Calligraphy Articles

Article / Updated 07-11-2017

Bounce lettering can help you add flare to your writing and is considered a technique in modern brush lettering calligraphy. If you are fond of modern calligraphy or brush lettering, you might consider adding bounce lettering to your set of skills. What is bounce lettering? Bounce lettering is a style of handwriting that is often seen on DIY projects or Pinterest on pallet wood signs, invitations, bullet journals, and beyond. It is often associated with modern calligraphy or brush lettering because of the embellishments that are added to the letters. The flourishes given to the writing almost makes the letters seem as though they are bouncing around. This fun form of writing is a great way to put your own creative juices to work! Now for the technical details. Before you can learn to do bounce lettering, you need to understand the mechanics of writing. Do you remember those handwriting tablets that you recall from your childhood? They look like this: Here’s what all those lines are used for: Baseline: As the name implies, this line is the base for your letters. This line is used to keep your letters straight and in line with one another. All letters sit on this line unless they have a descending line. Cap height: This line provides structure to your letters by keeping them contained, so to speak. This is how writers determine how tall letters should be. Similar to the baseline, this line is the guide for where letters should stop on the top. X-height: The x-height line is the dashed line you see on handwriting paper. This is to help writers learn the appropriate height for lowercase letters. At least, those without an ascending line. Ascender: Traditionally, the ascender line was used to guide those letters that have vertical lines, like the letter k and b. However, some people simply use the cap height line as their guide for where these vertical lines should stop. Either form is acceptable. Descender: The descender line is used to denote the stopping point for letters with descending lined, such as the letter p. The purpose of all this formality is to keep your lettering straight and precise. Now, the whole point behind bounce lettering is to break those rules. Take a look for some tips on breaking those rules below. If you are new bounce lettering, brush lettering or calligraphy are good forms to practice before diving in. How to do bounce lettering So, now that you are briefed on the technicalities of writing, it’s time to break all the rules. That’s right. Bounce lettering is all about breaking the rules and making your writing appear whimsical, rather than perfect. To do this, you will write your script by going outside of the lines described above. Embrace the freedom of not staying where you are supposed to write. There are no prescribed rules for how to do bounce lettering. The idea is to experiment until you land on writing that you enjoy and that seems to bounce all over the page. However, if you want some tips for getting started, heed the following tips: Resist the impulse of having the bottom of your letters rest on the baseline. Let your downstrokes go below the descender line. An m or h can go below that sneaky line that usually keeps things straight. Allow letters to go beyond their normal x-height. For example, the uppermost points of a w would all be even on the x-height line. For bounce lettering, extend the tops of the w beyond the x-height line. Don’t be afraid to add flourishes to cross strokes and downstrokes (the cross on a t). Vary the heights of the bottommost parts of your letters that have two or more downward strokes. For example, when writing an n or h, you will want the bottom lines to not be even with one another. Emphasize loops in letters. For example, you could allow the loop in the upstroke on an h to be a little more pronounced than normal. And the most important tip: practice. Play around with your letters to find a style that you like. Check here for some free practice sheets. Have fun adding bounce to your letters!

Article / Updated 07-11-2017

Brush lettering is a style of writing similar to calligraphy. With each letter, heavy pressure is applied on the downward stroke and light pressure is applied with every upward stroke. Because of the use of pressure and the appearance of the letters, brush lettering is commonly known as modern calligraphy. In order to be successful at brush lettering, you must have three things: Brush pens or markers for modern calligraphy: Brush pens and markers have nylon tips. These writing utensils can come in different colors, sizes, and brush types. Ground: The ground is the background surface to which you apply the brush lettering. This surface can be paper, canvas, gesso board, or any other surface used for ink lettering. Subject matter: This involves the lettering, word, phrase, or group of sentences you wish to write. Keep in mind, practice makes perfect! Because brush lettering is done with ink, there are no do-overs. Check here for free downloadable practice sheets. Avoid rushing into your brush lettering project. Grounds can sometimes be expensive. It is recommended that you practice on a piece of unwanted paper first. Once you have mastered the alphabet, you can move to working with your ground. Getting started with brush lettering Before you jump in on a brush lettering project, you need to know the different types of brush strokes. There are eight basic strokes that comprise brush lettering: Down stroke: Heavy pressure is applied in a downward motion. Up stroke: Light pressure is applied in an upward motion. Under stroke: Heavy pressure is applied in a downward motion, then curving up while lightening the pressure of the brush pen. This looks like the letter U. Over stroke: Light pressure is applied in an upward motion, followed by a downward curve while applying heavier pressure. An over stroke appears like the lowercase letter n. Over-under stroke: Light pressure is applied upward, followed by a downward curve with heavy pressure, finishing with an upward curve applied with light pressure. This stroke looks like the capital letter N. Loop stroke: With a basic loop stroke, you start at the one o’clock position, moving counterclockwise into an upward curve, looping back down and around. For loop stroke, you adjust heavy pressure when moving down and apply light pressure when looping back up. A loop stroke appears like the letter O. Over-loop stroke: An over-loop stroke starts with light pressure and upward motion that loops over into a heavier downward motion. This stroke looks like the cursive lowercase l. Under-loop stroke: This stroke is the opposite of the over-loop stroke. The under-loop stroke starts with a heavy downward motion that curves around and back upward with lighter pressure. This stroke appears like the cursive letter J. Take a look below to see each of these brush strokes in action. Brush lettering is all about getting the angles right. You can make a guide like the one above to help you master the pressure and angles. Making a guide will help you visualize each stroke and each letter. Practicing the letters consistently will help you develop muscle memory and will make writing in the brush lettering style more natural. All down stokes are the thick parts of the lettering as a result of the application of heavier pressure, and all upstrokes are the thin parts of the lettering, due to the lighter pressure of the pen or marker. In brush lettering, the curves require a transition from heavy to light pressure, and vice versa. Often, practitioners pay particular attention to the curves to get them to look natural and smooth. With time and effort, mastering brush lettering is as easy as writing your name. Keep in mind there are many calligraphy styles. You can use any of these styles for your brush lettering project. Once you have mastered brush lettering, try adding some bounce to your letter with bounce lettering.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-27-2016

Calligraphy, the art of beautiful lettering, comes in many forms and styles. When writing in calligraphy, you can use the delicate curlicues of Copperplate, as Regency ladies did, or choose the more forceful and just as intricate Blackletter style. You can even choose a plain, Roman style — or something in between. Your calligraphy choices are limited only by your imagination.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

The pens you use to make beautiful calligraphy aren't at all complicated. Their basic design is simple, efficient, and centuries old. A good pen delivers the ink in an even flow and should make it easy for you to create strokes. The pen should glide smoothly on the surface of the paper. This list should help get you better acquainted with your calligraphy pens: Nib: This is the part of the pen that everyone else refers to as the pen point. Calligraphy nibs have a flat edge similar in appearance to a flat screwdriver and come in a variety of sizes. Markers have nibs that are permanently attached. Fountain pens have nibs that are interchangeable and screw into the barrel of the pen. They usually come in sets. Dip pens have steel nibs that slide into a curved slot in the end of a pen handle. The selection of sizes is much bigger than for fountain pen nibs. Dip pen nibs are available individually. Cartridge: All the popular calligraphy fountain pens use ink cartridges. Cartridges are the newest addition to the design of calligraphy pens and make using the pen simple and virtually mess-free. The biggest problem with cartridges is getting a new pen started writing. The ink has to flow from the cartridge down to the tip of the pen before it will write, and that does not happen automatically. Sometimes you have to work at getting the pen started. Adapter: This takes the place of ink cartridges and makes it possible for you to fill your fountain pen with ink from a bottle. Perhaps it's "old school," but it's a good idea to be able to fill your pen from a bottle and not rely on using cartridges in your pen. The cartridges are small and easy to misplace; the bottle isn't. Although filling the pen from a bottle has a greater potential for creating a mess than using cartridges, a pen that is filled from a bottle will start writing faster than pens that have cartridges. Handles or pen holders: Dip pens have handles that are simple wooden or plastic shafts ranging in length from 5 to 7 inches. The nibs are inserted in the ends. Select a handle that fits your nibs and feels comfortable in your hand. Varnished wooden handles are the best choice; plastic is okay. Avoid painted handles because the paint will eventually chip away. Reservoir: Most dip pen nibs are designed to be used with this small attachment that holds the ink. It is frequently made of brass that is soft enough to be shaped with your fingers. Some dip pen nibs have a reservoir on top and some have it on the bottom. Most of the reservoirs can be removed from the nib to make cleaning easy. At least one kind of nib has a reservoir that cannot be removed.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

After you've assembled your pen, but before you begin doing calligraphy, you must get the pen to write. A unique problem for fountain pens, you will likely encounter some ink-flow issues when writing, especially when using a new cartridge or pen. If you are using a cartridge pen, it's entirely normal for the pen to refuse to write immediately. The challenge is getting the ink out of the cartridge, down into the nib, and onto the paper. Meet the ink-flow challenge by trying these techniques: Hold the pen loosely with the nib pointed downward about two inches above a sheet of scratch paper. Tap the nib lightly on the paper several times. Avoid jabbing the pen into the paper — just let it slide through your fingers of its own weight. The idea is to coax the ink to flow down into the nib. Hold the flat edge of the nib flush against the paper (don't hold it at an angle to the paper) and move the pen from side to side in straight lines so that the direction of the side-to-side movement is in line with the flat edge of the nib. The side-to-side stroke will help draw the ink down into the nib. This side-to-side technique is helpful for testing all pens. It not only helps get the ink to flow, but allows you to gauge the flow of the ink and get the "feel" of the pen. Practice this technique and adopt it as a standard way to test a pen prior to using it. Another technique you might try to get ink flowing is to apply a tiny bit of pressure against the paper as you draw the nib toward you. If you try this, be extremely careful that you don't press down too hard and bend the nib. If none of these methods work, here's an almost no-fail technique for getting a cartridge pen started: Just unscrew the barrel and give the cartridge a little squeeze until you see a small droplet of ink form at the back of the nib. Make sure you do this while you're holding the pen over a surface that won't be harmed if you squeeze a bit too hard and the drop of ink accidentally splatters onto whatever is underneath! If you're having problems with a fountain pen that you fill from a bottle, simply refill the pen. Refilling will saturate the nib with ink. Once you get the pen working the first time, it should be easier to get it going the next time you use it. You definitely have to endure a "break-in" process. If you have trouble with your pen, treat it like a balky child: Be gentle and persistent and never lose your cool. Sometimes a nib is particularly uncooperative (probably because there is an oily film on it). If you run into that situation, simply wipe the nib with ammonia. That should cure what ails it!

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Markers are great when time, not quality, is a consideration in your calligraphic work. You wouldn't want to use a marker to letter a certificate, but a marker would be perfect for small tasks such as writing a note to a friend or co-worker or posting a reminder to yourself or for family members. Markers are also excellent for children. Markers have many limitations: You really can't produce good quality work with a marker. The writing tip is simply not fine enough to make the sharp edges and fine hairlines that a good pen will give you. Note, however, that the quality of markers is constantly improving, and the markers of today are far superior to the ones of just a few years ago. Ink fades with age. However, some brands of markers offer permanent, archival-quality ink. Markers tend to dry out quickly. The tip deteriorates. Even with careful use, the tips on markers have a tendency to lose their sharpness. The chisel-edge becomes blunted with use. Markers write, even when you're holding them wrong. In learning calligraphy, it is necessary to practice the correct way to hold the pen to produce the desired strokes and shapes, so using a marker isn't a good idea. A calligraphy fountain pen or dip pen helps a person learn how to hold the pen correctly because it will not write otherwise. A marker will write no matter how you hold it. In spite of their limitations, markers are extremely useful. The main advantage of markers is how handy they are. They are the ultimate no-fuss-no-muss calligraphy pen. And when they run out of ink, you simply toss them in the trash. When you're buying markers, test them in the store first. You never know unless you test it if a marker has already dried out. Also, make sure that your markers are tightly capped when you're not using them. Use force when you recap a marker to make sure the cap is snug. The markers listed here are just a few of the most reliable ones. All of these markers come in a variety of colors: The Itoya doubleheader: This marker lets you write with both ends. The smaller tip is 1.7mm and the larger one is 3.5mm. Marvy 6000 Calligraphy Marker: The tip gives nice sharp lines, and the ink is dark. This marker comes in three sizes — 2.0mm, 3.5mm, and 5.0mm. Niji Calligraphy Marker: The ink in this marker is especially dense. Niji Calligraphy Markers are available in sets of three. The tips are 2mm, 3.5mm, and 5mm. Speedball Elegant Writer: This marker was one of the first to be designed to approximate the calligraphy pen. The tip sizes have the names X-Fine, Fine, Medium, and Broad. Staedtler Calligraph duo marker: This marker writes with either end! One end has a 2mm chisel tip and the other a 5mm tip. This marker comes in a variety of colors, and the ink is waterproof. Staedtler products are all excellent quality. The Zig Calligraphy Marker: This marker was designed primarily to meet the needs of scrapbookers and represents a big step upward in the quality of markers. The ink is permanent and archival quality (which means that it will not fade or change color, and because the ink is acid-free, it will not harm the paper that it is written on). There is an assortment of colors as well. One end of each marker is 2mm round for drawing, and the other is 5mm chisel-shaped for calligraphy.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Calligraphy is beautiful, artistic handwriting, but that handwriting can be artistic and beautiful in a variety of different ways. Calligraphy can be ornate or bold, delicate or forceful. The following samples offer a glimpse of the varieties available. Italic or Chancery: Blackletter: Roman: Bookhand or Foundational Hand: Uncial: Copperplate: