A lot of people have asked me in the recent past, more so at or after the Stationery Collective as to how to get started with calligraphy, the basics, the resources, etc. I can’t be happier that people have this interest and want to learn. When I started, I literally bought a Parker flat nib pen off Amazon and then read and dug around to slowly add on to my stationery kit. I took time and found what I liked and worked for me. So, if I can do anything to even as much as open the gates to someone, I will be glad but then from there, it is your journey and your preference that will guide you. Of course, I’m the happiest to exchange notes and share what I find and vice versa learn from you as well!
So, here’s some pointers to get started.
Four misconceptions we must bust before we start writing:
1. Calligraphy is NOT cursive. Remember those four line notebooks we used in school, remember the cursive writing classes, remember the teachers who gave some of us that extra 1 mark for ‘neatness’? That is cursive writing, consistently writing, quickly writing, without taking your pen off paper and yet making the output look like print. Calligraphy pays more attention to letter, strokes, connections, flourishes, placement, etc. Calligraphy is not cursive. So, if you’ve forgotten cursive writing – all the better!
2. Calligraphy is NOT restricted to those with good handwriting. This is a huge myth that only someone with good handwriting can become a calligrapher. I learnt this the other way because I pride myself on a good handwriting, but no, calligraphy did not come naturally and magically easy to me. I follow some amazing calligraphers on social media and their normal handwriting is very average. It does not matter how your handwriting it. Calligraphy is like any other art form – You learn, practice, keep at it and then you get okay.
3. Calligraphy involves ‘scripts’. ‘Fonts’ are for digital work and machines! 😊
4. Calligraphy is NOT restricted to Right-handers. Calligraphy like any art form is equally challenging to right and left-handed people alike. It is a huge myth that left-handed people cannot do calligraphy. Your style and angle of holding the pen will be different, but the technique is the same and Calligraphy is for everyone.
Scripts and brushes – What are we writing?There’s a lot of different styles in Calligraphy:
1.
Copperplate - A rounded script, popular for cards, formal invitations,etc. Uses a pointed pen and nib.
2.
Spencerian - American business lettering, minimal shading but beautiful light hairlines. Uses a pointed pen and nib.
3.
Modern Calligraphy - This is what I do and was using that day and this is what I did for the notebooks, bookmarks, coasters, etc that I sold at the LBB Stationery Collective as well. It is a more modern form of calligraphy and not very rigid in rules. Use brush pens generally but Pencils and pens can also be used for Modern calligraphy.
4.
Gothic, flat nib, mono-line - There's many many more!
First and probably ONLY rule for brush lettering is:
Thick downstrokes and Thin upstrokes.
Just try and get this bit done and everything will fall in place. With practice you’ll learn how to connect letters and get them to be bumpy around. Don’t worry at all about staying in one line, with brush lettering you can play with the letters and make some go above the line, some go under.
RESOURCES:
Brush Pens
1. Good Starter pack - Add Gel Twin Tip Little Artist Brush Pens. These retail for 150 for 12 colours and are easily available in stationery stores across India. They have a good fine tip brush which is good for the big script work. For the price and availability, these are #1 on my list. Use the fine tip side to write. The brush pen tip can bend almost 90 degrees and touch the paper entirely when you press it but when you lift it, it will become a finer tip and become a thin stroke.
https://www.amazon.in/Add-Gel-Little-Artist-Brush/dp/B071HJL3PG
2.
Faber Castell Pitt Artist Brush Pens - my go to pens for brush lettering. They’re so good and sturdy, my pens from June last year are working just fine still. You get them on flipkart or Amazon - 6 basic colors for about 400. Prices will go up for the fancier colors.
https://www.amazon.in/Faber-Castell-Artist-Basic-Color/dp/B0014ZU668/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=Faber+Castell+Pitt+Artist+Brush+Pens&qid=1557063089&s=office&sr=1-10
3.
Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens - Brush pens from Japan - You've got to believe the quality is great! There are big brush pen versions, a soft tip and hard tip brush pen as well. Different sizes to get you different consistencies. I love these because the tips are very strong, will not fall apart and are superb for practise work but also getting final work done. These are easily available on Amazon. A pack of four pens - Big brush, Soft tip, Hard tip and a grey tip are available for Rs.500-600 on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.in/Tombow-Fudenosuke-Pen-Combo-GCD-111/dp/B07DN7WFWB/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=Tombow+Fudenosuke+Brush+Pens&qid=1557063114&s=office&sr=1-4
4.
Pentel Touch Sign Pen - These are not easily available in India and expensive on Amazon or Flipkart, so I get someone to bring back from the US or anywhere outside. They are like the soft tip Tombow, but very very smooth and beautiful to write with. Please note: Pentel Touch and Pentel Touch Sign are different. Sign is what you want for brush tips.
https://www.amazon.in/Pentel-Touch-Black-Stroke-SES15C/dp/B00818S6CC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2YA4XXYWGWR4N&keywords=pentel+fude+touch+sign+pen&qid=1557063151&s=office&sprefix=Pentel+Touch+Sign+Pen+%2Coffice-products%2C311&sr=1-1
5.
Sakura Brush pen - This brand does great stuff in general. Their brush pens are available on Flipkart or Amazon - for about 600-700 for a pack of 6 colours if I remember right. But they’re tricky to work with in the beginning. Consider after getting some practise.
https://www.amazon.in/Sakura-38061-6-Piece-Assorted-Colors/dp/B002V3GGP2/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Sakura+Brush&qid=1557063250&s=office&sr=1-3
6.
Others - Ecoline Brush pens, Zig Kuretake are great too.
https://www.amazon.in/Royal-Talens-Ecoline-Assorted-Colours/dp/B077JYNLYW/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1KQK509HCADX9&keywords=ecoline+brush+pens&qid=1557063289&s=office&sprefix=Ecoline+Brush+pens%2Coffice-products%2C279&sr=1-3
Normal Pens & pencils
You can totally use normal pens and pencils for practise as well. To get the downstrokes thick, you will need to draw two lines for the thick stroke and fill it in manually. If you need to make something look like calligraphy but you’re out of pens or you’re travelling or something, you can totally make do with normal pens or pencils. I’ll put a separate post on some other amazing hard tip pens – Sakura Gelly Rolls, Uniball Signos, Sharpies, Sakura Pigma Microns, etc.
Paper
This is very underestimated but paper is incredibly important. What Brush pens realty come out the best on is thick and heavy but clear paper. Our regular xerox paper is okay, but its not going to give you the best results. Try and source the below from out of India if you can, because they’re too expensive in India:
1.
HP Premium Laserjet 32 - 320 gsm paper –
https://www.amazon.in/HP-Printer-Premium32-Letter-Bright/dp/B000099O2W/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=hp+premium+laserjet&qid=1557063327&s=office&sr=1-4-catcorr
2.
Canson North America XL
3.
JK Cedar 100 gsm paper - Easily available at local stationery stores for ~Rs.400. Also on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.in/JK-Cedar-Paper500-Sheets-Ream/dp/B07DSF7TZV?ext_vrnc=hi&tag=googinkenshoo-21&ascsubtag=_k_CjwKCAjwkenqBRBgEiwA-bZVtgPWi1rsgXZq2ooYcZ5OTl200MTIKDp-U_xidRieQ0JVNzGSQOTO1RoCEhIQAvD_BwE_k_&gclid=CjwKCAjwkenqBRBgEiwA-bZVtgPWi1rsgXZq2ooYcZ5OTl200MTIKDp-U_xidRieQ0JVNzGSQOTO1RoCEhIQAvD_BwE
Else, in India - look for a paper that is at least 70-80 gsm or more. GSM means Grams per square meter, a thicker, more bleed free paper is needed to avoid colour running. The notebook we sold at the Collective is a 80 gsm paper, something of this texture will work great.
Where to buy materials1. Flipkart and Amazon work great.
2. Hindustan Trading Company - they’re amazing with variety and if you don’t live in Chennai or know someone who can pick stuff for you, you can order online, albeit with a flat shipping added.
3. Itsy Bitsy - pretty okay but not the best with resources.
4. Art Lounge, Mumbai - And online
5. Regular stationery stores - you’ll be surprised how versatile they are!
Some good worksheets to get you started 1. Strokes – Thick on the down stroke and thin on the upper. You have to ever so lightly lift your pen while transitioning from a down stroke to the upper.
https://bydawnnicole.com/basic-strokes-worksheets-small-brush-pens/
https://thepostmansknock.com/free-brush-pen-worksheet-neat-slant-edition/
2. Letters – You’ll find many many worksheets online, but this one is a good starter.
https://bydawnnicole.com/better-brush-calligraphy/
3. Quotes and words – Some inspiration to get you started.
https://www.lemonthistle.com/tag/printable/
https://www.lemonthistle.com/tag/handlettered-printables/
Online videos which can help:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg6RZyHkw7k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBoVGqiSzr4
Learn from InstagramCalligraphers TOTALLY worth following for inspiration, tips and tutorial videos on Instagram. A lot of them have their blogs as well – you’ll find the links in individual profile’s bios mostly. Many of them have amazing and impressive tutorials they upload from time to time. Nina Tran runs a Wednesday weekly tutorial as well.
12. The Bombay Lettering Company – I took her Introduction to Pointed Pen calligraphy class and she's one of the more popular calligraphers in India currently for pointed pen work! She also has an online store to buy nibs and obliques - Worth checking out though you can also find supplies on Amazon, Hindustan Trading Company, etc. ! https://www.instagram.com/bombaylettering/
I hope this is helpful enough for a start! If you have more questions, please write in or get in touch, I’ll be happy to help if I can!
Till then, Happy Lettering!!
