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Calligraphy Instructions -- Calligraphy For Beginners

If you can't find a teacher for live calligraphy instructions, don't give up. There is a lot you can do to teach yourself calligraphy for beginners. With books, online resources and plenty of practice you will learn about using a calligraphy pen effectively. You may even find out your favourite style of calligraphy alphabet so that when you do find a teacher, you'll be more focused on a definite goal.

There are several kinds of calligraphy pens to choose from when you're starting out. Most calligraphers recommend working with a dip pen for best results. But calligraphy for beginners is much easier to start with if you use a felt-pen or a fountain-pen that has a calligraphy nib. If you prefer, fasten two pencils together to practise ‘double-line' calligraphy so you start to understand the way the letterforms work. Most books on the subject will contain a few pages of calligraphy instructions about different types of pen and other tools.

Another choice is what kind of script to start with. You may already have an idea of a favourite calligraphy alphabet which you'd like to learn. If not, you might want to consider roundhand as your first alphabet. It's a very clear, beautifully proportioned script which is recommended as an excellent way of training good calligraphy habits. It's also useful for all kinds of calligraphy projects because it is easy to read.

Another very popular choice for amateur calligraphers is gothic calligraphy because it has such a distinctive medieval look. Gothic is not the simplest and quickest calligraphy alphabet to write but it can be good for beginners for two reasons. First, in formal gothic hands, the letters are made up of many small parts joined together, so you can ‘breathe' in between strokes. It is not too much of an issue if gothic looks rather stiff because it is an angular scripts in any case!

Second, gothic handwriting does look satisfactorily impressive in small quantities so it is quite a rewarding form of calligraphy to learn! By working with a good set of calligraphy instructions for gothic you can be producing your first calligraphic pieces in just a couple of hours.

Don't feel that you have to buy ‘calligraphy paper' or parchment paper for your practice. Calligraphy instructions don't always include the fact that cartridge paper or a reasonable grade of copier paper (preferably 100gsm) is fine for your rough efforts! For final pieces, try to get some lightweight smooth (hot pressed) watercolour paper. Rough or textured watercolour paper can give wonderful ‘scratchy' or ‘patchy' effects with a large nib or a brush but it is not easy to work with at the beginning.

There are many books of calligraphy instructions which can be ordered online to arrive within a couple of days. I've always found it useful to buy one good all-round book and a couple of second-hand copies containing more specific instructions. For example, I have a calligraphy ‘encyclopedia' which contains many alphabets and tips for tools, and a few extras which deal particularly with italic, medieval calligraphy, etc. If you can, set aside half an hour for book-browsing to find something which you really like the look of. If you like the book, you'll achieve more in your self-taught calligraphy classes.

Have fun with your calligraphy!

About the Author

Harriet Shead is an amateur calligrapher with a particular soft spot for gothic alphabets and medieval calligraphy of all kinds.

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