How I went about learning calligraphy (way back when!)
Learning Calligraphy Today
My Best Advice for Your Calligraphy Journey
My Favorite Calligraphy Supplies
My Go-To Calligraphy Style

How I went about learning calligraphy (way back when!)

I first decided to learn calligraphy around 2003.

Kids, that was recent enough for the internet to exist, but too early to find exactly what I was looking for on it. I had the hardest time figuring out what calligraphy supplies to buy and where (let alone how to use them). There seemed to be plenty of info about broad edge calligraphy (used for italic, uncial, romans), but not so much about pointed pen calligraphy (which yields those elegant thick-to-thin strokes that I coveted).

Luckily, I finally stumbled upon a Copperplate calligraphy class, taught in my neighborhood (!!!) by calligrapher Brigitte Hefferan. Brigitte turned out to be one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and she has been a great mentor to me over the years. Someday I’ll send this cloud envelope to her. I started learning calligraphy through her classes in Edmonds, Washington way back in 2007, and now I break all the rules she taught me. 😛

Clouds are a favorite motif of mine, so don’t be surprised if I revisit them as we go. Clouds and rain are just a part of the Irish deal, and this country is stunning in any kind of weather. I actually think the green landscape “pops” more under a grey sky. Rotten weather is also a good excuse for a warm fire and a hot cup of tea. With chocolate biscuits, yeah?

Learning Calligraphy Today

Pointed pen calligraphy went through a huge revival in the last decade. We are currently living in a golden age of free and paid online resources all about it. Here’s where I’d begin if I were starting today:

• If I were on a budget, or just wanted to give it a whirl: I’d visit The Postman’s Knock. Founder Lindsey Bugbee has you covered with a treasure trove of calligraphy worksheets and courses that range in price from about $6-$40. Let me tell you what I would have given for this website 20 years ago!!! She also has a really fun section of gift-able calligraphy supplies and kits.
• If I was getting serious and had a chunk of change: I would take a video Copperplate course like Younghae Chung’s Copperplate Foundations. The course is offered at various times during the year and it comes with LIVE support from Younghae, who is left handed – that’s a HUGE BONUS for any of you lefties!
• Did you know there’s a Calligraphy Podcast? Calligraphers Christen Turney and Ajab Rajvir Jandiala have great chats together about how they started, staying motivated, calligraphy supplies, the business side of calligraphy, its history, and more.
• Follow IAMPETH on Instagram. IAMPETH is the International Association of Master Penmen, Engrossers, and Teachers of Handwriting. IAMPETH hosts an annual conference in a different US city each year. I’ve never been, but perhaps I’ll see you there someday. In the meantime, it’s beautiful motivation to keep learning.

My Best Advice for Your Calligraphy Journey

• Practice, practice, practice. I know – it’s a boring tip you already know, but learning calligraphy is just like anything else: Practice makes better (not perfect). If you are serious, and you dedicate an hour a day to writing, you will see progress.
• Finish and move on. Every time I sit down to write, there’s a nasty voice in my head critiquing every stroke. I finish one envelope, and I hate it. I finish a second one, and that didn’t work either. By the tenth fail, I’m convinced today is just not the day for this, and it’s break time. Did you notice that even when I am being hypercritical of my work, I still move onto the next envelope, or the next part of the project? I finish each one, and start the next – I don’t redo (and overdo) the same thing 5 times. That’s perfectionism, and it’s mostly useless. And anyway, a completed project is a thing of beauty in and of itself.
• Lean in. If you made something you dislike, and you already think it’s ugly… just make it uglier! The pressure is off, so you can “mess it up” all you want. In my experience, this is where breakthroughs occur. What can you discover by being “bad” at this?
• Address some envelopes. One of the BEST ways to practice is to take on envelope addressing jobs. Yes, even if you’re not very expert yet. Offer to do a friend’s wedding envelopes, or make your holiday cards extra fancy. Doing 25, 50, or 100+ of something is amazing practice. It will teach you so much about layout and interline spacing.
• Study others. Pay attention to what more experienced calligraphers are doing to emulate and learn calligraphy techniques from them, but do not do the “compare and despair” thing.
• Do your own thing! Did you notice I never center my envelopes? I don’t know how! I use indentation and staggering to make it look balanced. It’s easier, faster, and I like it… so that’s what I do.

My Favorite Calligraphy Supplies

• My go-to calligraphy nib is the Nikko G. I think it’s good for beginners and anyone heavy-handed (ME!). In the US, I would order these by the dozen or more from Paper and Ink Arts out of Nashville, TN (THE place for calligraphy supplies online in the US).
• I often write with Winsor & Newton Designers Gouache in Permanent White, but you don’t have to get that fancy. Basic gouache sets usually come with a white to try out, and it’s good to have a few colors to play with. You can buy a set online, but try your local art shop first.
• I really love the Finetec Coliro Mica Watercolor paints, and was VERY EXCITED to discover individual colors for sale (in addition to curated palettes).
  • In the US: Try this starter palette of gold and silver, or buy individual colors online from Paper and Ink Arts.
  • Also in the US: I splurged on this set of 24 colors at Blick in downtown Chicago last summer.
  • In Ireland and UK: Try this starter palette of gold and silver, or buy individual colors online from Jackson’s.

My Go-To Calligraphy Style

Here are step-by-step instructions for A-G of my go-to calligraphy style. If you use this, let me know! Note: This is just to get you started. I’m working on an upgrade to how this is laid out, so please stay tuned for an easier-to-use and printer-friendly version of the entire alphabet soon. Get notified when it’s ready.

Aa

Bb

Cc

Dd

Ee

Ff

Gg

Hh-Zz

The rest of the alphabet is coming soon. Get notified when it’s ready.

Want more?

My goal is always to encourage creative correspondence, and I write every week. What else do you want to know about calligraphy supplies and learning calligraphy? Leave a comment or write to tara at eiremail.com if you have specific questions – I would love to help you out!