Letters written in calligraphy have a truly personal touch.
Calligraphy is the art of penmanship that has been used in historical texts and documents since the time of the ancient Greeks. The creation of smooth, fluid and artistic lettering is not a simple task and requires both technical and creative ability. With the invention of printers and email, calligraphy writing is a relatively rare skill. However, modern calligraphers remain in high demand for the creation of elegant and personalized invitations, such as those sent out for weddings or anniversaries.
Instructions
1. Clear a workstation where you can practice learning your calligraphy skills. Find a location that receives plenty of natural light and set up a drawing board at your desk. The drawing board is a hard, dense board that will ensure you are writing on a smooth surface, preventing any bumps or texture from affecting your work. Choose a medium-size nib to start learning with, and gently screw it into the calligraphy pen if it is not already attached. Place a piece of parchment paper on your drawing board and gently shake your inkwell before opening it.
2. Examine the nib before dipping it into the inkwell. Notice how it is split in half up to a certain point, which is marked by a tiny hole in the nib. Press the nib gently against the parchment and watch as the tip splits slightly apart. This is what allows the ink to flow onto the paper. Dip the nib into the inkwell, almost to the tiny hole. This will prevent the nib from overfilling, which can result in blotches.
3. Choose an angle to hold your nib and pen and remember to keep it consistent. The most common angle to choose is with the nib pointing away to the left at roughly a 45-degree angle. Start at one point and gently drag the nib down and to the left, which should create a very thin line. Start at another point, this time dragging the nib down and to the right, resulting in a much thicker line. Practice vertical and horizontal lines, which should have a thickness that is somewhere in between.
4. Explore various different historic alphabets to practice your skills, such as the Roman, Uncial, Gothic and Celtic styles. Recreate every letter of each alphabet over and over until you feel you have a good handle on form them. Experiment with holding the nib at different angles, such as 30 and 60 degrees and observe the results. Remember to maintain good posture and practice using a firm but gentle hand, which will improve your art and allow you to write for longer periods of time.
5. Create your own personal style of calligraphy by combining your favorite elements of historic alphabets and infusing them with your own personal sense of aesthetics. Spend time writing letters, copying notes and creating journal entries to perfect the alphabet. When you are satisfied create a guide alphabet with the finished letters. Use this alphabet as your standard calligraphy style as long as it inspires you, at which point you can create more styles.
