The idea for this piece kind of “popped into my head”! One day I had a thought to do a patriotic piece. My mother always wanted me to do a “Pledge of Allegiance”!

“What if I do a background that looks like the flag and do the Pledge of Allegiance in the Blue part?...I’m thinking .”That was it…at first.Then more ideas started forming… The final plan for this piece was to do one patriotic song in red ink and one in white ink, forming the stripes of the flag. I knew that I didn’t want “hard” edges for the stripes in the background so I just wet the paper (Arches 90# hot press) and took a brush to it.I used W & N Indigo Blue and Cadmium Red Deep gouache (which I have hoarded!).

The lettering for the Pledge of Allegiance is done in Tom Perkins’ Caps with Dr. Ph. Martin’s Pen White. I used a Mitchel 6 nib. It’s hard to tell in the photo, but in the center of each “O” is a small foil dot done with silver foil and a heated pen. I love how it looks like little stars.

The red lettering is Cad Red Deep. Most of the lyrics to God Bless America is Monoline Roman Caps done with a B nib and the ends of each letter squared off with an EF66 nib. I used a B-3, and B-4. I used the Tom Perkins’ Caps for “GOD BLESS AMERICA” ...which is what I am calling this piece.

The white lettering for The Star-Spangled Banner is also Pen White.This is done in Neugebauer Caps and range from ¼” – 3/8” tall with a B-5 nib and also squared-off ends with EF66.Because I wanted it to be subtle, I didn’t worry about whether or not all the words would be seen distinctly. Once you recognize the words your mind fills it in.There is a very slight pencil shadow to each letter to help the “white on white” to show up.

I feel like I achieved the spontaneous look I had hoped for when I planned it.
This “God Bless America” piece is 11” x 14”.