Hello! It seems you would like to learn calligraphy. That’s awesome, you are going to love the ability to never use a store bought card again and create handmade gifts for your loved ones, or to write your crush a sweet note, ooooor when you are fully practiced, start your own business/store (shameless promotion :P). On this site I have tried to put together a step-by-step beginner’s tutorial that can get anyone started from not writing to learning calligraphy in just a couple steps so stick with me.
Calligraphy (n) – decorative handwriting or handwritten lettering
Table of Contents
Narrow Down Your Style of Calligraphy
It’s exciting that you are thinking of picking up a new hobby (the best one) but we first need to narrow what kind of calligraphy you are interested in learning first. For there have been many types of scripts in calligraphy over the ages. I will break it down into 3 basic and unofficial categories but really there are so many different alphabets for each of the listed scripts. Below I have listed them with an incorrect name in quotations that I probably called each of the scripts before I knew the correct name (which is in brackets in the title). I hope that the pictures will give you a little idea of what is out there and then help you to find the script you are looking for!
Script (n) – handwriting as distinct from print; written characters.
4 Types of Calligraphy/Lettering to Learn:
“Basic” (aka Monoline Calligraphy)
For those who want to start slow and dip their toe in the water that is calligraphy, monoline calligraphy is where I would start first. It doesn’t require any fancy tools or paper like the other styles of calligraphy. Just you, a piece of paper a pencil and getting right into practicing. Learning this first helps you learn the building blocks of calligraphy like letter structure to then transition into another style like pointed pen or brush calligraphy.
- Recommended Tools for Monoline Calligraphy = Pen or Pencil
- Learn Monoline Calligraphy
- Master Class Monoline & Faux Calligraphy Practice Sheets
“Loopy Calligraphy” (aka Modern Calligraphy)
I see modern calligraphy as the best beginner pointed pen script to learn, as consistency, spacing and formatting isn’t as important. Therefore a beginner can rather focus on learning the letter forms themselves and how to properly use pressure to get the desired stroke shape. It is pretty popular among the Instagram community and has a sort of whimsical style to it that is unique to the writer. Though there are established scripts with the pointed pen I suggest getting used to the pen first.
- Recommended Tools for Modern Calligraphy (Pointed/Dip Pen)
- Learn Modern Calligraphy (Pointed/Dip Pen)
- Uppercase and Lowercase Modern Calligraphy Practice Sheets
Pointed pen: More commonly known as the “dip pen.” Contains a metal flexible nib (tip) that requires dipping in ink every so often to disperse ink.
However you can also do modern calligraphy with a brush pen or crayola marker:
- Recommended Tools for Modern Calligraphy (Brush)
- Learn Modern Calligraphy (Brush)
“Olde English/Heavy Metal Calligraphy”
(aka Blackletter Calligraphy)
These are blackletter scripts that I started with and therefore are my personal favourite. Now each of these alphabets are not done the best and may be redone later (I really needed to have guidelines) but the pictures are to give you a basic idea of what is kind of possible with the tools listed below. This script would be, in my humble opinion, the second easiest to learn but has a very high skill possibility and a LOT of different styles to pick from. The line variation is low compared to the pointed pen, as there is no difference in line when you apply more pressure. It depends on the angle you move in.
- Recommended Tools for Blackletter Calligraphy
- Learn Blackletter Calligraphy
Blackletter: an early, ornate, bold style of type, typically resembling Gothic. Often created with a broad edge pen.
“Fancy Calligraphy” (aka Spencarian/Copperplate)
These are the classic dip pen/pointed pen scripts. Similar to the modern calligraphy that I first listed, but much more strict on size, spacing, consistency and formatting. I suggest taking either of these scripts on as a second or third task as they are a whole other beast to tackle. You have to learn the basics through some of the other scripts first then attack this one. When I was first gifted an oblique holder, it was like going back to square one in my learning. It is still doable though if you dedicate some serious time to practicing (as with all of these scripts) you will get there.
- Recommended Tools for Copperplate Calligraphy
- Learn Copperplate Calligraphy Blogpost
- Master Class Copperplate Practice Sheets
- Full Copperplate Calligraphy Video Course
Modern Versus Copperplate Breakdown
If you still aren’t sure about whether to pick modern or copperplate calligraphy, here is a video showing the differences between them. My personal suggestion is to start with modern and work towards copperplate.
That’s all folks!
Thanks for reading until the end! I hope you found a type of calligraphy to learn in this post. If you did tell me which one! If not, bookmark this page and come back later, I will be adding to this page as I go. Maybe you will find something then. Got a script or style not mentioned in this post? Leave a comment and let me know!
-Richard
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