Self Made Craft

Calligraphy is centuries old and yet the amazing thing is that it is a skill which is still popular today. Most people will be familiar with calligraphy, in fact many people will have seen it used on their birth certificates. It is also very popular for wedding or party invitations and for use in projects such as scrapbooking. If you're interested in learning calligraphy, here's three tips which will help you get started.

Always use the right tools

Naturally when you start on a new hobby, you're not sure whether it is going to be for you, so don't go rushing out buying lots of fancy equipment until you are sure that this is a hobby that is going to be long term. When buying calligraphy equipment it doesn't need to cost the earth but don't be tempted to scrimp on your pen by using a cheap marker pen or felt tip. You will only get frustrated when you are trying to re-create the letters and are finding it near impossible to achieve the angles, fine lines and distinctions between thick and thin lines.

Personally, I find dip pens to be the best type of calligraphy pen for beginners for the simple reason that they are relatively inexpensive and the nibs can be easily and cheaply replaced if you damage them. Once you find a shaft that feels comfortable in your hand, you only ever need to use this one tool, coupled with different sizes of nib. I find the wooden varnished shafts work best for me, although plastic ones do the job.

Watch by example

There's nothing wrong with teaching yourself from a book and it is indeed a good way of learning calligraphy. However, sometimes you just can't figure out why you can't manage to get your letters to look exactly right and it isn't until you watch someone else that you realise that they are holding their pen in a slightly different way from you, and it is this that makes all of the difference.

You could enrol for a college course and be able to watch by example, but if you search online you will also find a wealth of video tutorials that you can follow. The great thing about videos is that you can stop them and play them back as many times as you want until you 'finally get it'.

Practice makes perfect

Finally my advice to you would be to practice, practice, practice and then some more. It helps if you can set aside an hour each day for practice and this will help you monitor your progress. Choose one of the easier alphabets to start with, such as Uncial, and get to the stage where you can write all of the letters without referring back to a book. Once you have this one under your belt, then you can spread your wings and choose something more fancy that catches your eye. Again, it depends on what you are intending to use your new found calligraphy skills for, as to your choice of font.

The beauty of calligraphy, especially when used for writing notes or invitations, is that the recipient is so pleased to receive such a beautiful piece of writing because it makes them feel special that you have taken the time and trouble to personalise something just for them. Follow the above tips and you'll soon be the master of a new skill which will give you hours of enjoyment and satisfaction.

Celia Harper has been writing calligraphy for more than thirty years and maintains that anyone, male or female, young or old, can easily learn the art of calligraphy or beautiful writing. She has put together a totally FREE e-book which is packed full of hints and tips to get you started learning this great skill. Download your free e-book now.