Jocelyn Curry

Art & Joie de Vivre

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As a retired lettering artist and illustrator, I still create a lot of visuals and have fun doing it. My website is a place I can post and share them from my Shoreline, Washington studio in my home.

A Trombonist Turns Calligrapher: Business Card Design

November 23, 2025

Did I need a deep plunge into a new blog site, right when such a time-consuming challenge really didn’t fit into my crowded calendar? The answer, no surprise, is “no” but at least I was able to navigate the mind-befuddling process of transferring the data from my old platform to this new, AI-enhanced version of good ol’ WordPress. My previous experience of working on good ol’ WordPress wasn’t stellar, so I’m hoping to improve my relationship with it asap. So far I have been able to upload my seasonally appropriate squash painting! But now, HOW do I get rid of “Hello World!” which was placed there by Good Ol. I’m not sure about this, but I think Good Ol’s default tips will stay on this, my First Post until I figure out how to discretely remove them without being told “This is not a good idea.” At least I got my squash up on this new site for your viewing pleasure! Happy Thanksgiving :-).

I love embracing a design project for a family member. And when the family member provides artwork for me to incorporate, all the better. Did you know that when a musician signs years' worth of CD liner notes, the signature can become streamlined, calligraphic, and then ornamented? My daughter is such a musician, a trombonist who needed a new, snazzy business card. It was her brilliant idea to use her CD signature combo. Here are the parts, then the whole:

Signature Emily's signature as it has evolved since she started signing checks, further made graceful by years of signing CD's~

 

 

 

Trombone4 The jazzy trombone ornament, complete with notes~

 

 

Brushstroke This stroke was done by me, selected by Emily to use as a design element along with her own~

 

 

Brushstroke1red
A section of my stroke was assigned the color red in PhotoShop, then given a gradation~

 

 

 

EmsBizCardblog

I put everything together in PhotoShop, added a bit of gold to the bell of the trombone, and then ganged up the cards in InDesign. I chose to x-out all her information, but you may go to her website to find out more about her and even learn how to order one of those CD's!: www.emilyasher.com

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One response to “A Trombonist Turns Calligrapher: Business Card Design”

  1. Claire M Avatar
    Claire M

    I really like the composite design that you worked out with your daughter. It was a treat to see all of the pieces and how you put it together. Great final image!!

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