The Life of Letters

What do magic and calligraphy have in common? More than you'd think. In this episode, Laura sits down with Dr Will Houstoun - magician, Victorian conjuring scholar and European Magic Championships winner - to explore the surprising connections between the world of magic and the letter arts. Will draws brilliant parallels between learning a magic trick and learning calligraphy - that shift from focusing purely on mechanics to thinking about story, feeling, and the whole composition. A fascinating conversation about creativity, craft and what it really means to master a skill. Find out more about Will: website, instagram @drhoustoun. Genii Magazine Magic Circle Breathe-Arts Health Research - 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. Chapters (00:02:02) - The history and significance of the Magic Circle and Magic Castle(00:05:59) - The evolution of magic from 1584 to the golden age of the 1870s(00:11:56) - The role of choreography in magic and letter arts(00:16:59) - Using letters and illusions in magic tricks(00:21:03) - The influence of magic on creativity and storytelling(00:26:13) - The collaborative and improvisational nature of magic and craft(00:31:01) - Handling mistakes and the live aspect of performance(00:36:09) - The editorial side of magic publications and their content(00:43:00) - The significance of personal favourites and historical letter forms

In this episode, Laura is joined by Rie Takeda, a master of Shodo, the ancient Japanese art of beautiful writing, for a deep and meditative conversation about a practice that goes far beyond pen and paper. Rie shares the rich history and meaning of Shodo, the four treasures of tools and materials at its heart and the deeply intentional process of preparing ink as a mental ritual in itself. But what makes this conversation so special is the way Rie talks about calligraphy as something that lives in the whole body - connecting movement, breath, emotion and energy in a single brushstroke. Together, they explore the meditative and mindfulness aspects of Shodo, its role in emotional expression and healing and Rie's fascinating work taking calligraphy into body art and performance. A conversation that gently asks us to slow down, become present and rediscover the profound intention behind every mark we make. ️✨ Find out more about Rie: www.shodocalligraphy.com, or on Instagram: @neojaponismatelier. Image of 'Nen'. - 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. Chapters (00:01:53) - What is Shodo and its significance in Japanese culture(00:03:48) - Tools and materials: The four treasures of calligraphy(00:07:46) - The meditative and mindfulness aspects of practicing Shodo(00:12:06) - The process of making ink and preparing for calligraphy(00:15:58) - The emotional and energetic connection in calligraphy(00:20:01) - Calligraphy as body art and performance art(00:24:00) - The role of intention and the story behind each piece

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. - 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. Chapters (00:04:22) - Getting the call from the Lord of the Rings film team(00:08:56) - Creating scripts for different races and cultures in Middle-earth(00:13:41) - The making of the iconic ring inscription and its filming(00:19:16) - The significance of the Red Book and its storytelling role(00:20:03) - Designing scripts for hobbits and other characters(00:23:18) - The challenge of writing upside down and fixing mistakes(00:25:02) - The multiple actors and doubles behind Bilbo’s character(00:27:51) - Creating the Middle-earth maps and the process involved(00:34:37) - The evolution of the Burglar Contract in The Hobbit(00:36:52) - The extensive process of creating the map for the films(00:44:30) - The style guide and its importance in film merchandise

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: $30 off the annual plan for the first year - just $89 instead of $119: https://bl.ag/lol30 25% off the monthly plan for the first year - just $9/month instead of $12/month: https://bl.ag/lol25 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. Chapters (00:02:01) - Sam's Journey: From London to Sign Painting Enthusiast(00:03:45) - Discovering Ghost Signs and Their Significance(00:07:03) - Building a Community Through Archives and Publications(00:10:01) - The Evolution and Resurgence of Sign Craftsmanship(00:14:58) - Creating Books and Magazines to Preserve the Craft(00:20:12) - The Design and Production of the Sign Painting Magazine(00:25:09) - Surprising Elements in the Magazine's Layout and Inserts(00:29:58) - The Future of Sign Painting and Challenges from AI(00:40:08) - Personal Reflections and the Sign Painting Community(00:47:54) - Favourite Letters and Final Thoughts