host, Laura Edralin.

We explore this series' theme exploring the enchanting world of Japanese calligraphy, ancient scripts, and the cultural magic behind letter crafting in this episode. Discover stories from New Zealand, Japan, Ireland, Norway, and more, revealing the rich history and modern mysteries of writing.

Find out about the line up, get excited about the conversations and a sneak peek of what's in store for series 7!

If you’re enjoying The Life of Letters Podcast, it would mean the world if you could follow or subscribe, leave a quick review, or share the episode with a friend. Every little action helps more people discover the calming, creative world of calligraphy and lettering.️

Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes.

To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauraletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife.

✍️ ✨ Want to bring a little calm and creativity into your own life? Download Laura's free Calming Calligraphy workbook.

In this episode, Laura is joined by Sam Roberts - editor of BLAG magazine, the world's only magazine dedicated to sign painting craft, community and culture - for a fascinating conversation about the art of sign painting, ghost signs and the timeless craft of lettering. Sam shares his journey from writing about signs since 2007 to building a global community of sign painters through events, films, books, and now BLAG itself. They explore how a passion for lettering on walls and windows has fostered connections across the world and what the future holds for this beautifully human art form. A wonderful note to end the series on. ️✨

As a special thank you to The Life of Letters listeners, Sam is offering exclusive discounts on BLAG:

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it - it really helps others discover the podcast - thank you!

☕️ To support the podcast with a small donation, buy us a coffee here.

Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes.

✍️ To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauralletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife. ✨ Download Laura's free Calming Calligraphy workbook.

In this episode, Laura is joined by Katie Johnson and Ilana Griffo - the duo behind Goodtype, one of the most vibrant and beloved communities for lettering artists and designers. They share how they met in 2017 and built something truly special together, the creative journeys that brought them both to lettering, and why community has been at the heart of everything they do. They also talk about their new book Follow Your Art - a beautiful guide to help artists discover and embrace their own unique style. A joyful, inspiring conversation that will leave you wanting to pick up a pen immediately.

Good Type - Official Website - https://goodtype.us 

Good Type - Instagram https://instagram.com/goodtype

Ilana Griffo - Instagram - https://instagram.com/ilanagriffo 

Katie Johnson - Instagram - https://instagram.com/katiejohnson

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it - it really helps others discover the podcast - thank you!

☕️ To support the podcast with a small donation, buy us a coffee here.

Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes.

✍️ To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauralletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife. ✨ Download Laura's free Calming Calligraphy workbook.

In this episode, Laura is joined by Tim Brookes, founder of the Endangered Alphabets Project, for a fascinating conversation about the minority scripts around the world that are at risk of disappearing, and why it matters so much that we fight to save them. Tim shares the origins of his passion for carving and writing, how a personal hobby grew into a global activism effort and the profound cultural and spiritual significance of writing itself. They also explore the joy of writing by hand, the impact it has on personal expression and mental health, and the grassroots movements bringing endangered scripts back to life. A conversation that will make you look at every letter you write with fresh eyes.

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it - it really helps others discover the podcast - thank you!

☕️ To support the podcast with a small donation, buy us a coffee here.

Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes.

✍️ To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauralletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife. ✨ Download Laura's free Calming Calligraphy workbook.

In this episode, Laura is joined by calligraphy and type designer Matthias Hertzberg for a fascinating look at his creative process, influences and projects - including a unique book cover and custom fonts that push the boundaries of letterforms. If you thought you knew what letters could do, this one might just change your mind.

Matthijs’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/herzbergdesignco

Matthijs’s Website - https://herzbergdesign.com 

Sinistral Hand by Phaedra Charles - https://undercase.xyz/media/pages/custom/a-guide-to-sinistral-hand/2af7767931-1658855020/sinistralguide_072622.pdf 

FontLab Software - https://fontlab.com

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it - it really helps others discover the podcast - thank you!

☕️ To support the podcast with a small donation, buy us a coffee here.

Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes.

✍️ To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauralletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife. ✨ Download Laura's free Calming Calligraphy workbook.

In this episode, Laura sits down with Alison Hitchcock who shares her remarkable journey from a city career to founding a letter writing charity, and the extraordinary power that heartfelt letters can have in healing and transforming lives. A beautiful conversation about what can happen when we slow down, pick up a pen and truly connect with another person. 

From Me To You - Charity Website - https://www.frommetoyouletters.co.uk/about 

A Diagnosis and an Unbreakable Friendship - Book - https://www.frommetoyouletters.co.uk/the-book/p/from-me-to-you-the-book 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/frommetoyouletters/ 

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it - it really helps others discover the podcast - thank you!

☕️ To support the podcast with a small donation, buy us a coffee here.

Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes.

✍️ To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauralletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife. ✨ Download Laura's free Calming Calligraphy workbook.

In this episode, Laura is joined by Pooja Saxena who shares her wonderful journey into the world of calligraphy, typography and Indian scripts. Together they explore the rich history and extraordinary diversity of letter forms, and what the future might hold - with an emphasis on cultural context and why accessibility in design matters so much. A rich and inspiring conversation that reminds us just how wide and wonderful the world of letters really is.

Matra Type - Pooja Saxena's Practice - https://matratype.com / Instagram - https://instagram.com/matratype 

Alphabet Soup - Book by Women Typeface Designers - https://example.com/alphabet-soup 

My Typographical Eye, Issue № 12 / Pixel Type & Needlework: https://us12.campaign-archive.com/?u=00db3d2423772a3f86d6e22a1&id=4fa7cefeef 

FontStruct - Modular Typeface Tool - https://fontstruct.com

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it - it really helps others discover the podcast - thank you!

☕️ To support the podcast with a small donation, buy us a coffee here.

Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes.

✍️ To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauralletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife. ✨ Download Laura's free Calming Calligraphy workbook.

Ever wondered how the alphabet actually came to be? In this episode, Laura is joined by linguist and author Danny Bate for a fascinating conversation about the alphabet - where it came from, how it’s evolved and what the future might hold for written language. If you’ve ever been curious about the letters you love to write, this one’s for you. 

Find out more and connect with Danny:

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it - it really helps others discover the podcast - thank you!

☕️ To support the podcast with a small donation, buy us a coffee here.

Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes.

✍️ To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauralletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife. ✨ Download Laura's free Calming Calligraphy workbook.

In this episode, Laura sits down with Carl Rohrs, the editor of the 26th edition of the Speedball Textbook, for an exploration into the history of calligraphy, the evolution of one of the most iconic books in the craft, and the lettering styles and artists who’ve shaped it. If you’ve ever picked up a Speedball pen and wondered about the story behind it, this one’s for you. 

Resources

Here's a folder of images to accompany the episode.

Speedball Art - https://www.speedballart.com 

The Life of Letters Podcast - https://www.lauraletterslife.com/the-life-of-letters-podcast 

Rick Griffin's Artwork - https://www.rickgriffindesigns.com/ 

Sheila Waters' Calligraphy - https://www.calligraphersguild.org/sheila-waters 

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it - it really helps others discover the podcast - thank you!

☕️ To support the podcast with a small donation, buy us a coffee here.

Connect with Laura on Instagram @thelifeofletterspodcast to continue the conversation, share your own lettering journey or suggest topics you'd love to hear about in future episodes.

✍️ To discover more about Laura's calligraphy workshops and more, visit lauralletterslife.com or say hi on Instagram @lauraletterslife. ✨ Download Laura's free Calming Calligraphy workbook.