~ Calligraphy ~

[MysteRy]

Calligraphy

Fine handwriting, alternating thin and bold highlights, written with an artistic hand is called calligraphy. Every curve is an art form and every space a blank canvas, for this beautiful form of writing. This intricate writing has many specialties. For example, it requires fountain pens with special nibs, special paper and special ink.

Best Calligraphy Pens



What is calligraphy? It is not difficult to understand what the art is considering the name is derived from the Greek words, kallos meaning beauty and graphe meaning writing. It is often defined as a visual art that allows the writer to give beautiful form to expressions in a harmonious and skillful writing. White traditionally, a calligrapher could include typography in his works, it was not considered classical calligraphy. In contemporary times, calligraphy is used for a variety of things, from embellishing wedding cards and invitations to creating calligraphic art. Till a few hundred years ago, most official documents were written by calligraphers and these are some of the best works of the art of calligraphy. To be a good calligrapher, it is important to use the best pens that you can use. But how do you choose these calligraphy pens?

Choosing the Best Calligraphy Pens

In order to indulge in calligraphy, there are very few tools that you need. The basic things that you require are calligraphy pens and ink, and paper. It is very important for you to understand what are the constituent features of a good calligraphy pen. First and foremost, you need to understand that with calligraphy pens, the nib is of extreme important. Wider nibs means larger letters, and narrower nibs allow for more delicate work. The handle of the pen is also an important factor and the calligrapher needs to pay attention to this, so that he gets the grip that he needs. There are many different types of calligraphy pens and you can choose the ones that you want depending on your preference.

Calligraphy Markers
Markers can be great for calligraphy work and you can try different calligraphy styles with these pens easily. Also these are perfect for beginners as there is no fuss involved with using these markers. You do not have to go through the process of filling ink in the pen. There is a wide variety of colors that these markers are available in. While choosing calligraphy markers, remember to choose one with a firm nib. The problem with calligraphy pens is that there is a limit to the size of nibs available. So, if you have a specific type of calligraphy in mind, then you may be at loss with markers.

Cartridge Pens
Another great option amongst calligraphy pens is to opt for cartridge pens. These are perfect for people who have some experience with calligraphy as there is more scope for customizing. You can change nibs of these pens, and with the wide variety of colors in which ink cartridges are available, there is also the possibility of writing in any color that you fancy. Attaching the cartridges to the nib assembly is a relatively simple process and is not very complicated.

Dip Pens
Sure, if you are looking for pens that you can carry around with you, then these may not be the best option but these are probably the least expensive pens of the lot. You can fill ink in these pens by dipping them in an ink pot. While with some nibs you will have a built in ink source, others may need you to attach some sort of a cartridge, to reduce the need of constantly dipping the pen in ink. With dip pens, you have the added advantage of being able to use paints which has been thinned.

While these are a few of the options that you can choose from, when looking for the best pens to use, other more traditional options are brushes and quills. It is possible to use most brushes as a calligraphy pen. All you need is a little practice. With quills too, you will need to give it time and practice to allow your hand to set to using one. You can opt to buy one of those quills that come with a metal nib holder as they are easier to use. If you want to learn calligraphy, then you need to understand which are the best calligraphy pens to use, as without the proper pens, it can be difficult to create an artistic piece of writing.

[MysteRy]

Calligraphy Styles

Calligraphy is an art of writing that has fascinated people for centuries.



Calligraphy is an ancient style of writing which is still being practiced all across the world. The word calligraphy has been derived from Greek words, kallos and graphe meaning beautiful and to write, respectively. Hence commonly referred to as beautiful handwriting, calligraphy is a kind of visual art that is very different from normal writing and requires great skills to pen down each letter. In fact, to create each letter a special set of strokes and line are made using pens having metal nibs. In earlier times before the invention of printing press, books were handwritten through calligraphy wherein skilled scribes used quills dipped in ink to write the text on vellum or parchment paper. Despite the advent of printing press and today's computer fonts that come in all possible styles, calligraphy or hand written text has its own allure or fascination in the hearts and minds of people who love writing. There are many people who also like the look of calligraphy styles for tattoos.

Types of Calligraphy Styles

There are mainly four common styles of calligraphy, including Western, Chinese, Japanese and Arabic. Each style has its own unique look and ways to adorn letters and symbols.

Western Calligraphy: Western style calligraphy or calligraphy of Latin writing system focuses on the Roman alphabet and includes many sub styles of lettering like antiqua, blackletter, chancery hand and copperplate.

Antiqua:
 Also termed as Old Style, antiqua is the Germanic opposite of blackletter which includes strokes of uniform thickness and slanted serifs.

Blackletter:
 Also called Gothic script, blackletter is another style of calligraphy that comprises tall, narrow letters formed of sharp, straight and angular lines. One of the most well-known forms of blackletter is textualis.

Chancery Hand:
Chancery hand is the calligraphy style which forms the manuscript origin of the modern italic typeface as well as the model for the Zapfino font.

Copperplate Script:
 Being one of the easiest to learn styles, copperplate style has an exceptionally elegant appearance and is created using sharp-pointed nib in place of the commonly used flat nib. Nine pen strokes create most of the lowercase letters while the upper case letters are formed using variety of different strokes.

Arabic Calligraphy: Another popular calligraphy style is Arabic calligraphy which is written from left to right, and is mainly associated with Islamic art and religion and the Arabic language. It comprises 28 letter Semitic alphabets and 18 letter shapes. Moreover, the proverbs and passages from the holy book of Islam, Qur'an are still sources for Islamic or Arabic calligraphy.

Chinese Calligraphy: Chinese calligraphy is an important element of East Asian Culture, where in ink brushes are used to write Chinese letters. Xíngshū (semi-cursive or running script) and Cǎoshū (cursive or grass script) are the two main cursive styles of Chinese calligraphy that are less constrained and faster and create characters that are more perceptible.

Japanese Calligraphy: Just like Chinese calligraphy, Japanese style of calligraphy also includes characters and symbols in place of letters and is well-known for its style, beauty and meaningful characters. Tensho, reisho, kanji, gyosho or sosho style is used to form strokes of each character. However, Japanese calligraphy comprises three main styles: kaisho or shinsho (a block style with few movements), gypusho (a median style which is not very firm or flowing as the other two styles) and sousho (a sweeping or flowing style consisting swift strokes).

To sum up, we can say that calligraphy is an art of stylized lettering techniques that make each letter come alive through variations in style, size, technique and color. From being once a main source of recording information, this technique is now used for lettering on many special occasions. Today many professional calligraphers employ this beautiful art of writing to do lettering for wedding invitations, special announcements, awards, marriage and birth certificates, place cards or large lettering for posters and signs. Hence, from classic calligraphy styles that incorporate sleek line to sophisticated flourishes and decorative lettering, calligraphy has an endless charisma that can never fade with time and its intricate styles will be practiced for generations to come.

[MysteRy]

Calligraphy Writing

Calligraphy writing is a beautiful form of expressing yourself. 



The literal translation of the word calligraphy is 'beautiful handwriting'. It is no surprise then that calligraphy is the art of creating beautiful handwriting and is also considered to be the epitome of skilled penmanship. In earlier times, when there was no printing press, books were written through calligraphy. The writing was done by a scribe who used a quill dipped in ink to write the whole book. Every culture therefore had their own distinct writing style which was passed down to each generation.

Calligraphy is different from normal writing as you do not actually press the pen on the paper and write the letters. In calligraphy, a special series of strokes and lines are used to create a letter. The pen moves more like an artist's paintbrush creating strokes for every letter. Although learning how to write calligraphy requires a lot of dedication and practice, basic guidelines on the same are discussed further.

Calligraphy Styles

Before we start, it is important that you choose a style which attracts you. Calligraphy is being practiced since centuries and there are several styles like Gothic, Celtic, Japanese, Greek, Roman, Arabic and Chinese formed over all these years. Every writing style has a distinct look and ways to decorate its characters and symbols.

When you are starting, it will be easier if you choose a more simple style of calligraphy like Roman as opposed to a tougher style like Oriental or Old English. Once you are comfortable with the easier styles and can write fluently, then attempt the more complex writing styles. Creating fine lines and bold strokes are not the only aspects of calligraphy, as you need to get familiar with the mechanics of holding and writing with the pen to create the right letters.

How to Write Calligraphy

To learn calligraphy, you will require the correct pen, ink and paper. A detailed description on each of the three is given below.

The Pen

You need to obtain a pen with a chisel point for calligraphy. This is because you should be able to make a thick stroke with one side of the pen and a thin stroke on rotating the pen.

Pens with felt tips are convenient and disposable as they do not require to be dipped in ink, and also never leak.

Another option is fountain pens which can be refilled but require good maintenance to make them long-lasting.

You can also use steel point pens, in which you need to feed ink with a dropper. These pens are useful for creating hard edges as well as minute details, it becomes cumbersome to change tips every now and then.

For beginners, you can use a quill for calligraphy. Keep a turkey or duck feather in the sun till it dries completely and then use a pen knife to make an angle at the tip.

You can use a pencil, albeit with some improvisation. Create a chisel tip on the pencil by rubbing fine-grit sandpaper on one side and then flattening the other side.

When you hold the pen or pencil for writing, it ideally should be at a 30 degree angle. Different calligraphy styles require to hold the pen at different angles. But for beginners, 30 degrees is alright.

The Ink

When you purchase ink for writing, get a ink which is water based. Refer to the label on the bottle to know what base the ink is.

Blot the ink along the back of the pen's nib or quill. Avoid dipping you pen completely in ink, as it can lead to blotches on the paper.

The Paper

Purchase thick paper. For practice purposes, normal photocopying paper is alright but when you start getting better and are actually writing a project in calligraphy, by minimum 120 gsm (grams per sq.meter) paper which is available at any art supply store.

Figure out the correct table angle which you are comfortable writing at. Some calligraphy writers like to use a drawing board to write on, while others prefer placing the paper directly on the table and then writing. Follow whichever position you are comfortable with.

When you write on the paper, try tacking it or taping it lightly so that is does not move around and spoil your writing.

Apart from following these basic instructions on how to write calligraphy, you need to practice a lot. There are numerous workshops, DVD tutorials, books and classes which help you learn the art. Make use of these facilities to understand how every character is written and then keep practicing by yourself. It may take some time, but once you learn the art of calligraphy, you will be amazed seeing how beautifully you are able to write.

[MysteRy]

Calligraphy Alphabet

Calligraphy is a style of writing that uses fancy alphabet letters. 



Calligraphy alphabets can be seen on wedding invitations, logo designs, religious art, graphic designs, on inscriptions, for the credits and cast list that comes after a movie finishes, etc. If you are thinking of taking up calligraphy as a hobby, then you can follow the steps mentioned below on writing calligraphy. However, if you are pursuing calligraphy as serious hobby, that could develop into a career, then consider enrolling for a calligraphy class. In a class, you will be trained from the basics, and also get advice from an experienced artist.

History of Calligraphy

The word calligraphy is coined from two Greek words 'killi' and 'graphos', which mean 'beautiful' and 'writing' . The origin of this art can be traced back to cave paintings in early days, when the written word was a pictorial representation. As humans developed, so developed the art of drawing these pictorial words. Around 3500 BC, the Egyptians developed highly stylized hieroglyphics. After some thousands of years, the Phoenicians developed the first alphabets which were used for writing. The Phoenicians influenced the Greeks, who developed their own form of writing, which was later on adapted by the Romans, and adapted to suit Latin language. During the middle ages, paper was expensive and so scribing monks developed a writing style, which is known as the Gothic script. Then the art of calligraphy flourished in Europe.

How to Write the Calligraphy Alphabets?

Initially, start with a simple font of calligraphy and follow these steps. With practice and skill, you can learn more complicated calligraphy letter writings.

You can use different writing materials like a felt tip pen, a fountain pen, pencil, steel point pen, or a quill. As a beginner, it is advisable to start with a felt tip pen or a pencil. Felt tip pens come in different point sizes, and one doesn't need to refill them very often, only once in a while the cartridge has to be refilled. Fountain pens are also very often used, but need to be refilled often. Quills are better left to skilled hands, as they need to be dipped often in ink.

Decide on the calligraphy script you want to write on. Download a simple, and easy to learn calligraphy letter. Some examples of calligraphy are the Japanese calligraphy, Chinese calligraphy, Celtic calligraphy, Gothic calligraphy, Greek calligraphy, Hebrew calligraphy, Roman calligraphy, and Arabic calligraphy.

Print the alphabets from A to Z. Make photocopies of this paper, and use your pen and move the tip of the pen over the alphabets to get a feel of the curves and the bends in the respective letters.

After you get a feel of all the different alphabets, start practicing on new paper sheets.

But before you do this, draw around 4-5 faint horizontal lines that will serve as guidelines, so that you can align your alphabets properly and also understand how much length and breadth of the individual character is.

This way practice with different words till you get the hang of this particular calligraphy font.

Show your work to skilled artists in calligraphy to get advice and suggestions on improving your work.

If you don't know any calligraphy artists, then just upload your work on art sites. This way you can get feedback on your work online from other users.

After you get confident on one style of calligraphy font, try learning more complex and fancy alphabets.

[MysteRy]

Learning the Art of Calligraphy

Calligraphy is an art of writing that is being popularized world over. To master the art of writing calligraphy requires a lot of patience and practice.



Calligraphy refers to an ancient style of writing. The word is derived from a Greek phrase, that means 'beautiful handwriting' and is also known as a kind of visual art. Though it is a very old form of art, it is still being practiced all over the world. Since, it has been developed in many countries, a variety of hand calligraphy styles are available today. These include Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Roman, English, Old calligraphy and many more.

You need not be an artist or extremely creative to learn the art of fancy lettering. It is quite simple and can be mastered with consistent practice. The basics can learned on your own by following some simple instructions. Before you can start learning, you should select a calligraphy style. The Roman calligraphy style is easy and would be ideal to start with. Also, you should know about the tools and lettering, alphabets and fonts, used to write calligraphy.

Calligraphy Tools

The calligraphy tools consist of calligraphy pens, nibs, ink and calligraphy paper or lined parchment paper. Calligraphy pens can be either felt pins, fountain pens or quill pens. You will also need a ruler and powdered ink. You can purchase a calligraphy set for beginners, if you are not sure about the type of pen you would want to use.

The Art of Calligraphy

Select your calligraphy tools and keep them handy.

Seat yourself in a comfortable position, on a firm and wide table, preferably with a tilted desktop.

Choose the style that you would want to learn and place it on the table on your right side.

You can use a book that shows the basic strokes of that style.

Hold the brush or pen at an angle of 35°. Dip it in the ink, if using a quill pen and start practicing the basic strokes.

You can start with the lower case alphabets and if you find it difficult getting it right, try practicing by tracing the alphabets.

You will need to practice the letters over and over again to learn calligraphy.

Tips on Learning Calligraphy

When you seat yourself to practice calligraphy, make sure that there are no shadows on the paper, as they can interfere with the detailing of the strokes.

Start from practicing and master, writing the letters of calligraphy before proceeding towards the intricate formations, techniques and designs.

Stick to learning one style at a time and practice on a daily basis for mastering it.

When you want to lift the pen off the paper, do not do it in a sudden jerk. Hold the pen at the position for a second or two, allow the ink to get saturated at the point and then lift the pen.

You will need to pay attention to the spacing between the strokes and the width and weight of your strokes. Do not use ink excessively.

Aim at consistent practice and achieving the perfect spacing, perfect strokes and perfect lettering.

[MysteRy]

Chinese Calligraphy

Chinese calligraphy is an art that is unique to China.



The literal meaning of calligraphy is beautiful handwriting. In olden days, the books were hand-written using a quill and ink on the materials such as vellum or parchment. A person with beautiful and readable handwriting worked as a scribe. There are mainly three main styles of calligraphy - Arabic, Chinese and Roman.

Chinese Calligraphy

Also known as Oriental calligraphy, scholars opine that this calligraphy is not only a way to write Chinese characters but also is a unique Chinese art, which was a part of ancient Chinese culture. The Chinese handwriting or calligraphy style is divided into calligraphy that was developed in ancient China and imperial China.

Calligraphy in Ancient China
In ancient China, incidents were inscribed on the bones of animals or on the shells of tortoises. This form of calligraphy was popular during the Bronze Age and is popularly known as shell and bone script. It was also known as oracle bone script. The Chinese alphabets of the ancient Chinese language are known as Jiaguwen. Later these characters were replaced by Jin wen, the script written on bronze plates or any bronze ware and Dazhuan, known popularly as the large Seal script or Great Seal script.

Jiaguwen
Jiaguwen is also known as the oracle bone script was a popular form of calligraphy used during the 14th century BC. During this period, pictures were used to convey thoughts and the materials used for writing are ink, brush and bamboo books.

Jinwen
Jin wen is popularly known as Chinese bronze inscriptions. This script was developed during the Shang dynasty and became popular during the Zhou dynasty. During the Shang dynasty, inscriptions were cast on the bronze; while in the Zhou dynasty, inscriptions were engraved on the bronze vessels and pots.

Dazhuan
Dazhuan scripts was used in traditional Chinese writing long before the Qin dynasty. The Qin dynasty used Small Seal script. The scholars avoided using Dazhuan scripts because the scripts were not precise or specific.

Imperial China
Around 220 BC, Qin Shi Huang conquered the entire Chinese basin. He was the first emperor to standardize the Chinese alphabets. Li Si, the prime minister of Qin Huang was a famous calligrapher. He developed a set of characters called Xiǎozhuàn and these characters were standardized by the emperor. The writing tool used was brush and steeles. The calligraphy style that was popularized in imperial China are Lishu style and Kaishu style.

Lishu Style
Lishu style is also known as the clerical script. The modern chinese scripts are more or less similar to the clerical script. This script was developed during the Bronze age. Historians believe, this script was used by the government scribes during the Qin Huang dynasty.

Kaishu Style
Kaishu style is popularly known as the traditional script and is still used today. Minor changes have been made in the kaishu style of calligraphy during the 18th century. The scripts of kaishu style are regular and precise; hence was known as the standard script.

Semi-cursive script known as Xingshu and grass script known as Caoshu were the Chinese scripts that were developed during the first century AD. These scripts were never used to write standard official documents. These scripts are used in modern times to give a visual effect to any personal document.