Calligraphy Styles and Examples

From LoveToKnow Crafts

If you're interested in paper crafting projects, you may find yourself in search of calligraphy styles and examples. From creating framed poems to lettering wedding invitations, calligraphy is a very useful skill to learn.

Calligraphy is a beautiful and versatile art form.

What Is Calligraphy?

The word "calligraphy" comes from the Greek words "kallos" (beautiful) and "graphe" (to write). Before the invention of the printing press, books were hand lettered by skilled scribes who used quills and ink to write out the text on vellum or parchment paper.

Today, calligraphy continues to fascinate people of all ages. Even though modern technology has made computer fonts readily available in any style you can imagine, hand lettered text has a charm all its own.

To begin writing calligraphy, you'll need:

  • Calligraphy ink: Black and brown ink is most popular, but other colors are available as well.
  • Pen holder: There are both straight and oblique pen holders available, although the oblique type is usually preferred by right handed calligraphers.
  • Nibs: Nibs are the metal tips that slip onto the top of your pen holder. They are generally sold in sets of varying sizes.
  • Guide sheets: These ruled sheets are placed under your paper to help you space your letters properly as you're working on a project.
  • Paper: Plain finish cardstock with a smooth, flat surface works best for calligraphy.

Calligraphy Styles and Examples

Essentially, there are three main styles of calligraphy:

  • Western or Roman
  • Arabic
  • Chinese or Oriental

Western calligraphy, or calligraphy of the Latin writing system, is generally what people in the United States are discussing when they refer to the craft of hand lettering. Within the general style of Western calligraphy, there are a number of different sub-styles of lettering. For example:

  • Antiqua: Sometimes called Old Style, Antiqua is the Germanic opposite of Blackletter. Distinguishing traits of this style of calligraphy include the more or less uniform thickness of all strokes and slanted serifs.
  • Blackletter: Also known as Gothic script, the most popular form of Blackletter is Textualis. Distinguishing traits of this style of calligraphy include tall, narrow letters made with sharp, straight, angular lines.
  • Chancery Hand: Chancery Hand is the manuscript origin of the modern italic typeface and the model for the Zapfino font.
  • Copperplate Script: Since it has an elegant appearance, but is still fairly easy to learn, this style of calligraphy is good for beginners to practice with. Nine pen strokes make up most of the lowercase letters, with the uppercase letters consisting of several different stokes. The distinguishing feature of Copperplate Script is that it is created using a sharp pointed nib instead of the flat nib used with most other types of calligraphy.

If you would like to see some examples of calligraphy, the Beautiful Calligraphy site has a lovely gallery showcasing many different letter styles.

Learning Calligraphy

Online resources for learning calligraphy include:

  • Learn Calligraphy: This helpful Web site gives a history of calligraphy, tips for getting started, and advice for left handed people who wish to learn more about this craft. Examples of alphabets shown include Blackletter, Roundhand, Italic, and Uncial.
  • Calligraphy Centre: Turn to this Web site for answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding calligraphy styles and examples, as well as a selection of helpful video tutorials.
  • Studio Arts: This site has a free calligraphy lesson, an online gallery, ideas for projects you can create, and tips for making money by turning your love of calligraphy into a home-based business.

Books with calligraphy styles and examples include:

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Comments

i just luv it....and i would like to learn these skills

-- Contributed by: stuti rechal

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