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I'm not known for my good penmanship, but I would like to be able to make these hand lettered pieces that have become really popular in the past few years.

I know that calligraphy can be a learned artform, but all I see in forms of learning are these 'kits' at Barnes & Noble and other bookstores that I don't really trust to teach me anything.

Are there resources out there for me? Or is it pretty much a "practice makes perfect" type of learning where it comes to me only by (literal) wrote memory?

(Also, I know that anything takes practice to learn, that's not my question, lol. I'm not looking for "quick and easy" resources, but actual books/sites that people who do professional calligraphy or the like would use or have used when they were learning.)

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I found a few websites don't know if you would have already found them but;

http://www.learncalligraphy.co.uk/

http://cmcgavren.home.sprynet.com/chiselpt.html

http://calligraphy.tv/frameset/samples.html (dvd)

Also found some books;

http://www.studioarts.net/calligraphy/ (seems a little dated)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Learn-Calligraphy-Margaret-Shepherd/dp/0767907329 (looks promising)

Personally I feel this to be a lost art form (or at least it is becoming one). But I still find it to very impressive to see what these people can do because I have awful penmanship.

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  • I have horrendous handwriting (penmanship) and I can do calligraphy, so they are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
    – Lauren-Clear-Monica-Ipsum
    Apr 3, 2013 at 10:44
  • Yeah that's a fair point, I may look into it but I think I would prefer to improve my handwriting (penmanship) before I go into calligraphy. Were the links useful??
    – Hunter
    Apr 3, 2013 at 10:56
  • That second one looks promising. I learned from a combination of classes and books (and much practice). But honestly, handwriting and calligraphy are (to me) only related in that they both involve letters. Calligraphy is more like drawing. When I'm writing something down, the only concerns are speed and legibility. So you can work on your handwriting, but I don't think it's the same skill as learning calligraphy.
    – Lauren-Clear-Monica-Ipsum
    Apr 3, 2013 at 11:11
  • Yeah, completely agree, may have phrased my point wrong. Although I find calligraphy interesting and for a lack of a better word cool. My handwriting is always something I wanted to improve and I would rather invest any spare time into that. But yeah you are right its like drawing.
    – Hunter
    Apr 3, 2013 at 11:29
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You can learn calligraphy through books, videos, and through teachers. Books will teach you the directions of strokes for each letter, and show you many kinds of projects to make. Videos can do this as well. A teacher, such as through your regional calligraphy guild, can provide hands-on critique and feedback in addition to the above.

There is no fast way to learn calligraphy. You do need to put in the practice. I have many resources, but none of them take the place of sitting and writing. Look up my site for many resources that may help you: http://www.stevehusting.com/calligraphy/fantastic-calligraphy-links/

On that page, you'll find links to books I have, videos I've found helpful, and places to purchase supplies. Professionals, though meet with other professionals, which will be found in the calligraphy guilds, if at all. You'll find links to those guilds in Internet Links.

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I learned from a bloke from my local church when I was about 10, he was a monk and was really good scribe - I then helped to produce signs and stuff for the church fete, I guess this started my love of typography.

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  • That's awesome but I dont think this is really an answer but a comment.
    – user9447
    Dec 23, 2014 at 5:27

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