how to write case study in calligraphy

• Learning Blackletter Alphabets (Free Downloadable Guides)

It was actually blackletter script that got me into hand-lettering years back. No matter what style I would pursue, I would always find myself coming back to the “gothic” school of letterforms. You might not think of this classic script style when you think of calligraphy or hand-lettering. But believe it or not, it’s incredibly popular and its rich history predates scripts like Copperplate or Spencerian by centuries.

Years back, I posted a series of posts that dove into learning Blackletter (specifically in Textura and Fraktur styles). Since then, I’ve written many posts on blackletter technique. I’ve also published a series of workbooks dedicated to learning each style of the four styles of blackletter. Upon revisiting those posts, I realized the content was lacking in regards to what I’m now able to offer instructionally. As a result, I decided to compile all of those posts into this single big one. And that’s what you’re reading right now.

Blackletter 101: A Primer

First off, let’s get our vocabulary straight. You’ve probably heard the terms “Old English” or “gothic” in reference to blackletter. All of this terminology is interchangeable and over centuries, has become common slang to describe the style.

The style itself originated in Northern Europe during the 11th century. It evolved as it spread throughout Europe until the early 1900s. Interestingly enough, the rigid vertical structure was written to mimic the architecture of gothic cathedrals (hence the name “gothic”). This style of architecture is not meant to be confused with the actual Gothic tribes from or the Gothic alphabet. This particular alphabet was used by bishops and missionaries in bible translation many centuries earlier.

In regards to the “Old English”, it was believed the Old English language was written in blackletter style. It was later disproved, but the name stuck, at least in our modern era. This was arguably due to a blackletter font called “Old English Text”, which is often found in newspaper headline text.

I could go on about the history and evolution of blackletter, but it’s well beyond the scope of this article.

Different Styles of Blackletter

Blackletter is simply a reference to a variety, or school, of gothic calligraphy styles. But to distill things down for the sake of simplicity, you accurately categorize the main classic varieties of blackletter into to the following four styles:

• Textura (also known as Textualis)
• Bastarda (also known as Batarde)

This tends to confuse or overwhelm people when they first attempt to learn blackletter because it becomes tough to understand the differences and why there are so many variations of each of these four core styles. Why? Well, simply because it evolved over time, across lands under different rule, through the instruction of people that were all trained differently, and with access to different tools and materials.

But don’t overthink it. Here’s a simple and roughly loose way of explaining:

Textura, a rigid and vertically structured form of blackletter started in the 11th century in Northern Europe. Shortly thereafter, Rotunda emerged in Southern Europe. Rotunda is inspired by Textura, but features many round forms. Over the centuries when it became more common for the everyday person to learn to write, Bastarda. Hence the name, it’s truly a bastardized version of Textura and Rotunda, often written quickly (which results in more flow of gesture and expression). In the 1800 and 1900s, German blackletter evolved into Fraktur (from a hand called Schwabacher), a more formalized and rhythmic rendition of Bastarda hands. This was the font used by Hitler and the Third Reich. Those assholes inevitably tarnished the hand’s reputation.

Once again, it’s hard to sum up centuries of history in just a couple of paragraphs, but hopefully this gives you a high-level understanding of blackletter’s origins and it’s four core styles. Let’s get to the fun part.

Blackletter Tools of the Trade

In this day and age, writing blackletter is much easier than it used to be. There are many tools at our disposal and what works best for one person might not work best for the next. You could use brushes, pens, markers, or even classic quills. However, the key factor is that your writing utensil is “broad edged”. Also referred to as a “flat”, this style of edge is simply one which can produce thick and thin lines, depending on the direction it is moved.

I have an entire post on broad edge calligraphy resources. If you want to dive deep, it contains everything you need to know.

However, if you’re just getting your feet wet or experimenting and are unsure of where to start, look no further than the Pilot Parallel . This pen comes in four sizes (I recommend the 3.8MM ). It is incredibly versatile, easy to maintain, and inexpensive. With just a little care, it will last you for many years.

What about paper? Don’t go crazy with paper when you’re just starting out. If you’re using basic ink, almost anything will do. If you notice some bleeding, use a thicker paper (bristol or any kind of mixed media marker pad will work just fine).

Blackletter Guide Preparation

Working with a guide is not cheating. For most, it’s a crucial aspect of enabling the execution of consistent letterforms. Without going too far into details and the philosophies behind guide creation, just know there are no hard and fast rules.

When it comes to broad edged calligraphy, guides are measured in “units”, where one unit represents the width of your writing utensil. For blackletter calligraphy, a 2:4:2 ratio guide is appropriate, particularly for what we’re doing. A 2:4:2 ratio means your x-height is 4 units while your ascender and descender heights are 2 units. Your letters will sit on the baseline.

Lowercase (minuscule) letters will be as tall as the x-height, unless they have an ascender, in which case the letterform will reach the ascender line. Likewise, if they have a descender, that descender will reach the descender line. Uppercase (majuscule) letters sit on the baseline and extend all the way up to the ascender.

You can certainly make these guides yourself and even experiment with different ratios of your choosing, but I’ve also created a 2:4:2 guide sheet that you can print out to save time. This guide sheet is based on a 3.8MM unit, which is the width of the second largest in the Pilot Parallel pen series. This is the tool that I recommended in the previous section.

Download free blank Blackletter guide

Before We Begin

You’re primed and prepped to get started. This is where most people experience paralysis. What style of blackletter are you supposed to learn first? Should you copy an alphabet? How do you know if you’re practicing the best technique? These are all questions I asked when I first started. And after many years of practice, the best answer is simply to just start.

To give you a good understanding of how to approach every style or variation you come across, we’re going to build towards learning two drastically different alphabets. This might seem like a lot — and it is! You’re going to be learning the extent of what your pen is capable of when it comes to composing strokes. However, this is the fastest way to develop your pen skills and gain an understanding and appreciation of the nuanced differences that make each rendition of a blackletter alphabet unique.

Before we jump in, just remember: calligraphy is hard. It is essential that you remind yourself of this when you get frustrated or fatigued. You can learn the basics in a matter of hours. However, mastering the execution and developing the muscles takes countless hours of practice. There’s no silver bullet. Just a whole lot of practice. Practice, practice, practice.

Blackletter Minuscule (Lowercase) Strokes

Hold your pen (or the blackletter tool of your choice), at an angle of 40º to 50º. With a few exceptions, this is the angle at which you will create most of your letters from. Holding the pen in this manner allows you to achieve different line widths depending on the direction in which you move your pen.

So simple, yet so important! You’ll find a quad (a diamond shape) of some sort in many letterforms, so make sure you get comfortable, as it is also the basic for many horizontal stroke variations. There are two varieties of diamonds; regular and elongated.

These diamond shapes are simple, but they take a little bit of practice. The key to making a perfect diamonds is to ensure that the left and right points are horizontally aligned. To create one, place your pen on the paper while making note of where the left edge of your nib is touching the paper.

Picture a line that goes horizontally across your paper right through that point. Now slowly pull down and to the right (at the same angle your pen is tilted) until the right edge of your nib is at that imaginary line. Elongated diamonds follow the exact same technique, but when you pull down, you do so at an angle that is less than that of your tilted pen. In other words, move it further to the right than you are moving it down.

Down Strokes

As a general rule of thumb, downstrokes are always thick. A large majority of the Textura style is made up by different combinations of these strokes, particularly the lowercase alphabet.

To achieve these strokes, firmly hold your pen and pull in the appropriate direction (very rarely will you push a stroke in blackletter). Be sure not to twist your pen. Maintaining a consistent angle is the most important part of a down stroke.

Once you’re comfortable with a basic downstroke, try mixing diamonds into them.

To begin with a diamond, follow the diamond technique, but when you finish with the diamond, don’t lift your pen. Instead, pull straight downwards.

To end with a diamond, pull your stroke down, but don’t pull it all the way to the baseline. Instead, stop about a diamond’s height shorter and pull your diamond out to the right.

Now let’s try some more advanced downstrokes. At first glance, these look pretty easy (and maybe the will be for you), but up until this point, the strokes you’ve practiced have been rigidly straight. Those straight strokes are common Textura, but in later iterations of blackletter (like Fraktur), the strokes bend much more.

These vertical strokes are all achieved by moving your pen down straight (or at a slight bend like the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th example in the above image). The last stroke in the above image is by far the hardest. Notice how it tapers off to a point as it gets towards the bottom? This technique requires hours of practice before it becomes natural. It can be achieved by applying more pressure on the left of the nib and less pressure on the right side of the nib as you finish off the stroke. It can also be done by gradually rotating your pen counter-clockwise as the stroke progresses, ending in a vertical point.

Horizontal Strokes

Horizontal strokes in Textura are relatively easy. To perform a basic horizontal stroke, place your pen and pull it horizontally in a straight line. As always, make sure you’re holding your pen at a consistent angle. To make a curved horizontal stroke, adjust the direction you’re pulling ever so slightly so that you can achieve the curve.

When it comes to giving strokes more of an expressive and sharp Fraktur-style edge, you’ll need to finesse the pen a little more. In the following diagram, the first stroke move the is similar to the straight horizontal Textura stroke, but nib is moved upward at the beginning and end of the stroke to give it those sharp points.

The second stroke in the image above is executed much in the same way as the first, it’s just more of a fluid motion. As soon as you begin the stroke, move the pen up, over, down, then back up, finishing with a sharp point at the same angle in which the stroke began.

The third stroke (labelled “fill”) is something I refer to as a “flare”. These flares can be achieved in a single pen stroke if you flick the nib at the right angle while flexing it with the right amount of pressure. Again, this takes a a great deal of practice. Even after years of writing blackletter, it’s still a skill I’m personally refining. But you can always fake your flares by drawing them in with the edge of your nib. Don’t worry, it’s not cheating!

Learning Blackletter Minuscule Alphabets

If you’ve made it this far, give yourself a pat on the back. Learning basic strokes individually is not a particularly enjoyable or rewarding process, but it’s crucial to being able to develop letterforms. The good news is you’ve learned all of the strokes you need to create a variety of different styles of styles of blackletter. And to put your hard work to use, let’s do so right now.

Throughout these exercises, we spoke of Textura and Fraktur alphabets. The earlier exercises of each stroke category (strokes with more rigidness) are more pertinent to the Textura alphabet, whereas the the more expressive strokes are geared towards Fraktur.

I’ve created guide sheets for both of these alphabets that you can download and print out to aid in your practice. These guides are also based on a 3.8MM unit, so if you’re using the green Pilot Parallel, these should match up exactly with your pen nib. But if you’re using something else, these guides can still be a a helpful reference.

Here’s an example of what one of the guide pages look like:

Note : I created each of these alphabet guides at two different points in time, so the guide structure might look a little different at first glance, but the mechanics are identical.

Download the Textura minuscule guides as well as the Fraktur minuscule guide . Or download blank blackletter guides .

Yes, there are 26 letters here, but once you know a couple of them, you know all of them. Nearly every letter is a combination of downstrokes and diagonal strokes. You’ll notice many of the letters in the textura minuscule (lowercase) alphabet follow the exact same pattern. For example, a, c, e, g, o, and q all start with the same vertical stroke and their second stroke is the short horizontal “diamond” that meets the top of the stroke at its edge. These repetitive patterns are extremely helpful in learning the alphabet quickly.

Here’s how I would recommend practicing:

Step 1: Start by Tracing

Don’t be afraid to trace — it’s not cheating, okay? This is how you learned to write when you were a child. There’s no quicker way to get comfortable with these letters.

I’ve set the guide sheet up in a way that allows you to start by tracing. Like the minuscule guide, each line slowly gradates from black to completely transparent. Begin by tracing and as you start to familiarize yourself with the feel of each letterform, you can rely on the guides less and less.

Step 2: Draw from Reference

When you feel comfortable enough to draw the letters without tracing them, get a fresh practice sheet and use it to draw your own letters. But keep the other guide sheet in front of you. Reference those letters as your draw yours.

You’ll need to draw each letter many times before you’re able to memorize them. Then you’ll need to draw them each many more times to get them perfect.

Step 3. Draw from Memory

When you’ve engrained each letter into memory, print more practice sheets and put the reference guide away. Draw the entire alphabet and then go back and check the guide to see how accurate you were.

At this point, you can start introducing minuscules and writing words and sentences. Here’s a couple sentences that utilize all of the different letters of the alphabet:

• Jaded zombies acted quaintly but kept driving their oxen forward.
• A mad boxer shot a quick, gloved jab to the jaw of his dizzy opponent.
• The job requires extra pluck and zeal from every young wage earner.
• A quart jar of oil mixed with zinc oxide makes a very bright paint.

Blackletter Majuscule (Uppercase) Strokes

Majuscule alphabets are substantially more complex. While they share similar repetition (here and there) to their minuscule counterparts, there are considerably more variations. As a result, they’re much harder to learn and master. However, if you’ve spent some quality time with with the minuscule alphabets and are feeling ready to advance on to the majuscules, let’s do it. If not, don’t worry. This section isn’t going anywhere!

Vertical Strokes

These strokes should be pretty straightforward, given your practice. The tapered strokes here, which you’ll see often in the Textura majuscules are actually quite similar to the vertical strokes in the minuscule Fraktur alphabet.

The tapered stroke begins and ends in a point. To perform this stroke, begin slightly off to the right of where you want the body of your down stroke to be. As always, be sure to maintain a consistent angle. Starting with a point, pull inwards towards the body of your stroke, and then down. As you reach the end of the stroke, end in a point by pulling out and to the left.

Downward “strokes” with serifs are actually multi-stroke pieces of a letter… and you already know how to do them! They’re just combinations of vertical and horizontal strokes from the previous lesson. Start with the top chiseled horizontal. Release. Perform the downstroke. Release. Finally, perform the bottom chiseled horizontal.

Here are some common contexts in which you’ll see these strokes:

Diagonal Strokes

Diagonals follow a similar form to basic downward strokes, except they’re done at an angle. If you’ve been practicing, you shouldn’t have any trouble recreating these. However, getting the angle just right will require some trial and error.

Some common contexts in which you’ll see these strokes:

Rounded Strokes

It’s important to get a feel for creating varying line-widths with a single pull stroke. Crescents are a great way to master that feeling. You got a little taste of this with some of the horizontal strokes.

Hold the pen firmly, and starting from the top, pull out to the left towards the bottom of the stroke while maintaining a consistent angle. As you round the thick part of the stroke, pull towards the end of the crescent. If you did everything right, you should have a sliver with two tapered ends and a thick middle.

The full circle is done in two strokes. The strokes are actually identical if you were to flip the second stroke upside down. To create the second stroke, start at the top with your nib touching where the first stroke begins. Pull downward and to the right, rounding out the stroke and pulling into the left where the first stroke ends.

Again, here are some common contexts in which you’ll see these strokes:

In the previous image, you can see these strokes in the context of Textura letterforms, but they’re also just as common Fraktur letterforms:

Hairlines & Other Miscellaneous Strokes

Abstracting majuscule alphabets is a little more difficult than with the minuscules. The fact is many of the majuscule letterforms are comprised of their own unique strokes. Or, even if they reuse a stroke from another letterform, it might appear in a different placement or at a different size. The good news is you’ve really gotten solid look into what your pen can do, so anything else you see should be relatively easy to figure out for yourself. But here are a couple more common stroke exercises to help get you warmed up even more.

Hairlines often appear as little decorations or filigrees, but are occasionally used as structural lines in letters such as “N” or “X” in the Textura alphabet. They’re also quite frequent in the Fraktur majuscules and while they might not be structurally integral, the letters wouldn’t be the same without them.

The best way to achieve hair lines is to tilt your pen nib on its side, drawing with one of the two corners.

And finally, a couple of odd, yet common stroke combinations that you’ll find in the Fraktur majuscules.

Start from the left of the below image. The first stroke looks a bit odd on it’s own, but you’ll see how it comes together in several different letter shortly. Start with the long vertical (labelled “1”). Position your pen’s nib at a 40º slightly below the ascender line. Move upwards and to the right briefly, but then quickly loop around and bring it down a single unit about the baseline.

The second stroke begins directly to the left (about 1.5 units) of where the first stroke ends. It’s one of those “squiggle” strokes, so move the pen slightly upward at 40º and loop back down, continuing down through where the top of this stroke meets the previous stroke until the bottom of this stroke meets the baseline. Then finish it off with that upward curl at 40º.

The second exercise from the left should look familiar to you. It’s comprised of two of the basic strokes from the minuscule alphabet. You’ll also find this series of strokes throughout the majuscule alphabet as well.

The third and fourth exercises are pretty self explanatory. Begin with a hairline stroke moving straight upwards until you get towards the ascender line. Finish off the stroke with the respective horizontal (third exercise) or diagonal (fourth exercise).

The diamond is optional, but it certainly adds to the visual complexity of your letter.

Here are some examples of letters using these miscellaneous strokes. That unique combination are pretty prevalent, right?

Learning Blackletter Majuscule Alphabets

You must be pretty sick of practicing strokes. If so, I don’t blame you. But you’ve made it to the fun part. Now it’s time to put it all together.

Just like the minuscules, Ive also prepared majuscule guides for a Textura alphabet and Fraktur alphabet.

Download the Textura majuscule guides as well as the Fraktur majuscule guide . Or download blank blackletter guides .

Begin by printing out the guide sheets. As you go through, focus diligently on the angles of the strokes as well as the negative space. Maintaining consistency with the negative space will help your letters look uniform when you begin putting them together.

Just as you did before, trace the guides carefully, and as they fade out, reference them visually until you’re comfortable creating each letterform from memory.

Practice. I really can’t express this enough. It takes an incredibly long time (10,000 hours?) to master something. But it should also be fun.

Look for opportunities to practice regularly. Your brain and hands will grow quicker if you develop a routine rather than picking up the pen a couple of times a month when it feels convenient.

But after considerable practice, you’ll be looking for ways to take your work to the next level. And there are so many opportunities to do so. Different letter variations, stroke techniques, compositions, etc. Check out the Resources section for all of this content and more. I’ve spent years writing this stuff and it’s helped thousands of aspiring calligraphers.

Finally, if you’re taking this seriously and are really looking to fast-track your learning, consider checking out my printable e-books. There are a total of four (one for each style of Blackletter; Textura, Rotunda, Bastarda, and Fraktur). They go much further into depth than this tutorial and even though you’ve learned a basic Textura and Fraktur alphabet in this article, the Textura and Fraktur alphabets in these books are considerably different and far more advanced. Those two in particular are great next steps.

I hope you’re not as frustrated as I was when I started blackletter calligraphy. Unfortunately, I did it all by eye without guides. It was for this reason I decided to create my own, so hopefully they’re helping you out. If you have any hangups or suggestions, I’m all ears. Shoot me an email [email protected] and let me know how they’re working for you. Keep up the good work!

• The History of Blackletter Calligraphy
• Understanding and Creating Blackletter Calligraphy Guides

Signup to receive exclusive content and periodic updates.

9 Free Calligraphy Practice Sheets

Stacy Fisher is an expert on crafting, sewing, and frugal finds, sharing her knowledge of hands-on DIY creations, finding freebies, and budgeting. Stacy was a guest on "The Dr. Oz Show" and featured in Woman's World Magazine. She has nearly two decades of writing and editing experience.

Cavan Images/Getty Images

These free calligraphy practice sheets will teach you the basics of modern calligraphy. There are practice worksheets that teach you brushstrokes, help you relax your breathing, and even teach you a few different styles of the alphabet.

Modern calligraphy, sometimes referred to as faux calligraphy, doesn't require any special tools. All you need is an everyday writing utensil and some paper.

Being able to write using modern calligraphy means that you can write beautiful notes and letters impressing all your friends and family. It's really perfect for someone who is looking to improve their handwriting, whether you want to make it decorative at not. You'll learn some great techniques that you'll be able to use in your everyday handwriting. It's also great for the beginner, who may want to get into traditional calligraphy or brush lettering in the future.

If you find that you enjoy these free calligraphy practice sheets, you may want to consider taking a calligraphy class .

Breathing Drills Traceable Worksheet

Crooked Calligraphy

Breathing in a relaxed manner while you're writing is how you get smooth letters that flow one into another. Breathing this way can be more challenging than you may think. This free calligraphy worksheet will help you regulate your breath while learning some basic calligraphy strokes.

There are more calligraphy freebies here including guideline sheets, envelope addressing templates, and a wide variety of tracing worksheets. You'll get these for free too, when you download the breathing drills worksheet. There are even some seasonal worksheets that will help when you're addressing those Christmas cards and sending your holiday letters.

Breathing Drills Traceable Worksheet from Crooked Calligraphy

Printable Pencil Calligraphy Worksheet

This calligraphy worksheet was made especially for regular pencils. It has practice areas for downstrokes, upstrokes, horizontal strokes, and an uppercase and lowercase alphabet tracing guide.

Before you get started, check out this Beginner's Guide to Pencil Calligraphy so you can be readily prepared for pencil calligraphy. You'll learn all about choosing a pencil, holding the pencil, achieving stroke variation, using a lightbox, and waterproofing your paper to avoid smudges.

Printable Pencil Calligraphy Worksheet from TPK

How to Do Faux Calligraphy Worksheet

The Happy Ever Crafter

Before you download this worksheet, be sure to check out the written and video directions. It will teach you a ton about faux calligraphy.

The free calligraphy worksheet teaches you the basics of downstrokes and then asks you to try out your new skills on a copy of the alphabet.

How to Do Faux Calligraphy Worksheet from The Happy Ever Crafter

Faux Calligraphy Alphabet Worksheet

Scribbling Grace

This Faux Calligraphy 101 worksheet teaches you how to write pretty script letters and then fill in the downstrokes. It will take you through each step and then give you room to practice on your own. There's also a video that goes along with this worksheet if you need some extra help.

Faux Calligraphy Alphabet Worksheet from Scribbling Grace

Calligraphy Practice Sheet

Small Brown Writes

Grab a pencil and a pen, as well as a ruler and an eraser, for this calligraphy practice sheet. You'll be learning how to write the letters and add downstrokes. An emphasis is placed on making letters uniformly slanted.

Calligraphy Practice Sheet from Small Brown Writes

Basic Faux Calligraphy Exemplar

A micron ink pen is recommended for this worksheet but really any writing utensil will do. Using the "Kaitlin" style of calligraphy, you can trace this lowercase alphabet and then fill in your downstrokes.

Basic Faux Calligraphy Exemplar from TPK

Faux Calligraphy Alphabet Worksheets

Smiling Colors

There are two faux calligraphy worksheets here, an uppercase alphabet and a lowercase alphabet. Simply print the worksheets and then use a writing utensil (like a gel pen) to trace the letters and add the downstrokes.

There are lots of other free worksheets here on brush lettering and other writing techniques.

Faux Calligraphy Alphabet Worksheets from Smiling Colors

Faux Calligraphy Practice

Teachers Pay Teachers

This free calligraphy worksheet is great for the beginner who wants to practice the alphabet. It's an uppercase and lowercase alphabet that you can trace and then add downstrokes to. There's also a page of some words that you can practice.

Faux Calligraphy Practice from Teachers Pay Teachers

Free Faux Calligraphy Worksheet

Vial Designs

This set of modern calligraphy worksheets is a great way to wrap up your practice. It has a great overview of downstrokes and then has room to practice the alphabet: first by tracing, and then by writing it yourself. There's a blank page at the end that you can use to practice your new skills.

Free Faux Calligraphy Worksheet from Vial Designs

More from The Spruce Crafts

Unsupported browser

This site was designed for modern browsers and tested with Internet Explorer version 10 and later.

It may not look or work correctly on your browser.

• Design & Illustration
• Hand Lettering

Mastering Calligraphy: How to Write in Gothic Script

In this " Mastering Calligraphy " lesson, we'll be learning what is by far the hardest font but also the most impressive: Gothic Script.

Old English calligraphy font styles are a bit different than the others because they're made up of so many small strokes. However, the letters are very similar in construction so once you have a few down, you can do the rest easily!

And if you're looking for Gothic calligraphy fonts for your digital projects, we've got some of the best for you. Scroll down after this Gothic calligraphy tutorial to find a selection of premium Gothic calligraphy fonts from Envato.

Jump to content in this section:

• Gothic Letters: Lowercase
• Downward Serif Lowercase Letters
• Serif Stroke Lowercase Letters
• Write the Lowercase Alphabet in Gothic Letters
• Looking at the Gothic Script Uppercase Alphabet
• Write the Uppercase Letters
• Write the Uppercase Gothic Script
• Putting It All Together

What You Will Learn in This Gothic Calligraphy Tutorial

• How to write in Gothic script style
• Gothic calligraphy strokes 
• Lowercase Gothic calligraphy alphabet
• Uppercase Gothic calligraphy alphabet

What You'll Need to Learn Gothic Script

• Black ink (preferably Speedball or Higgins waterproof ink)
• Practice sheet
• Pen holder (the black part of the pen above)
• Flat-tipped pen nib (the shiny gold part of the pen above)

1. Review the Introduction Lesson

Before we dive into Gothic Script , let's warm up our hands. We're going to go back to the basics of making a font , and add a few strokes unique to Gothic calligraphy.

Print out four or five of the practice sheets on a nice cardstock or Bristol paper.

Practice the basic downward serif/connecting strokes for one or two lines to warm up.

For the downward serif stroke in calligraphy letters, place your pen nib at a 45-degree angle above the dashed line. (For now, we're making the stroke above the dashed line, but it can be made anywhere, as you'll soon see.) Then drag your pen downward at a diagonal to the right. You should have a wide pen stroke on the paper.

Practice making the downward serif stroke a few times.

Let's learn the upward serif/connecting stroke. Place your pen tip again at a 45-degree angle (this time on the bottom line) and drag your pen upward and to the right. You should have a very thin pen stroke on the paper.

Practice making the upward serif stroke a few times.

Now we're ready to start. In this lesson on mastering calligraphy, we're going to learn the extremely fancy alphabet called Gothic Script.

2. Gothic Letters: Lowercase

Let's take a look at the Gothic Script alphabet. As you can see, Gothic calligraphy is quite complex. Each of the Gothic calligraphy letters is made up of many small strokes. I've learned this alphabet from several instructors, and each does it differently. So the best thing to do is to look at the way the strokes go and, as you practice each letter, decide which order you prefer to draw the strokes. The blue arrows above show the directions of the pen strokes, and the numbers below tell you how many strokes make up each letter.

We're going to start with the lowercase Gothic calligraphy alphabet and break it up into two sections: those that start with a downward serif and those that start with an upward serif.

Print out a copy of the Gothic calligraphy alphabet above so that you have it handy for reference.

3. Downward Serif Lowercase Letters

The Gothic calligraphy letters b, f, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, t, u, v, x, and y all begin with the downward serif/connecting stroke. I would recommend sketching out the letters using your pencil first to feel more comfortable. Then you can simply follow the pencil lines with your pen.

Let's start with the "u" since it's easiest. Place your pen tip just above the dashed line at a 45-degree angle. Drag your pen downward at an angle to the dashed line.

Now make a normal downward stroke to just above the bottom line. Lift your pen tip and put it down again at the end of your last line but at a 45-degree angle.

Make another downward serif stroke to the bottom line. This one will be slightly longer than the first one. Now lift your pen tip again and place it above the dashed line to the right of where you last ended.

Make a small downward serif stroke to the dashed line. Then draw a normal downward stroke to just above the bottom line. Make another small downward serif stroke to the bottom line.  Placing your pen tip at a 45-degree angle at the bottom of your first series of lines, draw an upward/connecting serif to the second set.  

This is the bottom of your "u". Make another upward serif at the end of the "u". Take a deep breath because you just made your first Gothic Script "u".

Repeat the process of making the letter "u" two or three times so that you get the feel of it. You can see how it's made of many basic strokes. Many Gothic letters, such as the m, n, v, w, and y are very similar to the "u". Once you have the "u" down, it's easy to see how other letters are made. After all, it's just a lot of connecting strokes and straight lines.

Let's try a harder letter: k. The "k" starts the same as the "u" but at the top line. This time, your downward stroke goes all the way to just above the bottom line, where you finish it off with a downward serif stroke.

Lift your pen and place it at a 45-degree angle on the dashed line. Make a long upward serif stroke. This is the top of your "k". Now make a downward serif stroke that meets the dashed line.

Lifting your pen, place it again at a 45-degree angle on the main downward stroke of the "k", a bit below where your last upward stroke started. Make another upward serif stroke to connect with the bottom of your last stroke.

Now place your pen at a 45-degree angle in the middle of that last line, and draw a downward stroke at an angle to just above the bottom line.

Finish off this fancy "k" with one last upward serif at the end of the leg you were drawing. Look how fancy that letter "k" is.

Repeat the process of making the letter "k" two or three times so that you get the feel of it.

Slowly make your way through the rest of the downward serif stroke lowercase calligraphy letters, using the guide of the strokes as a reference.

4. Serif Stroke Lowercase Letters

The Gothic calligraphy letters a, c, d, e, g, o, q, s, and z all begin with the upward serif/connecting stroke. I would recommend sketching out the letters using your pencil first to feel more comfortable. Then you can simply follow the pencil lines with your pen.

Let's start with the letter "c" since it's easiest. Put your pen tip down just above the dashed line at a 45-degree angle, and make an upward serif stroke.

Put your pen back down horizontally on the dashed line, and make a regular downward stroke to just above the bottom line. Then make a downward serif stroke to the bottom line.

Let's top this "c" off with some fancy ends. So keeping your pen where it was, turn it to 45 degrees and make an upward serif stroke to finish off the bottom of the "c". Now we just need to top off the "c". Place your pen at a 45-degree angle at the end of your very first upward serif stroke, and draw a horizontal line to the right. Woohoo! You have a "c".

Repeat the process of making the letter "c" two or three times so that you get the feel of it.

Now we're going to expand on that "c" and make a "g". Start by making a "c", but this time draw the last horizontal line a bit longer. Then, place your pen tip horizontally on the line that you've just drawn, a little to the left of the end of it, and make a downward stroke that goes past the bottom line. This is the tail of the "g". Now we're just going to make it a little fancier with a downward serif stroke and an upward serif stroke to make the hook on the end of the tail of the "g". Not too hard, right?

Practice making a few more script Gothic "g" letters until you feel comfortable making them. Many letters like the "o" and "q" are very similar to the "g" and "c", so once you know how to make these, the rest are simple.

Slowly make your way through the rest of the downward serif stroke letters, using the guide of the strokes as a reference.

5. Write the Lowercase Alphabet in Gothic Letters

Now that you've written each letter multiple times, it's time to put it all together and write out the alphabet in Gothic calligraphy.

6.  Looking at the Gothic Script Uppercase Alphabet

The uppercase Gothic calligraphy alphabet always plays by different rules and is generally much more elaborate. The curved strokes are much bigger, and the downward strokes have a bit more flair. Besides that, the Gothic Script uppercase letters have a special stroke: the skinny downward stroke. I highly recommend sketching out the alphabet in Gothic calligraphy using your pencil first to feel more comfortable. Then you can simply follow the pencil lines with your pen.

Let's start by learning the skinny downward stroke. Instead of putting your pen tip down horizontally or at a 45-degree angle, turn it so that the flat of it runs vertically. Then draw the pen down the page. You should get a very skinny straight line.

Practice making this new stroke a few times.

7. Write the Uppercase Letters

Since most of the letters begin with the upward serif stroke, I didn't divide the alphabet into groups. Instead, we'll simply work our way through it, using the guide above to see how many strokes each letter is made of and what direction the strokes go.

We'll start with the calligraphy "p". Place your pen tip just below the top line and draw an upward serif stroke to meet the top line. Now make a downward stroke past the bottom line.

Lift your pen and place it on the last stroke just below the top line at a 45-degree angle, and make another upward serif stroke to the top line. Drag your pen out and to the right.

Then make a downward stroke, curving it to the left once you pass the dashed line to connect and then go past the first big downward stroke. We're nearly done! Now we just need to make it even fancier with a skinny downward stroke near our first downward stroke. A short stroke in the space between the skinny stroke and the long curved one, and then another two strokes like that on the thick down stroke to the left. 

Practice making a few more uppercase "p" letters until you feel comfortable making them. Most of the capital letters start with a small upward serif stroke so once you have this one down, the rest are much easier. Letters like the "p" include "b", "l", "n", "r", "t", "u", "x", and "z".

Okay, now the other type of uppercase Gothic calligraphy letters are those which start with a longer upward serif stroke. These letters include the "c", "e", "f", "g", "h", "m", "o", "q", and "s". So we're going to start with an easy one: the "o". Start with a longer upward serif stroke that reaches the top line. Then make a mostly horizontal stroke to the right. You just made the top of the "o".

Now put your pen tip horizontally at the end of the stroke you just made, and make a downward stroke. Stop just before you reach the bottom line.

Now lift up your pen and put it again horizontally down below and slightly to the left of your first upward serif stroke. Make a curved downward stroke that goes down to the bottom line and then curves up slightly to meet the end of your last line. You've now made the bottom of the "o". It's nearly complete!

Okay, now lift up your pen and put it at the start of your first upward serif stroke. Make a downward stroke that reaches the dashed line, curving it just at the end toward the left side of the "o". Now all you have to do is make a skinny downward stroke just left of the middle of the "o". Woohoo! The "o" is complete!

Practice making a few more Gothic uppercase "o" letters. Now that you have the "o" and the "p" under your belt, you can handle the rest!

Slowly make your way through the rest of the uppercase letters, using the guide of the strokes as a reference.

8. Write the Uppercase Gothic Script

Now that you've written each letter multiple times, it's time to put it all together and write out the alphabet.

9. Putting It All Together

You've Just Mastered the Gothic Script!

This font is by far the hardest one to learn, but it's definitely the fanciest and most impressive. Each letter is made up of lots of tiny strokes that come together to make very angular letters. However, once you make each letter a few times, you can start to see the patterns that connect the "c" to the "d" to the "g". Gothic Script is great for invitations and very formal events.

5 Top Gothic Calligraphy Fonts From Envato Elements

Now you know how to do the Gothic calligraphy alphabet. Next up, let's see some cool Gothic calligraphy fonts from Envato.

If you're a digital creator or graphic designer, you'll love our subscription-based marketplace. For a low monthly fee , enjoy unlimited downloads of the best Gothic calligraphy fonts. You can also get unlimited premium fonts , graphic templates , actions and presets , and more.

Let's see some Gothic and blackletter fonts from Envato:

1. Cattedrale: Gothic Calligraphy Fonts (OTF, TTF)

Cattedrale is a popular Gothic blackletter font. If you want Gothic calligraphy fonts for digital projects, definitely check this out. This Gothic font includes four different styles plus ornaments, symbols, and multilingual support. 

2. Acude: Victorian Gothic Calligraphy Font (OTF, TTF, WOFF)

Are you looking for a modern Victorian Gothic font? Check out Acude. This decorative blackletter font is perfect for creative projects. It includes tons of glyphs, alternates, ligatures, and PUA encoded characters. 

3. Rozex: Bold Decorative Gothic Font (OTF, TTF, WOFF)

Rozex is a blackletter font that combines a bold look and a medieval Gothic style. These Gothic calligraphy letters also include web fonts and vector fonts. You'll get alternate characters and ligatures in this cool Gothic font.

4. Cambridge: Bold Decorative Gothic Font (OTF, TTF, WOFF)

If you're looking for Gothic calligraphy fonts with bold styles, this is for you. Cambridge features web fonts and alternate characters. Try this cool Gothic blackletter font for your next project.

5. Blackey: Bold Decorative Gothic Blackletter Font (OTF, TTF, WOFF)

Blackey is a classic Gothic blackletter font that combines modern and classic calligraphy with nice alternates. This blackletter font includes web fonts, ligatures, and multilingual support.

Discover More Gothic Calligraphy Fonts and Resources 

I hope you've enjoyed this Gothic calligraphy tutorial. Following the cool Gothic calligraphy fonts from Envato Elements, I'm sure you'd like to discover more awesome calligraphy fonts and resources:

Get Your Gothic Calligraphy Fonts Today

This has been a selection of premium resources perfect for the avid designer. For more Gothic fonts , visit Envato Elements. Happy creating!

This tutorial was originally created by Megan Eckman of PopLush Embroidery . It's since been reworked with new images and tips by Naselle Anderson and updated by Lex Soto .

The Basic Calligraphy Strokes Guide (+FREE Worksheets)

This post and the photos within it may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a commission at no extra charge to you.

The basic calligraphy strokes are the best way to learn calligraphy as a beginner.

In fact, the number one struggle for beginners I most commonly see is not learning and practicing the basic calligraphy strokes. 

This tutorial will teach you everything you need to know about basic calligraphy strokes. 

I’ve included some free basic calligraphy strokes worksheets, so be sure to stick around until the end of this tutorial. 

Here is a quick overview of the article – 

• Tools needed to practice the basic calligraphy strokes
• What are basic strokes in calligraphy? How many basic strokes does calligraphy have?

Basic calligraphy strokes breakdown

Basic calligraphy strokes alphabet demonstration.

• Basic calligraphy strokes worksheet

Quick recap + final words

Without any further delays, let’s jump straight into this tutorial.

If you’re a complete beginner, I highly recommend you check out my ultimate guide for calligraphy beginners.

Tools needed to practice the basic calligraphy strokes.

To practice the basic calligraphy strokes, you’ll need a very basic calligraphy tool setup (links to Amazon) – 

• Pens (writing tools)

Pencil 

You can practice the basic calligraphy strokes using a brush pen, pointed nib, or even a regular pencil. 

If you’re just getting started, I recommend (links to Amazon) – 

• Small brush pen – Tombow Fudenosuke or Pentel Touch Brush Pen

You might also be interested in reading my review on the best brush pens for calligraphy beginners.

Aside from your writing tool, you’ll need some paper. 

If you use a brush pen or a dip pen + pointed nib, you will need specific papers; otherwise, you risk ruining the tips of your brush pens or ink bleeds. 

I recommend the following papers (links to Amazon) – 

• HP Premium 32 (cheapest and ok quality)
• Canson marker paper
• Rhodia paper
• Any other bleed-proof marker paper. 

I also wrote a separate guide on the best calligraphy papers.

Ruler 

You’ll need the ruler to create calligraphy guidelines to keep your basic strokes accurate and consistent.  

I have a whole separate tutorial on how to create calligraphy guidelines that you can read here .

I highly recommend that you do. 

For guidelines, I always use and recommend the rolling ruler.  

We need the pencil to create our guidelines.

I work with an HB mechanical pencil , but you can use whatever you have at hand.

What are basic strokes in calligraphy? 

The basic calligraphy strokes are the building blocks of calligraphy letters. These are individual strokes that, when put together, form different letters of the lowercase alphabet. 

We use basic strokes in both modern and traditional calligraphy.

In fact, I talk about the basic calligraphy strokes in my modern calligraphy tutorial for beginners.

Any style created with a pointed nib or a brush pen. 

Let me give you a bit of context as to why these basic strokes are so important. 

To the untrained eye, a word in calligraphy may seem that has been created in one take without lifting the pen.

Similar to cursive writing. 

However, calligraphy and cursive writing are two very different things. 

• Calligraphy is done slowly, the pen is lifted often, and each stroke is created with focus and precision. The strokes also vary in thickness.
• Cursive writing, on the other hand, is more fluid, done quickly, and the pen is lifted less frequently. 

It’s essential to understand this difference because the basic calligraphy strokes allow you to drastically improve the precision and consistency of your calligraphy. 

The basic calligraphy strokes also help us learn how to write the whole alphabet and to identify when we should lift the pen after each stroke. 

In this way, you dont have to memorize the letters individually and guess when to lift the pen. 

How many basic strokes does calligraphy have?

There are 8 basic calligraphy strokes, and they are – 

• The entry stroke
• The underturn
• The overturn
• The compound curve
• The oval 
• The reverse oval
• The ascending loop
• The descending loop

Some letters of the alphabet are an exception to these basic strokes.

I’ll get to them later in the article. 

Here are a few quick examples of how we use these basic strokes to combine different letters. 

• The letter a is created with an entry stroke, an oval, and an underturn.
• The letter n is made with an underturn and a compound curve. 
• The letter b combines an entry stroke, an ascending loop, and a reverse oval. 

Now let’s take a closer look at the basic calligraphy strokes. 

If you’re entirely new to calligraphy, it’s essential to understand the two basic motions. 

• When you move upwards with your pen, your strokes should be thin (low pressure)
• And when you move downwards, your strokes should be thick (more pressure).

Ok, now I’m going to go over each stroke to give you a better overview of how to write them out. 

Once again, it is absolutely crucial to do this using calligraphy guidelines.

1. The Entry Stroke 

The entry stroke is a thin upstroke that starts from the baseline and slightly curves following the slant lines to the waistline.

In most instances, you won’t have to take it up to the waistline but rather to the middle or slightly above. 

Here are a few examples of what you should try to avoid –

2. The Underturn

Begins at the top of the waistline as a thick stroke.

Then, it curves on the baseline and comes back up as a thin upstroke to the waistline.

Two important things to mention here. 

• The downstroke and upstroke are parallel to each other and follow the slant lines of our guidelines. 
• You begin to release the pressure slightly above the baseline to get a smooth, gradual transition. 

Here you can see a few examples of what you should try to avoid doing –

3. The Overturn 

It is absolutely the same as the underturn, just in reverse.

You begin from the baseline with a thin upstroke, curve on the waistline, and come back down with a thicker downstroke to the baseline.

Again, both strokes are parallel and follow the slant lines.

Start applying the pressure gradually right after the curve. 

4. The Compound Curve

A combination of the two previous strokes.

Slightly more challenging.

Begin with a thin upstroke, curve at the waistline, come down with a thicker downstroke, curve on the baseline, and back up with a thin upstroke.

All three lines are parallel, following the slant lines. 

Try to avoid these mistakes –

5. The Oval

Probably the trickiest basic calligraphy strokes.

Start slightly from the right side (2-3 o’clock) with a thin upstroke. Curve upwards (counterclockwise) into a thick downstroke which is also curved. Gradually transition on the baseline into a thin upstroke to join the oval.

Avoid these common mistakes with the oval shape-

Important note –

Another important mention about the slant of the oval stroke.

I often see people confused about how to angle the oval correctly.

The best way to direct the oval is by using an axis line.

The axis line is basically a line that goes through the middle of an oval and splits it into two equal parts. 

Obviously, you can’t always stop mid-practice just to draw an axis line for your oval.

However, what you can do is imagine one and use that as a guide for the slant of your oval. 

6. The Reverse Oval

Pretty much the same thing as the oval, just in reverse.

Here you can also slightly modify it, and instead of joining the two strokes, the reverse oval can and in a half loop inside like this. 

7. The Ascending Loop 

The ascending loop begins at the waistline and extends in a curved thin upstroke to the ascending line.

At the ascending line, it curves back down towards the baseline following the slant angle.

As it curves, you gradually apply pressure to create a thick downstroke. 

Alternatively, you could start slightly above the waistline with light pressure that gradually becomes a thicker stroke all the way to the baseline and add the loop as a second stroke.

This second method is often used for adding flourishes at the end.

Because with a closed-loop, your flourishing options are limited.

Both ways are good for closed loops, so use the one that suits you best. 

Here are a few examples of common mistakes you should try to avoid –

8. The Descending Loop

Pretty much the opposite of the ascending loop.

Start from the waistline with a thick stroke.

Then, take it down to the descending line, and right before it, start releasing the pressure for a smooth thick, and thin transition.

Then, you curve it on the descending line and right back up in a curved, thin upstroke to the baseline. 

A note about counter spaces (important!)

If you don’t know what counters are, it’s basically the white space inside of the letters. 

We differ two types of counters – opened and closed. 

To make your basic calligraphy strokes and your calligraphy, in general, more consistent, it’s important to keep an eye on your counter spaces. 

By maintaining an equal counter space (both open and closed), we get a much more consistent and balanced look. 

The example below shows that counters with equal space look much better than those without. 

Obviously, it’s impossible to measure this perfectly, but it’s just something I wanted to point out. 

In the video below, I demonstrate how I use the basic calligraphy strokes to write out the whole lowercase (minuscules) alphabet.

I also created a tutorial on how to write a brush calligraphy alphabet from a to z.

Exception letters

As I mentioned earlier, some letters are an exception to these basic strokes.

Their shape is simply different and unique, and therefore you memorize them. 

Some of these letters are – s, f, x,

However, some letters have a certain element of these basic strokes, with a slight variation or addition. 

Here are a few examples –

• The letter t is an extended underturn (variation) with a horizontal/wavy crossbar (addition).
• The letter k is an ascending loop with a small R shape below. 
• The letters c, e, and o are variated ovals with a small addition. 
• The letter q is composed of an oval and a reversed descending loop. 

Basic calligraphy strokes worksheets

I’ve created free printable worksheets to help you put the theory into practice. 

I highly recommend you practice these basic strokes before attempting to write letters, words, sentences, etc.

I promise that if you practice for just 15 minutes a day for 30 days (consistently), you will significantly improve your skills.

In these worksheets, you’ll find – 

• The two fundamental strokes (up thin, down thick)
• The 8 basic calligraphy strokes

The worksheets, along with all the other freebies, are located inside the Lettering Crate.

If you’re new here, just sign up for the newsletter, follow the super easy instructions, and get instant access to the Lettering Crate.

Stay updated with my tutorials and get instant access to the Lettering Crate –

A growing library of free lettering & calligraphy resources that includes –.

• Calligraphy practice sheets
• Procreate brushes
• The 30-day lettering planner
• Printables, and more!

The Lettering Crate is an exclusive member area where I upload ALL free worksheets (and other freebies) to help you learn and improve your skills. 

Note – if you struggle to access the worksheets, email me rather than leave a comment below. 

Let’s have a quick recap of everything we talked about in this tutorial – 

• The basic calligraphy strokes are the building blocks of letters
• There are 8 basic calligraphy strokes
• Basic calligraphy strokes allow us to learn the whole alphabet and drastically improve our consistency
• Calligraphy and cursive writing are not the same thing and should be approached differently
• Some letters are an exception to these basic strokes
• Some letters are slightly modified, and some have small additions to them
• Always work with guidelines!
• Keep an eye on your opened and closed counters
• 15 minutes a day for 30 days (consistently) will do wonders for your calligraphy skills

If you are interested in other styles, check out my article on the 10 calligraphy styles for beginners.

And once you feel confident with your basic strokes, you can read about other helpful calligraphy practice tips.

And there you have it, friends.

I hope this tutorial helped shed some light on the basic calligraphy strokes and how to use them to learn calligraphy. 

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to drop a comment below or reach out via email.

Until the next one!

About the author

Hey, I’m Max Juric, and I’m deeply passionate about calligraphy and hand lettering.

I’ve spent years honing my skills in the art of lettering, working with hundreds of clients from all over the world on design projects such as logotypes, branding, custom lettering, murals, and more.

But my journey doesn’t end there. I’ve also dedicated myself to sharing my knowledge and expertise with others, creating a wealth of resources including tutorials, articles, and podcasts.

It’s been incredibly rewarding to see thousands of people engaging with my content each month. Knowing that I’m helping fellow enthusiasts grow and develop their skills makes me really happy.

Welcome to Lettering Daily, your hub for all things lettering and calligraphy. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, I’m here to inspire and guide you on your lettering journey. Stick around, and let’s explore the world of letters together!

12 thoughts on “The Basic Calligraphy Strokes Guide (+FREE Worksheets)”

Thankyou for your clear instructions. The description is so detail. I do really understand what to do.

Awesome! Glad to hear that 🙂

Thank you for this guide. I struggle with how to hold the pens so my hand doesn’t have to do all the weird movements to get the up and down strokes.

The pen hold should be constant. You shouldn’t have too much movement of the tool in your hand. Im going to make an article about that as well, but if you want, in the meantime, feel free to send me an email and I’ll do my best to help you out.

Thank You very much, is a very good tutorial to follow.

Thank you, Jose! It means a lot. Im glad to hear that 🙂

Thank you Max for this very detailed tutorial. Now I know why my work looks bad. I will follow your advise.

Thank you, Melissa. Im glad you found this tutorial helpful. If you need further assistance with your work, consider joining the Facebook group 🙂

Oh wow, my goodness, what a gem of a post! So thorough and at the same time such a pleasure to read. Thank you so much for this!!!

Thank you, Agata! Im really glad you liked the article. Let me know if you have any questions 🙂

Thank you. Your instructions are wonderfully clear and the examples are a joy to behold. As well as inspiring!

Thank you, Diane. Im glad that this article was helpful for you! 🙂

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Copperplate Calligraphy For Beginners – Basic Strokes & Practice Sheets

To learn copperplate calligraphy (also known as Engrosser’s script) is not an easy task. For those of us learning, it has a very steep learning curve and can be quite frustrating. But fear not! There are resources that can get you where you want to be. Of course it takes a lot of practice, but learning copperplate calligraphy can be sped up with the proper tips, tricks, and teachings. Below I’ve listed 3 different online learning resources to choose from, depending on what kind of calligrapher you are. But first you need to know what calligraphy tools to use for copperplate calligraphy.

Calligrascape’s Copperplate Course

Check out the one-stop-shop for learning Copperplate Calligraphy.

Table of Contents

Tools You Will Need For Copperplate Calligraphy

Regardless of what kind of calligrapher you are, you will need the right tools to learn copperplate calligraphy. I have used a lot of calligraphy tools while I was learning, some worked, some didn’t and below are my favourites that make it easier for me to learn copperplate calligraphy. If you already have the tools please skip this section and go right to basic strokes. If you aren’t planning on getting any tools try my video Copperplate with a Pencil video .

1. Oblique Pen Holder

An oblique pen holder makes it much easier to write the letters at the 55 degree slant without putting extra stress on the wrist or holding the paper at a very different angle. Oblique Pen: PaperInkArts.com

2. A Beginner Friendly Nib

A calligraphy nib is incredibly important, as only the pressure sensitive tines of the nib can create the beautiful contrast of thick and this strokes. The Zebra G Nib is incredibly beginner friendly as its pressure sensitivity is low so you don’t need to have to have incredibly accurate pressure to succeed at making letters. This does sacrifice a little bit of line contrast, but once you feel practiced enough I would suggest getting a more sensitive nib. Also make sure you properly prepare and care for your nib, you can find out how to do that here . Calligraphy Nib: Zebra G Nib

3. Calligraphy Ink

Most calligraphy ink should do the job here, but in my experience the viscosity of India ink works perfectly with the Zebra G nib. Calligraphy Ink: Speedball Super Black

4. Bleed Proof Paper

Finding paper worthy of calligraphy is hard as there are just so many types. If you ask me about any specific paper, I cannot answer for sure that the paper will cooperate with ink. However, we have one metric to measure to help make sure the paper you use should work is weight, which is measured in lbs or gsm (grams per square metre). I recommend 32lb or 120gsm for the best chance that your paper won’t bleed. If you want to learn more, I go into more depth on calligraphy paper in my other post here if you are interested Bleed Proof Paper: HP Premium 32 Paper

Three Ways to Learn Copperplate Calligraphy Online

Disclaimer: If you have never learned any style of pointed pen calligraphy, I suggest getting the basics down with Modern Calligraphy . It is the perfect introductory script to learn the basic strokes , the tools of the trade , and troubleshooting any problems you may be facing with the pointed pen. There are less rules to adhere to when learning, making pointed pen calligraphy easier to pick up. However, with option 1, you can learn all the basics step-by-step at your own pace.

1. For the Eager Beginner – Online Copperplate Calligraphy Course

If you have never really used a pointed pen or written calligraphy before, an instructional online course for beginners is what you need. I have developed a course on Udemy.com that allows someone who has never used a pointed pen before to learn the basic strokes then all the way to calligraphy compositions. You can find it and all it’s details here: Learn Copperplate Calligraphy Course

2. For the Motivated Self Learner – Practice Sheets

If you are persistent on learning copperplate calligraphy, and you are a self learner, practice sheets are what you need. This isn’t any old copybook though. They have all the tips and tricks to fast track you to learning the skill you want:

• The Tools You’ll Need
• Basic Strokes & Letter Construction
• 3 Methods of Flat Tops and Bottoms
• The 5 Guidelines of Flourishing
• Common problems and Probable Solutions page (to help solve annoying blobbing/pointed pen problems)

You can find the practice sheets and all it’s details here:

3. For the Careful Spender – Instructional Tutorial Blogpost

As someone who did learn copperplate calligraphy from online resources, I understand this selection. When you are first starting, you may not want to spend anything until you know you like it. The only thing I can say is that it took me quite a while to get where I wanted to be with the copperplate script. A lot of problems were from things I didn’t know about ink, paper and proper method. These hurdles could have been avoided if I attended a course or bought a book. That said, I will try to outline as much as I can in this tutorial blogpost. Read on!

But First: An Ultra-Brief History of Copperplate

Copperplate calligraphy is an contemporary synonym for 3 fancy looking pointed pen scripts: Engrosser’s Script, Engraver’s Script, and English Roundhand. It is a calligraphic style that is based on shaded letters which have been developed over hundreds of years starting around 1650. During it’s standardization, it was engraved onto copper plates for printing, thus granting the scripts’ name. It was also popularized by many calligraphers such as George Bickham, George Shelley and Charles Snell through copybooks, printmaking and writing manuals. Now onto the learning!

Download Free Basic Practice Sheet with 55° Slant

If you didn’t already know I have a basic copperplate practice sheet available to download on my website. It’s 55 degree guideline with some letters to copy. My other sheets teach everything you need to know from stroke order to flourishing.

• For the Free Practice sheet:
• If you need more info on the premium practice book on sale now:

What are the Basic Strokes of Copperplate Calligraphy?

Before we get to the basic strokes, we need to know the fundamentals of pointed pen calligraphy: (1) Upstrokes and (2) Downstrokes.

Upstrokes are typically made every time a new lowercase letter is started and are created by applying light nib pressure onto the page while swinging in an upward (away from you) motion. This will make a thin evenly-weighted line that will connect each letter.

Downstrokes are typically made every time you need to make the thick lines that create the identifiable part of each letter. Downstrokes are done by applying medium nib pressure onto the page while pulling the pen downwards (towards yourself). This will create a thicker strokes that contrast well with your upstrokes.

In the image above there are 7 basic strokes: (1) the entrance stroke, (2) oval, (3) underturn, (4) overturn, (5) compound, (6) ascender, and (7) descender. All 7 of these strokes are made up of transitioning between downstrokes and upstrokes.

PROTIP:While practicing these strokes make sure you are applying that 55 degree angle that we mentioned earlier. I suggest having the paper at that angle (or as close as you can) so that when you are making downstroke you will be pulling straight towards yourself.

Once you’ve gotten familiar with the basic strokes for copperplate calligraphy, try piecing together the practice strokes into letters! (6) Ascender + (5) compound = “h” and so forth. Don’t forget to always start a lowercase letter with an entrance stroke!

Check out the other combinations:

• (2) Oval + (7) Descender = “g”
• (4) Overturn + (4) Overturn + (5) Compound = “m”
• (5) Compound + (3) Underturn = “u”

Additional Strokes

There are a few more strokes that help make up the lowercase alphabet: the dot (found in c, i, j, s, and x), flat tops (found in a, d, i, j, m, n, p, q, t, u, w,& y) and the small underturn (found in b, o, v, & w).

These additional strokes really bring home the unique elegance of copperplate. The dot is easy, but the flat tops and small underturn are difficult to master. Try to practice these calligraphic strokes with the free basic practice sheet below:

Differences Between Modern Calligraphy, Spencerian and Copperplate Calligraphy

Copperplate calligraphy can easily be identified in one word as I said in the Complete Beginners Guide as “fancy.” It has a strict 55 degree slant, flat tops and feet and perfect oval flourishes. Modern calligraphy , ( Congrats and Saluations scripts below) has a certain flow to it and has no consistent size, spacing or connections. You can see the difference in style and tone between modern calligraphy and copperplate calligraphy below. Spencerian calligraphy is characterized by an elegant light script with minimal pressure strokes.

Below is a comparison of individual letters to greater compare each script.

If you would like to learn any and all these scripts, I have a worksheet package for each of them, or a bundle at a lower price. Check them out below!

• All 4 Pointed Pen Scripts Bundle (122 Pages)
• Master Class Modern Calligraphy Practice Sheets
• Master Class Spencerian Calligraphy Practice Sheets
• Master Class Copperplate Calligraphy Practice Sheets

Now get practicing, so you can learn copperplate calligraphy! If I missed something in this post please leave a comment and let me know! Thank you for reading all the way until the end. 🙂 Richard

14 thoughts on “Copperplate Calligraphy For Beginners – Basic Strokes & Practice Sheets”

Dear Richard, I bought the copperplate practice booklet and I find it very helpful. Unfortunately I am a little confused by the part on stroke movement. It feels so unnatural to move my hole arm instead of my fingers and I can’t imagine you could get the same precision with that. Could you perhaps write an more elaborate article about the right ways of using finger, elbow and shoulder movements. I’m curious if I’m doing it right and how long it will to take to feel less weird.

Hi Anouk! It is definitely weird at first. It is the ideal way of doing calligraphy to minimize repetitive strain injuries. It is really hard to overwrite the writing motion we have all done for many years. I would say start slowly and repeat your practice. It will take a while, and will be much harder at first than if you were just writing the conventional way. However, there are many calligraphers that get by with the normal writing motion. So it is really up to you, just be aware that this can cause repetitive strain injury (repetitive fine motor strain and pressure). I still catch myself writing conventionally, it’s not the end of the world. I hope this helps.

Very nice and well explained Article

Thanks Pooja!

Thank you so much for the detailed post! I am practicing brush lettering and my teacher recommended us to use tracing paper. It’s smooth, you can put your practice sheets underneath and don’t need to print them over and over. Do you think it would work for learning Copperplate calligraphy?

Hi Natalia!

Copperplate calligraphy would usually use a pointed pen and ink and tracing paper is to low a density for ink. It would bleed everywhere! If you are learning with a brush pen it should work. Though I do not have copperplate brush sheets yet…. yet.

Thanks, Richard

Do you have any instructions that would help lefties with the various strokes? When I was learning calligraphy in general I had to actually begin at the end of a line of words and work from right to left, and often the downstrokes were up and upstrokes were down

I personally do not have a left-handed friendly tutorials. Below are some lefty calligraphers that may help you:

– Connie Chen – Logos Calligraphy

At some point I would like to make resources for lefties, but I think I would need to partner up with a lefty.

Hi Richard, I ordered your Copperplate Master Class and found it very helpful and well-written. For some reason I can print everythng except the practice sheets. Very odd. Can you help, please? Regards, Linda Porter

I would love to help you get practicing. I just need a bit more info on the issue. Please email [email protected] more details about your printing issue.

Hi Richard Thank you for responding. I purchased and downloaded the Copperplate Masterclass. It is really excellent and a huge help to me. The problem is the blank guideline sheets just didn’t print with everything else. I also tried printing just those pages with no luck. I have printed multiple calligraphy guidelines from other sources with no issues. I want to be able to print yours though because I like the size and detail! Thanks, Linda

Hi there, I bought the pack (it is amazing!), do you have this as a font (preferably with the guide lines)? I would love to print some documents to practice in a fun way. Many thanks! Kym

As of now, I do not have Copperplate as a font. However, it is in the works.

The article discusses essential tools for learning copperplate calligraphy. It provides useful recommendations for beginners, including an oblique pen holder, a beginner-friendly nib, calligraphy ink, and bleed-proof paper.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Sign up to our newsletter!

Learn Calligraphy – Step by Step Calligraphy Guide

This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn a small commission from purchases made through them, at no additional cost to you.

• share  
• save  

Writing characters have been an integral part of human life for almost 8000 years. They were invented and used to record thoughts and experiences. In the past, it was a privilege to be able to put beautiful writing on paper. It was often only men who worked as scribes and who were allowed to record events in artistic writing. With the advent of technology, handwritten records have lost their importance in our everyday lives. Digital communication and the printed word took over. Nevertheless, life without the written word is hardly conceivable. Personal messages or occasions still require handwritten texts. The importance of handwriting is illustrated by the fact that a contract is not valid without a handwritten signature. So, writing is still an important skill to learn. Lets explore how to learn calligraphy, and the benefits of this great hobby.

Table of Contents

• 1 What is Calligraphy?
• 2 The History of Calligraphy
• 3 Traditional vs. Modern Calligraphy
• 4 Why Learn Calligraphy
• 5 Differences Between Hand-Lettering and Calligraphy
• 6.1 The Writing Instrument
• 6.2 The Calligraphy Pen
• 6.3.1 Pointed Nib
• 6.3.2 Tension Springs/Ribbon Nibs
• 6.3.3 Poster Nibs
• 6.3.4 Cord Tension Springs/String Nibs
• 6.3.5 Double Bar Nib
• 6.3.6 Drawing Pen Nibs
• 6.4 Fine Writing Fountain Pen With Ink
• 6.5 Brush Pen
• 6.6 Calligraphy Fiber Pen With Wedge Tip
• 6.7 The Ink
• 6.8 The Paper
• 7.1 The Correct Hand Position
• 7.2 Brushpen Posture
• 7.3 Pointed Feathers Hand Position
• 7.4 Hand Position for the Belt Tension Spring
• 7.5 Holding Calligraphy Fountain Pens Correctly
• 8.1 Prepare the Workplace
• 8.2 Prepare the Spring
• 8.3 First Exercises With the Calligraphy Writing Tool
• 8.4 Calligraphy ABC – The Alphabet
• 9 Calligraphy Templates
• 10.1 Copperplate
• 10.2 Gothic Texture and Fracture
• 11 Tips and Tricks for Starting Calligraphy
• 12 Creative Ideas for Calligraphy
• 13.1.1 Learning Through a Course
• 13.1.2 Teaching Yourself
• 13.2 How Do You Clean Calligraphy Utensils?

What is Calligraphy?

The word calligraphy (other spellings are calligraphy or calligraphy) comes from Greek and is composed of the words “kalos” = beautiful and “graphein” = to write. It would be correctly translated as “the art of beautiful writing”. Calligraphy is by no means just beautiful handwriting, rather calligraphy is a form of expression, an aesthetic art, and also a meditative process. You may ask how to learn calligraphy? Well, like any type of art practice is best.

The History of Calligraphy

The art of beautiful writing and the possibility to give a work special expressiveness and additional dignity can be found in almost all cultures. Thus, over time, Western, Hebrew, Japanese, Chinese, and Arabic calligraphy developed.

The purposes and rules of the different types of calligraphy are very different. Hebrew calligraphy relates almost exclusively to the creation of biblical texts according to exact models. Chinese, Arabic, and Japanese calligraphy, on the other hand, are more objects of art than pieces of writing. Some are not even created to be really read but serve as mere decoration.

For many centuries, Western calligraphy had as its only goal the transmission of literary texts. For this reason, legibility was always in the foreground here. It was not until the Renaissance and Baroque that calligraphy became established as an art form. Many calligraphers of that time worked in monasteries and produced outstanding works.

With the invention of printing by Johannes von Guttenberg, however, calligraphy lost its prestige. The printed word took hold and displaced recording by means of calligraphy from the ranks of scholars. Nevertheless, many people today practice calligraphy as a relaxing hobby. In practice, modern calligraphy is still used on certificates, entries in golden books, or on posters. Even today, calligraphy impresses the viewer.

Traditional vs. Modern Calligraphy

Traditionally, calligraphy was practiced by monks. These had made it their business to design books in beautiful handwriting. Surely they also already discovered the meditative aspect of learning calligraphy and made use of it.

The traditional calligraphy used in monasteries followed fixed rules and had the goal of achieving a uniform and almost perfect appearance of the writing. A number of rules had to be observed. For example, letters have a certain shape and orientation that could not be changed.

Modern calligraphy, on the other hand, is more about the expression of feelings, which follows it’s own aesthetic and in the end produces an individual style.

Why Learn Calligraphy

It may sound easy at first to learn to write beautiful fonts, but when learning calligraphy the trick is in the details. You can only achieve truly uniform lettering through the perfect interplay of tools, posture, ink, and paper. Like learning to play a musical instrument, calligraphy is a complex process. Learning requires patience, but can also distract you from everyday life and lead to deep relaxation.

• It has a positive effect also on everyday handwriting
• The required tools of the trade are not very costly
• It can be started at any time, previous knowledge is not required
• The practice of calligraphy has a calming effect
• Produces beautiful results
• Very time consuming
• It takes a lot of practice to achieve really good results
• Calligraphy is not for the impatient

Differences Between Hand-Lettering and Calligraphy

The terms hand-lettering and calligraphy are often used interchangeably. Certainly, the two art forms have some similarities. Nevertheless, they should not be used synonymously, as there are also clear differences. This is important to understand when learning to write calligraphy.

First and foremost, both forms of lettering design focus on the handwritten word and its particular aesthetic presentation. Hand-lettering and calligraphy thus add a personal touch to any writing. They also follow some common basic rules.

The big difference is that hand-lettering is not the typeface, but each individual letter as an art object. This must be individually decorated and designed. Handlettering thus offers a much wider scope of design than calligraphy.

The writing utensils used also differ. In hand-lettering, an ink pen is used that is equipped with either a flexible brush tip or a firm wedge tip. While in calligraphy the writing instrument of first choice is still the pen with a metal nib.

So while calligraphy is the “art of beautiful writing”, hand lettering in its true sense, refers to the art of beautiful “letter painting”.

Equipment Needed for Learning to Write Calligraphy

To start the hobby of calligraphy you need a few selected utensils. A writing instrument, high-quality paper, and good ink are the main tools of a calligrapher. To enjoy calligraphy for a long time, you should pay attention to quality. Otherwise, you may be disappointed with the results and give up the hobby too easily.

Since calligraphy depends on the perfect interaction of writing instruments, paper, and ink, it is important to decide which scripts you want to learn before buying a calligraphy set. Each script requires a different nib and possibly a different ink.

Over time, if you have fun and enjoy calligraphy, you will also learn different fonts and acquire a wider variety of nibs and inks. Apart from the pen, nib, and ink, you only need cleaning agents. To properly clean your writing instrument, you will need a lint-free cloth, a water bottle, and rubbing alcohol.

The Writing Instrument

In order to achieve an even typeface in calligraphy, the writing instrument must glide easily over the paper. This can only be achieved with a nib. For this reason, even modern calligraphers in most cases resort to the nib holder with attachable nib, which has been known from time immemorial.

Of course, there are now also alternatives such as the calligraphy fountain pen, the calligraphy brush or the calligraphy fiber pen. These writing instruments certainly have their justification for certain purposes and are also used by calligraphy professionals. However, they cannot convey the real calligraphy writing experience.

Under no circumstances should a commercial fountain pen with a cartridge be used for calligraphy. With such a pen, you can write beautiful handwriting on paper, but not a calligraphic work of art.

The Calligraphy Pen

The nib holder is, so to speak, the handle for the nib to be attached. It can be made of wood, metal, plastic, or glass. No matter which material you choose, the nib holder should always fit comfortably in your hand.

Besides the material, you can also choose between two different shapes. Firstly, there is the oblique pen holder, i.e. the slanted pen holder. It was originally designed for right-handers only but is now also available for left-handers. On the other hand, there is a straight nib holder.

For each shape and material, you will find different price ranges. Starting with a pen holder for around €$4 up to $400 expensive designer pieces. When buying this item, you should worry more about the feeling than the price.

Nibs for calligraphy are always made of metal and are offered in an infinite number of designs. For each calligraphy font there is also a particularly suitable form of the nib. Nibs that were used for very old scripts are sometimes no longer produced and are only available as antique collector’s items.

You can also purchase nibs in all price ranges. The only important thing about any nib is that it glides effortlessly over the paper and does not scratch or stick. Cheap products often have their weaknesses here. Therefore, it should be noted here again that for the hobby of calligraphy really little hand tools are necessary, but this should be of very good quality.

No matter which model you choose in the end, you do not have to pay attention to the compatibility with the nib holder. Modern nibs are standardized and therefore fit in every nib holder. Nib holders have a small clip, also called a globe, into which the nib is inserted with a little resistance. The nib should fit tightly and not wobble. We would like to briefly introduce you to the most common nib options below:

Pointed Nib

A pointed nib is best suited for beginners. It is a kind of all-round nib with which different line thicknesses can be created by varying the pressure. It is suitable for fonts that live precisely through these lines of varying thickness, such as copperplate.

The pointed nib is available in different categories extra-fine, fine, medium, and broad. The finer the tip, the thinner the line that can be drawn.

Pointed nibs also differ in their elasticity. The more elastic the spring is and the more pressure is applied to it, the thicker the lines can become. The disadvantage is that as the elasticity of the nib increases, the ability to control it decreases. Beginners should therefore tend to use firmer pointed nibs.

Pointed nibs take ink by dipping them into the inkwell, preferably at least halfway, where the small hole in the nib can be seen. To start with, it is best to buy a set of different springs. This way you can try out which nib is best suited for your needs.

Tension Springs/Ribbon Nibs

Ribbon nibs are also called broad nibs or round nibs. These nibs are also used with a nib holder, of course. Their tip is very broad, so it is also suitable for all broad, Gothic and broken calligraphy, such as Gothic texture.

Ribbon nibs produce a thin line when guided sideways and a thick one when guided downwards. Broad nibs can only be pulled; if they are pushed, no ink flows.

Ribbon nibs are filled with ink on the side with a brush. In general, band tension springs are beveled on the right and are therefore also suitable for right-handers. However, left-beveled band tension springs are also available that are suitable for left-handers.

Poster Nibs

Poster nibs are similar to the broad nib. However, they are a bit wider. In addition, ink also flows here when pushed. Poster nibs are used for very large, powerful type forms.

Cord Tension Springs/String Nibs

String nibs are also known as ornamental or plate nibs. They have an even nib stroke, only edging the nib changes the thickness of the line drawn. These nibs are excellent for cursive writing.

Double Bar Nib

As the name suggests, this nib draws two parallel lines with one stroke. Mostly these are differently strongly pronounced. This type of nib is no longer manufactured. The nowadays still available double stroke nibs are mostly antique pieces.

Drawing Pen Nibs

Drawing nibs are very fine and are hardly suitable for writing, as they get stuck in the paper too quickly

Fine Writing Fountain Pen With Ink

The ink reservoir of the calligraphy pen offers the advantage that you can write for a very long time without having to refill ink. The reservoir can be in the form of a disposable cartridge or a reusable piston that can be filled with the appropriate ink. Many higher-end models have such a piston, other manufacturers offer converters to replace the disposable cartridge.

No matter which system the fountain pen is equipped with, the ink inside must be able to flow well and therefore be quite thin. And therein lies the disadvantage of the fountain pen. Thin-bodied ink is not lightfast and fades quickly when exposed to light.

Calligraphy pens are equipped with a non-changeable metal nib. However, you can buy several fountain pens, each with different width nibs.

The brush pen or calligraphy brush is mainly used for special Asian calligraphy. In the meantime, however, it is also used in modern calligraphy for certain fonts and for hand-lettering.

The brush tip responds to pressure with lines of varying thickness, imitating drawing with an elastic nib. Since the plastic tip is very robust, a brush pen is also suitable for younger users and beginners who find a nib too delicate.

Calligraphy Fiber Pen With Wedge Tip

The fiber pen or ink pencil with a wedge tip is well suited for beginners to make their first experiences with calligraphy. They create the typical image of calligraphic lettering with thin and wide lines. However, this is not done by applying different amounts of pressure, but by using the wide side or the corner by manually rotating the pen.

The pressure with which you work should always be constant with an ink pencil with a wedge tip. Calligraphy fiber pens come in different widths.

The calligraphy pen is dipped into an inkwell. This should not contain conventional blue ink as used for the school fountain pen. This dries much too unevenly, is very thin, not lightfast, and is water soluble. The color would not appear evenly intense everywhere with this ink and would ruin the typeface.

Instead, a very good black drawing ink is used. This contains high-quality color pigments that are lightfast. The added binder makes the ink more viscous. In addition, ink is eraser-resistant, which is very useful when letters have been drawn in pencil. Drawing ink is also available under the names India or Sumi Ink or also as Chinese ink.

Perfect calligraphy requires a high-quality background. Therefore, use very good paper to create your artwork. Calligraphy paper has a particularly smooth surface, so the drawing ink cannot “bleed”. You can use layout paper, drawing cardboard, or watercolor paper effectively for calligraphy.

Copy paper is not suitable at all due to the rough surface on which the nib would stick. Especially in the beginning, the paper should be slightly transparent which facilitates the use of practice sheets. You place these sheets, on which horizontal and diagonal guide lines are drawn, under your writing paper. These guide lines make it easier for you, especially at the beginning, to find the correct proportions between large and small letters and the correct slope of the writing.

Calligraphy Techniques

If starting out with calligraphy, there are a number of techniques and tricks to follow. Below are some pointers for getting calligraphy right.

The Correct Hand Position

It is very important to practice the correct posture of the writing instrument from the beginning. Only with the correct posture will the letters turn out well. Once acquired incorrectly, posture errors are difficult to correct.

Brushpen Posture

The brush pen is held like a normal pen. To use the width of the brush tip, it makes sense to hold it a little flatter. This allows you to get optimal results from the pen.

Pointed Feathers Hand Position

Nib holders with a pointed nib are positioned between the thumb and index finger, with the middle finger serving as support from below. The little finger and the ring finger serve as a support on the blade. In this way, you can achieve an even pressure that you can control perfectly.

Hand Position for the Belt Tension Spring

Traditionally, a ribbon nib is held between the thumb and middle finger. The ring finger stabilizes the nib holder from above. The little finger is the spacer to the writing paper.

Holding Calligraphy Fountain Pens Correctly

Calligraphy fountain pens are held like normal fountain pens. Many models have recessed grips that support proper finger placement.

Calligraphy for Beginners – Step by Step

Interested in getting started with calligraphy? Following the right steps is important to getting this artform done properly. Below is a basic tutorial to follow on how to do calligraphy for beginners.

Prepare the Workplace

When learning how to do calligraphy, preparation is the first step. For right-handers, all the necessary writing utensils and also the inkwell should be placed within easy reach on the right-hand side of the workstation. If you are left-handed, position everything on the left side. A slightly inclined work surface or drawing board may be advisable for many. A clipboard with several sheets of paper should be used as a base.

For calligraphy, you need a lot of room for your arm. The curves in this form of writing do not come from the wrist alone. So make sure you have room to move. To prevent back problems and cramps in the hand-arm-shoulder area, ensure an upright comfortable sitting position.

Prepare the Spring

A new nib has an oil coating, which protects it from rust. However, this oil also prevents ink from adhering to the nib.  Therefore, before the first use, it is necessary to wash the nib thoroughly with soap or rubbing alcohol. Alternatively, it can be put in a potato for a quarter of an hour and then rinsed. After drying properly, it will be ready for use.

First Exercises With the Calligraphy Writing Tool

Before you take the pen in your hand, warm up your fingers. Writing is not as good with cold fingers. The basic exercises for any calligraphy beginner should consist of simple strokes and swings. The pen is always held at a 45° angle to the page.

First, you should learn to pull downstrokes (from top to bottom) with a little more pressure and upstrokes (from bottom to top) with almost no pressure. Once you have mastered this exercise, you can move on to the first wave movements. With the wave exercises, you learn to vary the pressure in a flowing movement to achieve an even image.

Once you have familiarized yourself with the basic techniques, you can start writing your first letters. For this purpose, you can find a variety of letter templates, writing samples, and practice sheets on the Internet. Be patient at this point! Practice each letter as you did in school and write it many times until it seems perfect enough. Only when all the letters really come easily to you should you dare to take the next step.

Connecting the letters is one of the greatest challenges of modern calligraphy. Here it is important to pay attention to smooth transitions and regular spacing. This must also be practiced over and over again until you have developed a good feeling for it.

To practice the letters and lettering, it is worthwhile to use practice sheets. These have guide lines drawn on them to help you find the correct proportions and the correct slant of the letters.

Calligraphy ABC – The Alphabet

To learn calligraphy fonts you need templates. These are reproduced exactly until the template and copy match perfectly. For this purpose, it is important not only to study the strokes and line weights exactly but also to pay attention to the order of the strokes. There are two ways to learn the letters of the calligraphy alphabet:

• Tracing: This method is the best way to prevent mistakes from creeping in. By tracing the letters directly from a template, you will notice any deviations immediately. The letters of the alphabet should be traced until you have internalized the movements.
• Copying: Books, documents, or signs on which the desired script can be seen serve as templates. If you want to teach yourself the calligraphy alphabet by means of construction, you must now study the individual letters very carefully and reconstruct them in every detail. This requires some work and mistakes creep in easily.

Calligraphy Templates

Calligraphy templates are available for every level of practice. Whether simple swing exercises, single letters, or complete lettering. The templates are placed under the slightly transparent writing paper. You can prevent the template from slipping by sticking it to your desk with adhesive tape.

In addition to these writing templates, exercise sheets are also very often used. A grid of different lines is printed on these. These auxiliary lines ensure that your letters have the correct proportions so that the typeface looks even. The grid of an exercise sheet consists of several horizontal lines.

The baseline is where all your letters sit on. The line directly above the baseline (x-line) is where all the lowercase letters end. The top line is the endpoint for all uppercase letters. Between the top line and the x-line is another k-line. At the same distance, but below the baseline, you see the p-line denoted. The p and k lines are the endpoints for the upper and lower case letters, such as lowercase t,l or p,q,y. The slanted lines drawn in the grid will give you orientation for the correct angle of inclination of your letters.

Calligraphy Fonts

There are different fonts for calligraphy. For example, the Gothic texture, Copperplate, Fraktur and the Kurrent font. In each font, the letters have their own unique appearance and different materials are needed to write the fonts correctly.

In the beginning, you should commit to one font that you want to learn. Once you have mastered this font, you can move on to others.

Copperplate

This font has a lot of filigree curlicues. Therefore, a very precise stroke, which is subject to strict rules, is necessary. Thick strokes and thin upstrokes combine to create an elegant typeface. A pointed nib is used to bring this typeface onto the paper.  Since the typeface in Copperplate is disturbed by even the smallest errors, this font is not suitable for beginners.

Gothic Texture and Fracture

These two scripts are often associated with the typical calligraphy scripts of the Middle Ages. A lot of pen strokes are needed to draw the fine decorations, especially of the large letters.

Tips and Tricks for Starting Calligraphy

• Do not press too hard with the spring , it could get stuck and cause blobs
• A spread should always be written without pressure
• Clumping ink may need to be slightly diluted, be sure to use a pipette to do this
• Irregularities in the typeface can also come from clumpy ink on the nib, clean the nib in between uses with clear water and a lint-free cloth
• Spreads and smears should be parallel to each other
• Top and bottom lengths should be even
• All letters should sit on the baseline
• Make sure there is even spacing between the letters
• You can achieve nice effects with certain style elements, but too many different styling effects disturb the harmony of the typeface

Creative Ideas for Calligraphy

Of course, the goal of every calligraphy enthusiast is to create entire sayings, poems, quotes, certificates or invitation cards with the beautiful handwriting they have learned. Beyond that, however, there are many small ideas where calligraphy can be incorporated. For example, how about adding calligraphy to gift tags, name tags, small greeting messages, or simple labels.

The recipient, the reader, and the calligrapher themself will certainly take great pleasure in finding this beautiful art in the little things of everyday life.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you learn calligraphy.

To learn calligraphy you do not need any special knowledge. Basically, anyone who enjoys beautiful writing can start with this hobby. Admittedly, you should bring a little patience, because to achieve a really beautiful typeface you need to practice a lot. You can learn calligraphy alone at home or in groups with a calligraphy teacher.

Learning Through a Course

Meanwhile, calligraphy has become a popular hobby. So it is not surprising that workshops and courses on this topic are popping up.  So if you want to learn the craft in a group with an experienced calligrapher, you will certainly find a suitable offer in your area.

If there is really no possibility to participate in a course in your area, you will certainly find something online. Here, too, there are a variety of online courses on the subject of calligraphy. The advantage of online courses is that you can watch the lessons several times. In addition, there is often an additional and longer-term exchange of participants in forums or social media groups. Just remember that even a professional calligraphy course will not replace independent practice!

Teaching Yourself

If you want to teach yourself calligraphy by self-study, you certainly need more discipline and patience, but you can manage this very well with good reading and relevant videos. For the self-taught among you, we would like to share a few tips for self-study:

• To keep the material and time investment manageable, first decide on a font you want to learn
• Find out which nib is suitable for your chosen typeface and purchase the appropriate material.
• Books are great and helpful, but you can see the details better in videos
• Use practice sheets ! These are available for the various stages of proficiency, from stroke and swing exercises to alphabets, to practice sheets with guide lines, there is a suitable tool for every level of practice on offer.
• Draw letters and lettering with a soft pencil . Erasing after the ink has dried is no problem. Drawing ink is resistant to erasing.
• Whether the lettering of the gift tag or the writing of the greeting card: Use every opportunity that everyday life offers you to practice !

How Do You Clean Calligraphy Utensils?

Ink is waterproof after drying, so you should rinse the nib with clean water immediately after use. Dry the nib very well afterward to prevent it from rusting. Avoid holding the nib and nib holder under the faucet, water can get into the globe of the nib holder and cause rust.

The nib holder itself should also be cleaned of ink residue with a damp cloth and dried well. Wooden models in particular do not like moisture in the long term. The inkwell should only be stored in a tightly closed state to prevent it from drying out.

We hope that our article has whetted your appetite for the hobby of calligraphy. This is a really fun artform that can provide many practical uses to impress people and make you proud of your writing.

Similar Posts

Acrylic Medium Review and How to Make Your Own Acrylic Medium

How to Use Gouache Paint – Our Gouache Painting Tutorial

Is Spray Paint Waterproof? – Water-Resistant Spray Paints

Action Painting: Everything You Need to Know About Action Art

How to Draw a Pineapple – Tropical Fruit Sketching Session

Pastel Painting – Helpful Guide on How to Use Pastels

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Happiness Hub Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• Happiness Hub
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Arts and Entertainment

How to Write in Calligraphy

Last Updated: July 29, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Katherine Rinewalt and by wikiHow staff writer, Sophia Latorre . Katherine Rinewalt is a Calligrapher based in Orlando, Florida. Katherine owns Rosebud Calligraphy and has over 6 years of experience. Rosebud Calligraphy is a calligraphy and stationery design studio offering invitations, handwritten pieces, and signage for weddings and special events. Katherine is passionate about helping others elevate their weddings and events with her personalized touch. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,103,692 times.

Calligraphy means “beautiful writing” in Greek and spans thousands of years and countless cultures. There are several styles, including Western, Eastern Asian, Southern Asian, and Islamic. All calligraphy uses the same basic principals to create beautiful lettering. If you want to practice the art of decorative handwriting, all you need to do is follow a few simple steps.

Learning the Basics of Calligraphy Writing

• For instance, try to make the vertical line the letter “d” parallel with the vertical line in the letter “b.”

Practicing Letters and Words

• For instance, in Western calligraphy, write vertical lines first followed by horizontal lines, such as when writing the letter “t.” [8] X Research source
• In Asian calligraphy, strokes begin at the top of the character and move downward to the to bottom of the character. [9] X Research source
• For Islamic calligraphy, begin with the largest strokes of the letter and progress to the smallest strokes and dots. [10] X Research source

Selecting Your Supplies

• Avoid paper that’s greasy or waxy, which can keep the paper from absorbing the ink.

• Dip pens are pens which you dip in ink. They consist of a wood, plastic or bone handle and a metal nib (the pointed end which will make contact with the paper). The nib is dipped in the ink and stores it in the well of the nib. These are often used in Islamic calligraphy.
• Fountain pens are similar to dip pens but instead draw their ink from a container within the pen. While this ink will occasionally need to be replaced or refilled, it will save you the trouble of constantly needing to dip your pen. Fountain pens are commonly used for Western calligraphy.
• Brushes come in a variety of sizes but will usually all be roughly the same shape. These are dipped in ink and use the pressure and direction of the writer’s strokes to form the line variations. Brushes are often used for Asian calligraphy.

• Pot ink is the most common ink used for calligraphy. This ink comes premixed in a small jar and your writing utensil will be dipped into it, such as for Islamic calligraphy. India ink is the most common type of pot ink used in calligraphy.
• Fountain pen ink is a special kind of dye-based ink which is used for fountain pens, typically for Western calligraphy. It is important to use only fountain pen ink in these types of pens as other ink types will clog the pen. Fountain pen ink will come in either pre-loaded barrels, which you place in your pen, or pots, in which case you fill the pen yourself.
• Ink sticks, which will also require an ink stone, are sticks of ink which must be ground and mixed with water in order to form the ink you will write with. They are an excellent option for calligraphers because they allow you to get many different tones from the same ink, depending on how it is mixed. These are often used in Asian calligraphy.

Sample Alphabets

Expert Q&A

• Calligraphy is a delicate practice - you'll need to devote a lot of time to it to become better at it. Thanks Helpful 15 Not Helpful 2
• Paper, ink, pens, and other supplies can be found in art, craft, and stationery stores as well as online. Thanks Helpful 11 Not Helpful 1
• Use calligraphy pens, which are available in many supermarkets. Thanks Helpful 12 Not Helpful 7

Tips from our Readers

• Calligraphy is also good for making cards or doing project work.
• You can also use brush pens for calligraphy.

You Might Also Like

Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about calligraphy, check out our in-depth interview with Katherine Rinewalt .

• ↑ http://www.calligraphy-skills.com/how-to-write-calligraphy.html
• ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBoVGqiSzr4
• ↑ https://calligraphypen.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/stroking-the-rules/
• ↑ https://design.tutsplus.com/articles/mastering-calligraphy-how-to-write-in-roundhand-script--vector-25652
• ↑ https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/05/the-beauty-of-typography-writing-systems-and-calligraphy-of-the-world/
• ↑ http://calligraphypen.wordpress.com/2009/03/09/papers-for-calligraphy/
• ↑ https://calligraphypen.wordpress.com/2009/01/23/selecting-calligraphy-inks-tests-and-reviews/
• ↑ https://calligraphypen.wordpress.com/2009/01/08/basic-calligraphy-tools/

About This Article

To get started with calligraphy, you’ll need a few supplies, including smooth, acid-free paper, a ruler, a calligraphy pen or brush, and some ink. The right kind of pen and ink for you depends on your personal preferences. For instance, some people prefer to use a traditional dip pen and pot ink, while others like the convenience of a fountain pen with a cartridge built in. Have some painter’s tape or paperweights on hand to keep your paper from moving around while you work. Hold the pen diagonally, at a 30 to 60-degree angle, and point the nib slightly to the left as you write. Keep the nib aimed in the same direction all the time, since twisting it will affect the quality of the line. To prevent blotting and uneven lines, always move the nib backwards or sideways away from the direction it’s pointing, instead of pushing it forward. Apply light pressure as you write so that you don’t scratch the paper or damage the nib of the pen. As you’re mastering your technique, you might find it helpful to work on paper with lines or a grid. Follow the guides on the paper to keep your lines straight and parallel and the letter sizes consistent. Start by printing out an alphabet in a calligraphic font that you like, then cover it with a sheet of tracing paper. Trace the alphabet many times until you start to feel comfortable with the strokes. If possible, find a practice sheet that breaks down the letters into their individual strokes so that you know how to do them in the right direction and order. As you get more confident, try writing the letters on your own without tracing them. For instance, you might practice writing the same letter over and over on a grid until you can easily write it with clean, even, consistent-looking strokes. Practice writing notes, journal entries, or anything you like in calligraphy until it starts to feel easy and natural. For tips on how to choose the best paper, pen, and ink for your calligraphy, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Jan 13, 2017

Did this article help you?

Shelly Moore

Dec 9, 2018

Shreya Soni

Apr 19, 2020

Chavi Rathi

Feb 3, 2017

Maria Jesus Amberg

Jan 24, 2017

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Get all the best how-tos!

Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter

• Newsletters
• Competitions
• Our Insiders
• Gathered Magazine
• How to knit
• The Knitter
• Simply Knitting
• How to crochet
• Simply Crochet
• Product Reviews
• Simply Sewing
• How to quilt
• Quilting templates
• Love Patchwork & Quilting
• Today's Quilter
• Calligraphy
• Printmaking
• Kid's crafts
• How to cross stitch
• Animal cross stitch patterns
• Christmas cross stitch patterns
• World of Cross Stitching
• How to embroider
• Free embroidery patterns
• Love Embroidery
• How to make cards
• Card making downloads
• Patterned papers
• Scrapbooking
• Home repairs
• Interior decor
• Outdoor decor
• Magazine Offers

The ultimate beginners calligraphy guide – get started today

It’s so easy to start creating your own beautiful calligraphy writing! Kirsten Burke from The Modern Calligraphy Co. helps take us through the basics, from how to create your own lettering at home to the best calligraphy pens and sets for beginners

Kirsten Burke

Calligraphy writing has been practised for millennia, and now the ancient craft is enjoying a resurgence. Crafters of all ages are embracing a love of pen and ink. Hobbycraft has reported a surge in sales of letter writing sets, while there's been an explosion in brush lettering courses here in the UK.

Before the age of modern calligraphy and brush lettering, the standard way to write or transcribe anything was with pen and ink. Picture old monks is drafty cells transcribing illuminated manuscript after illuminated manuscript, creating calligraphy writing that is more like a work of art compared to most hand-written documents of today. But modern calligraphy is a lot less relentless and a lot more fun!

In modern calligraphy, a brush pen is often used for calligraphy writing, which is a far cleaner and easier option for modern calligraphy. But modern calligraphy can be enjoyed with a pen and ink, too, which has its own fun, mastering the methods of the past. The technique and practices remain the same in modern calligraphy, and the best way to practice and perfect your calligraphy writing is to first get to grips with a mixture of thick and thin strokes. Our modern calligraphy for beginners guide will help you get to grips with this great technique and develop your calligraphy writing skills.

We're including some free modern calligraphy drill sheets in this post, for you to download and print off to practice your calligraphy writing. You'll find modern calligraphy drills suitable for both brush pen as well as pen and ink methods, so you can choose the one for the calligraphy writing you prefer – or why nor master both styles of calligraphy writing? The download sheets have been provided courtesy of Modern Calligraphy & Lettering magazine, produced in collaboration with The Modern Calligraphy Co , and we are grateful to them for their assistance with compiling this Beginners guide to modern calligraphy, too.

We've split this beginners guide to modern calligraphy into different sections, so if there is a section you are most interested in, use these links to jumps straight there.

What is modern calligraphy writing?

How to do calligraphy.

• Calligraphy materials for beginners
• Calligraphy set for beginners

While traditional calligraphy is a formal craft with many rules aimed at achieving neat, consistent lettering, modern calligraphy is more playful, allowing you to break the rules and create your own artwork without years of training. Modern calligraphy includes dip pen and ink lettering with a pointed nib as well as brush lettering with a brush pen. Using guidelines, drills and practice you can easily get to grips with the principles of modern calligraphy and pick up the products you’ll need. There’s plenty of help out there too – books, magazines, YouTube videos and online courses will get you on your way. Read our in-depth guide to find out where to start.

A comfortable posture is important for when you start to write, shoulders relaxed and with your paper about 40-degrees to the side (anti-clockwise if you’re right-handed and clockwise if left). Your arm and nib should be pointing in the same direction for better control.

Practise! Holding your pen at a deep angle (between 30 to 45-degrees), practice pressing down on your nib and writing downwards, making a row of downstrokes, then lighten your touch and write a row of thinner, upward strokes. These thick and thin strokes are the basis of any modern calligraphy, whatever your preferred tool. Repetitive ‘drills’ like these are great to start with before you form and connect letters or even add flicks and flourishes. You can find printable drill sheets and alphabet styles to practise with, here.

Learn how to form letters with a brush pen: Use our modern calligraphy practice drill from Modern Calligraphy and Lettering magazine to learn the basics of calligraphy writing. Download the Modern calligraphy drill 1 to practice your thick and thin strokes with a brush pen.

Now let's try using a pen and ink : Download the modern calligraphy drill 2 to practice the basics of calligraphy writing using a pen and ink.

Calligraphy writing for Left handed writers

Those who write underhand will be able to follow the same rules as a right-hander, but turning the page clockwise to get the right position. Overhand writers will need to start at the base and push the pen up, applying pressure to create a thick stroke. Create thin lines with a lighter downward stroke.

Take a calligraphy for beginners workshop

Real-life courses are fantastic as you get insightful feedback on your posture and strokes. Choose from pre-recorded workshops and printable sheets or Zoom classes where they walk you through each step – many offer the option of a delivered kit with everything you need! Take a look at The Postmans Knock and The Modern Calligraphy Co to see what’s available.

Image: jazmin-quaynor-unsplash

Calligraphy supplies for beginners

You don’t need many things for basic modern calligraphy, but if you’re going to go shopping, here’s what we suggest.

If you want to try a dip pen for calligraphy writing, think about the nib you want . Modern calligraphy nibs are, on the whole, pointed with two tines – split metal pieces with a hole in between to hold the ink. When pressure is applied and the nib guided down the page, the tines open up, which makes the thicker strokes – the downstrokes. Pushing up the page needs a lighter touch, which produces thinner lines, aka the upstrokes.

Look for Leonardt and Brause nib brands as a start. A new nib will need to be burnished to remove any coating – you can do this by exposing it briefly to a flame or rubbing with a little toothpaste and tissue.

There are two main styles of modern calligraphy pens, many of which come with a ‘universal insert’ that enables the writer to switch nibs. A straight holder is ideal for beginners and is held like a usual pen. With an oblique holder, the nib sits in an angled head. This holder is recommended for more advanced calligraphers.

Start with a simple Indian or pigment ink, such as Winsor & Newton. Once you’re comfortable with your ink flow and dipping, try Japanese Sumi ink.

Ink flow is one of the trickiest things to get the hang of with dip pen calligraphy but there’s lots of help available, such as on the Kirsten Burke: The Modern Calligraphy Co. YouTube page.

Ready-made brush pens are similar to felt-tips but with a longer, more flexible brush, so the lines change between thick and thin, depending on the pressure or angle. They make consistent marks and are easy to control.

Fibre-tips: Feel more like a paintbrush, with bristles that spread when pressure is applied. There are many brands to choose from, including Ecoline and Manuscript.

Brush pens: Come with permanent or water-based ink. Which you choose will depend on what you’re planning to do with your lettering. Water-based pens are great for colour blending, as they can be mixed with other pens or dipped in water to dilute the colours and achieve gradient effects. However, if water is spilled, it will run. Permanent ink doesn't run, but won’t blend either. It’s great for writing on acetate, glass or porcelain

Water brush pens

Widely available at craft stores, these pens have a flexible brush tip with a liquid cartridge attached – simply fill the cartridge with ink for a continuous flow, or fill with water and dip into inks or paints for some creative colour blending.

Paintbrushes

Many letterers enjoy the natural feel of a simple brush. Sizes range from very thin to super-size and, as they’re easy to wash, paintbrushes can be used over and over with watercolours, metallic paints and all kinds of ink.

Inks & paints

With an ordinary paintbrush, you can use watercolours, gouache and all types of ink. For wall art, choose archival or lightfast inks, so your work doesn't fade. For shiny surfaces, such as mirrors or candle holders, choose acrylic paints as they dry opaque and permanent, and look great too.

This is the same for nib or brush work. Using fibrous or even printer paper can damage the tips of brush pens over time, so choose smooth paper (eg. Rhodia practice pads) or good-quality watercolour paper from an art store.

Calligraphy paper for beginners

Rhodia calligraphy paper pad.

Here's a clever idea to get your modern calligraphy up to scratch! This A4 Rhodia paper pad comes with a subtle pre dotted grid in place, which you can use as a guideline as you practice your calligraphy writing. This option even comes with a free alphabet to use.

Calligraphy practice paper

This ultra smooth practice paper will stop your nib from snagging and extend the life of your pen and ink calligraphy pens. It is also just really lovely to write on! Choose from A4 or A5 options.

• Buy it now ( HotFreshBright – Etsy)

Calligraphy pens for beginners

Straight holder calligraphy pen.

This calligraphy pen comes with three nibs and a universal h0lder that lets you add other nibs, as well as a pot of black ink.

Moblique 2-in-1 calligraphy pen

• Buy now ( JLCalligraphy – Etsy )

Just like a magpie, crafters new often drawn to bright, shiny things. And not only can this 2-in-1 Moblique calligraphy pen be used to have the nib in both straight and oblique positions, it also comes in 10 brilliant colours. We love the metallic version best of all, but they are all very pretty.

Sakura black brush pen

(If you are leaning towards a brush pen for your modern calligraphy, this black brush pen from Japanese company Sakura has a node fine brush point and is a good choice for brush calligraphy for beginners.

Calligraphy nibs for beginners

Brause calligraphy nib sampler.

• Buy now (Olievpens, Etsy)

Fancy a set of nubs for you calligraphy writing? These beautiful Brause Company nibs come in a set of six to help you achieve modern calligraphy is lots of different thicknesses and finishes.

Brause general handwriting nib

• Buy now (UndertheRowanTrees2, Etsy)

If you are looking for a single nib to use in your everyday modern calligraphy, or want to test our pen and ink to see if it for ou before investor in a full set, this Brause Company nib is a good standalone choice.

11 nib copperplate sampler

• Buy now ( Caracol Creative, Etsy)

Ooooh, we do love this selection of 11 pointed nibs, to use in copperplate-style calligraphy. But it may not be the best choice for beginners – unless you know you want to go all-in on the copper plate style, which is just stunning. There are pointed nibs in the set from hiro, Brause, Gillot and others to really help you make the most of the copperplate style.

Calligraphy sets for beginners

For those who prefer to buy a complete set, or for calligraphy-themed gift, choose a calligraphy set.

Kirsten Burke modern calligraphy set for beginners

• Buy now (Kirsten Burke, Etsy)

What a lovely, colourful gift set for modern calligraphy this is! The set includes two different nibs, pen holder, penners and two colourful pigment inks, as well as cards, post cards, place setting, tags and Rhodia dot pad, plus practice sheets and easy-to-follow teaching guides complete with online resources. It's a great resource for anyone getting started in modern calligraphy.

Brush calligraphy beginner set

• Buy now (HotFreshBright Etsy store)

Here's a good modern calligraphy set to choose if you'd rather explore calligraphy writing with brush pens as opposed to pen and ink. The set comes with a blanket k brush pen, practice sheets, cads, envelopes and tags – and you can choose to add 8 metallic brush pens too, if you'd like to.

Modern calligraphy starter set

This modern calligraphy started set with everything you need to learn the ropes – including an oblique pen for hand lettering with a nib, ink and instructions.

Find more modern calligraphy projects on Gathered

You'll find more projects and tutorials for try out calligraphy writing right her on Gathered. Take a look at our Christmas calligraphy upcycle crate project and our tutorial showing how to add calligraphy quotes to photographs with brush lettering . You'll also find more practice sheets and projects ideas in our Modern Calligraphy and lettering: templates and printables article.

Share this article

• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy policy
• Code of conduct
• Complaints escalation
• Manage preferences

7 Practical Tips for Learning Calligraphy in One Week

Select the right tools for calligraphy, how to hold a calligraphy pen, how to practice basic strokes, learn the calligraphy alphabet, how to create your own calligraphy style, how to clean and maintain your calligraphy tools, practice regularly and stay patient.

If you're wondering how to learn calligraphy in a week, you're not alone. Many people are awed by the elegance and artistry of calligraphy, and wish to add this skill to their creative arsenal. You might think this craft takes years to master, but with the right guidance, you can make significant progress in just one week. This blog will walk you through seven practical steps that will set you on the path to mastering calligraphy in no time.

The first step in learning calligraphy in a week is to gather the correct tools. The right instruments will make your learning process smoother and more enjoyable. Here's a list of what you'll need to get started:

• Calligraphy Pens: A beginner-friendly option is a fountain pen with a pointed nib, such as the Pilot Metropolitan. It's comfortable to hold and great for practicing basic strokes.
• Ink: You can start with any bottled fountain pen ink. However, for high-quality results, consider inks like Winsor & Newton Calligraphy Ink or Higgins Eternal Black.
• Calligraphy Paper: Regular paper might cause ink bleed and feathering. Rhodia Dot Pad is a popular choice among beginners for its smooth surface and affordability.
• Guidelines: A guideline sheet beneath your writing paper will help you maintain consistent angles and letter heights. You can easily find printable guideline sheets online.

Remember, you don't have to invest in the most expensive tools at the beginning. The key is to start with affordable, beginner-friendly supplies and upgrade as you get better. So, are you ready to start your journey on how to learn calligraphy in a week?

Once you have your tools assembled, the next step in learning calligraphy in a week is knowing how to hold your pen correctly. Just like in tennis, the grip plays a crucial role in calligraphy. Let's understand how to hold a calligraphy pen:

• Position: Hold your pen at a 45-degree angle to the paper, not perpendicular or parallel. This angle helps the ink to flow smoothly and gives your letters the right thickness.
• Grip: The grip should be relaxed but firm. Imagine you're holding a small bird — tight enough so it doesn't fly away, but not too tight to hurt it. Over-gripping can cause hand fatigue and affect your writing flow.
• Control: Your fingers should do the job of moving the pen, not your wrist or arm. This control allows for greater precision and less strain on your hand.

It may feel strange at first, especially if you're used to writing with a ballpoint pen. But with practice, it will soon feel natural. Remember, maintaining a correct and comfortable grip is key to mastering calligraphy. It's not just about writing, it's about creating art.

Ready to move your pen in a whole new way? Keep going; you're doing great on your journey of learning calligraphy in a week!

Now that you've mastered holding your calligraphy pen, let's dive into practicing basic strokes. This step is like learning the ABCs before reading entire sentences. Here's how to properly practice basic strokes in calligraphy:

• Downstroke: A downstroke is when you pull your pen downwards, making a thick line. Try to apply more pressure on the pen for this stroke.
• Upstroke: An upstroke is the opposite of a downstroke. You push your pen upwards, creating a thin line. Use less pressure for this stroke.
• Oval Stroke: This is a round stroke that can either start from the top and go anti-clockwise, or start from the left and go clockwise. Practice this in both directions.
• Overturn Stroke: As the name suggests, this stroke starts with an upstroke and turns over at the top to become a downstroke. It's like a small hill.
• Underturn Stroke: This stroke is the opposite of the overturn stroke. It starts with a downstroke and turns under at the bottom to become an upstroke. Think of it as a valley.

Practicing these basic strokes daily is a significant step in how to learn calligraphy in a week. Don't worry about speed; focus on the accuracy of your strokes. Remember, both Rome and your calligraphy skills weren't built in a day. Keep practicing!

Now that you're comfortable with the basic strokes, it's time to put those strokes together and start forming letters. Yes, you're about to learn the calligraphy alphabet! Here's a practical approach on how to learn calligraphy in a week by mastering the alphabet:

• Start with lowercase letters: Lowercase letters are simpler and are a great starting point. Begin with easy letters like 'i', 'l', 't', and 'u' that primarily use upstrokes and downstrokes.
• Progress to more complex letters: Once you're comfortable with the easy letters, move on to more complex ones like 'a', 'd', 'g', and 'o' that require oval and underturn strokes.
• Finish with the most complex letters: Letters like 'b', 'f', 'h', 'k', and 'y' require multiple strokes and are considered the most complex in lowercase. Save these for last.
• Move on to uppercase letters: After you're confident with lowercase, start practicing uppercase letters. They tend to be more elaborate and require more practice.

Remember, the key to learning the calligraphy alphabet quickly is consistency. Set aside some time each day to practice, and soon, you'll see progress. Before you know it, you'll be writing beautiful calligraphy letters and be one step closer to mastering how to learn calligraphy in a week!

After you've mastered the basics and learned the calligraphy alphabet, it's time to have some fun and make this art form truly yours. Let's dive into how to create your own calligraphy style.

• Experiment with Different Styles: There are many different calligraphy styles out there, from traditional to modern. Try your hand at a few different ones to see what resonates with you, and don't be afraid to mix elements from different styles.
• Alter Letter Shapes: You can create a unique style by altering the shape of your letters. Try making them taller, shorter, wider, or narrower. You can also play around with the slant of your letters.
• Change Up Your Strokes: The thickness and shape of your strokes have a big impact on your overall style. Try varying your pressure on the pen to create different effects.
• Add Embellishments: Flourishes and other embellishments can give your calligraphy a personal touch. Just be sure not to overdo it—too many flourishes can make your work look cluttered.

Crafting your own calligraphy style is not only a crucial step in your journey to learn calligraphy in a week, but it's also where you really get to let your creativity shine. So experiment, play around, and most importantly, have fun with it!

Now that you have your own calligraphy style, let's make sure your tools are always ready to help you create. Properly maintaining your calligraphy tools is key for ensuring their longevity and optimal performance. Let’s discuss how to do it in a few easy steps:

• Cleaning Your Calligraphy Pen: After each use, rinse your pen nib in lukewarm water to remove any leftover ink. This prevents the ink from drying and clogging the nib, which can affect your future strokes.
• Storing Your Pen: Once your pen nib is clean and dry, store it in a dry place. Keeping the nib dry prevents rusting and keeps it in good shape for your next calligraphy session.
• Caring for Your Paper: Store your paper flat in a dry, cool place to prevent it from curling or yellowing. High-quality paper is crucial for smooth strokes and clear lettering, so take good care of it!
• Refreshing Your Ink: Keep your ink in a cool, dark place to prevent it from drying out. If your ink does start to dry, add a few drops of distilled water to bring it back to life.

If you keep these tips in mind, your calligraphy tools will always be ready when you're eager to practice. Remember, well-maintained tools are the secret to mastering how to learn calligraphy in a week!

Like any other art form, learning calligraphy doesn't happen overnight. In fact, the best piece of advice on how to learn calligraphy in a week? Stay patient and practice regularly. Here's why:

• Consistent Practice: Ever heard of muscle memory? That's what we're aiming for. The more you write, the more your hand gets used to the strokes and movements. Try to dedicate a few minutes each day to practice.
• Building Skill Over Time: As you continue to practice, you'll notice improvements in your technique. Your lines will become smoother, your letter shapes more consistent. This progression is a slow but rewarding process!
• Patience is Key: It's easy to get frustrated when your letters don't look perfect right away. But remember, even the most skilled calligraphers were once beginners too. So, keep going, and remember to be kind to yourself along the way.

Learning calligraphy is a journey, not a race. It's about enjoying the process and watching your skills grow. So, grab your pen, your ink, and your paper—it's time to practice! Don't forget, Rome wasn't built in a day, and you won't learn calligraphy in one either. But with patience and regular practice, you'll be on your way to mastering the art of beautiful writing. So, how about we start that journey on how to learn calligraphy in a week?

If you enjoyed these practical tips for learning calligraphy and want to take your skills to the next level, check out the workshop ' Modern Calligraphy with a Dip Pen 101 ' by BlinkLettering. This workshop will provide you with in-depth knowledge and guidance on mastering the art of modern calligraphy using a dip pen.

Live classes every day

Learn from industry-leading creators

Get useful feedback from experts and peers

Best deal of the year

* billed annually after the trial ends.

*Billed monthly after the trial ends.

• Search for:

No products in the cart.

• Paintings In Stock
• Most Popular Paintings
• Most Popular Artists
• Fine Art Prints On Canvas
• Alphabetical Index (A-Z)
• Art Subjects
• Museum Collections
• Artists By Movement
• Artists By Nationality
• Famous Women Artists
• Vincent Van Gogh
• Claude Monet
• Pierre-Auguste Renoir
• Paul Cezanne
• Camille Pissarro
• Edgar Degas
• Paul Gauguin
• John Singer Sargent
• Frederick Carl Frieseke
• Eugene Louis Boudin
• Mary Cassatt
• Edouard Manet
• Gustav Klimt
• Wassily Kandinsky
• Paul Ranson
• Piet Mondrian
• Amedeo Modigliani
• Felix Vallotton
• Edvard Munch
• Amadeo De Souza-Cardoso
• Alfred Henry Maurer
• Leonardo Da Vinci
• Sandro Botticelli
• Raphael Sansio
• Albrecht Dürer
• Rembrandt Van Rijn
• Diego Velázquez
• Johannes Vermeer
• Peter Paul Rubens
• Gerard Ter Borch
• William A. Bouguereau
• William J. M. Turner
• Jacques-Louis David
• John William Waterhouse
• James Tissot
• Lord Frederic Leighton
• Francisco De Goya
• George Stubbs
• Caspar David Friedrich
• Jacques Laurent Agasse
• Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot
• Gilbert Stuart
• Thomas Sully
• Rembrandt Peale
• Charles Willson Peale
• Lemuel Francis Abbott
• Winslow Homer
• George Wesley Bellows
• Frederic Remington
• John Singleton Copley
• Albert Bierstadt
• Thomas Moran
• Isaak Levitan
• Thomas Cole
• Ivan Aivazovskiy
• William Bradford
• Charles Brooking
• Ludolf Backhuysen
• Edward William Cooke
• American Landscape
• Expressionism
• Post-Impressionism
• Pointillism
• Landscape Art
• Marine Art & Maritime
• Neo-Classicism
• Art Nouveau
• Avant-Garde
• Japanese Art
• Orientalism
• Romanticism
• View All Art Styles …
• Architectures
• Autumn & Fall Season
• Cafes & Bars
• Christianity
• Churches & Temples
• Jesus Christ
• Nude Paintings
• Rivers & Lakes
• Spring Season
• Summer Season
• U.S. Presidents
• Water Lilies
• Winter Season
• View All Art Subjects …
• The Museum of Modern Art, NY
• Philadelphia Museum of Art
• The J. Paul Getty Museum Los Angeles
• National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
• The Art Institute of Chicago
• Los Angeles County Museum of Art
• Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, NY
• Musée d’Orsay, Paris
• The Tate Gallery London
• National Maritime Museum London
• Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
• The State Hermitage Museum Russia
• Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Russia
• Thussen-Bornemisza Museum Spain
• The Prado Museum Madrid Spain
• Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam
• View All Museum Collections …
• Why Buy From Us?
• Inside Our Studio
• Customer Testimonials
• Customer’s Framed Paintings
• Aged & Cracked Paintings
• Our Painting Process
• Photos to Oil Paintings
• Finishing Touches
• Customer Service
• Art Articles
• OWN A MASTERPIECE TODAY!

Skills and Techniques

A beginner’s guide to calligraphy: history, lessons & more.

Calligraphy is a form of visual art related to writing — technically, the use of lettering by hand with a brush, pen, or broad tip instrument, giving form to writing in an artful and expressive fashion. The word itself comes from the words “kalli” (beautiful) and “graphia” (writing). Modern calligraphy can be seen in formal documents everywhere, from wedding invitations and logo design to religious art, memorials, maps, art reproductions, and government documents. In the West, calligraphy is an aesthetic skill and an art form. Calligraphy also plays an important and integral part of many cultures, most notably in East Asia. 

Calligraphy History

Western calligraphy has its roots in the Latin writing system, which emerged circa 3,000 BC. The Romans typically wrote on long rolls of papyrus using reed or quill pens. Later, Christian churches developed writing through the copying of Biblical texts and other manuscripts, which were produced in the hundreds of thousands during the Middle Ages. The advent of print in the 15th century and beyond had a lasting impact on the volume of illuminated manuscripts and handwriting, but calligraphy itself enjoyed a modern revival near the end of the 19th century when Edward Johnston (a British craftsman) began teaching calligraphy courses in London. Johnston’s work was responsible for the revival of modern penmanship, which was later taken up by Graily Hewitt in the twentieth century at the Central School of Arts and Design. 

In East Asian cultures, the history of calligraphy is even more rich and complex. For example, some of the oldest calligraphy in the East is found on Chinese jiǎgǔwén, or shell bone scripts; literally characters carved on tortoise plastrons and ox scapulae. In 220 BC, the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang imposed a “character unification” system of calligraphy, composed of over 3300 standardized characters. Chinese calligraphy centers on the “Four Treasures of the Study,” which describes the brush, ink, ink stone, and paper used in the Chinese tradition. The oldest existing brushes in Chinese calligraphic history date back to 202 BC.  For more on the history of calligraphy, see:

• A History of Writing
• The Calligraphy Heritage at Reed
• The Calligraphy Initiative
• Ottoman Calligraphy at the Sackler Museum
• Towards Chinese Calligraphy

Types of Calligraphy

Calligraphy takes many forms throughout many cultures but is most often tied to religious expression, not just in the Biblical manuscripts of the West, but in Eastern expressions such as Tibetan prayer wheels, mosque walls in Arabic, and the letters of the Dalai Lama.  Traditionally, Western calligraphy most often uses a brush or flat-balled or round-nibbed pen, water-based ink, parchment or paper, and tools such as templates, knives and light boxes for producing strict, uniform patterns. Many Biblical manuscripts offer typical examples of this type of calligraphy. Modern calligraphy is also frequently used in Western graphic design — everything from movie credits to art reproductions — and digital permutations of the form such as calligraphic and script fonts offer alternatives to traditional handwriting. 

Eastern calligraphy tends to be more improvisational and less rigid, with a wider variety of ink brushes, ink densities, and paper quality. Chinese calligraphy often employs the use of ink stones, paperweights, and desk pads. India has a rich and varied calligraphic history, often using surfaces such as birch bark, copper, palm leaves, and clay for their calligraphy. Islamic calligraphy is closely tied to the Muslim religion, as the form is considered the language of the spiritual world. 

• Chinese Calligraphy Resources
• History of Chinese Calligraphy
• The Art of Arabic Calligraphy
• Introduction to Arabic Calligraphy
• Japanese Calligraphy
• Islamic Calligraphy with Mohamed Zakariya
• Collection of Japanese art (including calligraphy) at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Libraries

Learning Calligraphy

Learning calligraphy is not the same as learning handwriting — the tools are much more specialized, and the options are as diverse as the tradition itself. What tools you need will depend on what kind of calligraphy you plan to produce — hard-edged and structural, or artistic and improvisational? Do you want to make your own wedding invitations, or pen a beautifully hand-written letter? Will your calligraphy be more functional or decorative? 

Whatever your choice, you will first need a brush or fountain pen. Pens and brushes are available online or at office supply stores, along with ink cartridges. Enterprising calligraphers could even make their own feather pens using duck feathers. Steel-pointed pens tend to work best for bold, hard edges or detailed work, while ink brushes will be better for improvised, expressive calligraphy.  Paper also makes a big difference in the quality of calligraphy, although beginners may want to start with plain notebook paper instead of expensive parchment, rice paper, or watercolor paper. As your skill and enthusiasm increases, you may even find yourself using vellum or your own hand-made paper. 

• How to Write Calligraphy
• Calligraphy Tutorials
• Choosing a Brush Pen for Calligraphy
• Choosing Calligraphy Ink
• Tools for Chinese Calligraphy
• Steps to Learn Calligraphy

Calligraphy for Kids

Teaching calligraphy to children doesn’t have to involve boring history lessons or special tools. Kids can easily learn calligraphic methods using only markers or pencils and learn about other cultures while they master a new artistic skill. The Internet offers a wealth of resources on penmanship and artistic calligraphy, as well as free lessons and resources on creating beautiful calligraphic art projects. 

• Calligraphy for Kids – Letters
• Learning Chinese Writing Symbols for Kids
• Calligraphy for Beginners Blog
• Calligraphy and Handwriting for Children
• Chinese Art

About the Author: Clare Tames is a self-employed freelance graphic designer, formidable cook, an avid reader. She has written on contemporary and classical art in various print publications and is just now beginning a writing career online. She works out of her home office in California, where her two children attend high school. 

Username or email address  *

Password  *

Remember me Log in

Lost your password?