Continuing the Art of Calligraphy

Continuing the Art of Calligraphy

Getting down the basics of Calligraphy, just like anything else, is important.  But after learning the basics, which can be boring, the fun begins when you can start writing actual letters and sentences.  With this skill, you can create beautiful letters and cards for the people you love! This next step in learning how to do Calligraphy has benefited me a lot since I can make personalized handmade cards for my family and friends.  

To get a neat and even look, the proportions of the letters should be the same.  This was personally hard for me to do at first, but practicing my writing using the nib width helped me to master this skill down a little bit more.  "Practice the x-shape family letters...Practicing will help you get the feel for it" (Bennet 50).  The letter "x" did help with getting almost exact proportions but to help make my writing look better the letter "v" was also very helpful.  "The trick to getting these letters right is making sure that the sides...are straight...Practice the v shape below" (Bennet 51).  While the letter "x" helps with proportions, the letter "v" helped to make the sides of my letters smooth and consistent throughout my entire writing,  After practicing for a while, you should try to not use the help of the nib width to write the letters "v" and "x" to get these accurate proportions and test yourself to see if you can do it without the help of the nib width. Don't get disheartened if the letters don't come out to be the same size because it took much practice for me to get it down at first too.  

After writing a few letters with the correct proportions, you should encourage yourself to try to write the entire alphabet without the use of the nib width.  If the proportions don't come out right for all the letters, don't lose hope and keep practicing.  With more practice, your letters will continue to be more graceful and effortless.  This may be the most challenging part since I didn't have any many letters mastered besides the letters "v" and "x".  But being patient and thinking about how you want the letters to turn out and the steps needed to get the letters to be like that helped me to get my writing neat with correct and exact proportions.

While practicing writing the alphabet and writing correct proportions, don't forget the right technique of holding the Calligraphy pen that should be set and held at an angle while you're writing.  Applying uneven or inconstant amounts of pressure on the pen while writing will make your writing look sloppy, uneven, and messy (52). Different amounts of pressure on the pen determine how the tip of the pen will be while writing which determines not only the amount of ink but also how thick or thin the letters you write will be. 

Now that you can write the alphabet gracefully and neatly using Calligraphy, the next big step is to finally start writing sentences and actual words using the right techniques!  Do you think Calligraphy will be hard or easy, and do you think it's really worth all the extra effort?

Bennett, Jim. Calligraphy for Dummies. For Dummies, 2007. Print.