Tips on the Art of Calligraphy

Calligraphy is an art form, often referred to as the art of writing. Today there are three styles of calligraphy: Chinese, Arabic, and Western. However, the origins of the art of calligraphy can be seen in cave paintings, which eventually evolved into Egyptian hieroglyphics in 3500 B.C., and then the Phoenicians developed one of the first alphabets and writing systems in 1000 B.C.

In the Middle Ages, monks carefully scribed copies of the Bible in Latin in the Gothic style, and during the Renaissance era, Italians developed the Italian script, which became popular in Europe for writing letters and invitations.

Calligraphy has changed over the years, and with the increasing popularity of computers, it is not as popular of an art form anymore. However, some people still practice it and use it for formal invitations, such as for wedding invitations. Calligraphy sets can be purchased at local arts and craft stores, and for people who want to try something new, calligraphy can be a handy and beautiful art form to learn.

Calligraphy Pens

Calligraphy sets usually come with three sets of pen nibs: fine, medium, and broad. In addition to the pens, calligraphy sets also include several ink cartridges, a converter pump, and a barrel and cap. For a narrower style, you may want to use a fine nib, and for a thicker style, you will want to use a broad nib.

To fill the pen, you will need to place two ink cartridges in the barrel of the pen (the longer part of the pen). Then, you will need to screw the nib (point) section of the pen onto the barrel.

If you do not want to use ink cartridges, you can use a converter pump instead. To fill your pen with ink from a bottle, depress the pump lever and then dip the mouth of the converter into the ink. Put the converter pump into the pen barrel, and then attach the nib.

To change a nib, unscrew the barrel and gently remove the ink cartridge. Put the ink cartridge into the new nib and screw it onto the barrel.

Remember to take care of you pen by occasionally rinsing the nib with lukewarm water. Do not use waterproof ink and always store your pen upright.

Beginning Calligraphy

Always hold your calligraphy pen at a 45-degree angle from the baseline. When starting to learn calligraphy, it is easiest to use lined paper so you have guidelines and you can keep your letters straight.

Each letter or number in calligraphy uses four lines. The top line is named ascending, the next line is called waist, the third line is the base, and the last line is known as descending. All capitals letters as well as the lower case letters "t" and "f" are slightly shorter than the ascending line.

When writing calligraphy style, push and pull the strokes. This allows you to write more quickly. Also, the ends of your strokes for each letter should overlap, all letters should be narrow and slightly slanted, and all numbers should be the same height as capital letters.

References

Calligraphy Set

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