I learned about calligraphy and I’ve been practicing for a year. Now I’d like to make it my business. Anyone can do calligraphy, and that’s what makes it so creative.
What is calligraphy?
Calligraphy is a specific kind of art that involves beautiful handwriting and creative scripts. The modern definition of calligraphy typically includes the following: “The art of beautiful handwriting, or creative scripts.”
The basics of writing consist of paper, pen and ink. For calligraphy, a fountain pen and several colors of ink are necessary. You will also need watercolor, gouache, ink spray paint for graffiti etc.
Calligraphy is a very diverse art. Curls, different shapes, usage of contrast in strokes, etc. All these elements contribute to lettering art to make it interesting and expressive. Letters can be drawn within a shape or on top of the background itself. They are sometimes arranged with the end purpose of recreating a specific mood, framing, drawing letters in a double or triple layer, and drawing lines of a different color parallel to already drawn lines are just some of the techniques that can be practiced by artists.
Calligraphy, as a rule, can make the writing hard to read, but this is often considered an advantage for artistic purposes. The font made by calligraphy is usually very pretty – so pretty in fact that sometimes it becomes impossible to read. This type of calligraphy is not allowed in documents.
I studied at a technical institute for six years and became a programmer. Recently, I also got my second degree in web design and never lack anything to be happy, so I am now trying to master other professions.
It’s fairly easy for you to learn calligraphy on your own by repeating what others have already drawn, coming up with new letterforms and patterns, and drawing pictures. I plan to start creating calligraffiti this summer – this is one of the directions of modern.
I find calligraphy really interesting, and the main reason is that you don’t need to go to art university – if you want, you can learn everything on your own. As I understand it, the main condition to studying is perseverance. Every day, we all make tangible progress in calligraphy.
I prefer using a flat pen. I’ve tried using other tools, but it’s always been the flat pen that has been my favorite. It might be because it is simpler to work with than some alternatives.
Is there a way to practice calligraphy without being a part of an organization or club?
1. Firstly, you need to convince yourself that this is not a full time job and get used to this idea. This is an important step.
You’ll often come across works which at first glance seem easy to perform, but as soon as you start trying to replicate them, you realize that your life never prepared you for this. The art of calligraphy is unique in that it offers lettering with a markedly different style to what people are accustomed to. Much like traditional letters and handwriting, the tool you use is much more expressive than just using a pen.
2. Take care of yourself. Most people only find time for themselves a few times a week but you are probably feeling so pressured to do it every day and so on. Make sure you take care of YOU with at least two half hour time slots each week! This can have a detrimental effect on your work and you will struggle to be motivated in the long term. In this situation it becomes difficult to notice all the success you have achieved.
3. The workplace should be a cozy environment, especially for those who are writing letters by hand. It is important to find your home away from home when it comes to working on these tasks. The chairs and desk need to be comfortable, as you might spend hours or even an entire day at your workspace each time you are working on one of these handwritten letters.
Here are a few tips for beginners who want to learn calligraphy by themselves:
1. It’s important to remember that of course, it will be difficult without a mentor. We’ll need to take care of all the mistakes ourselves and learn from them. In the question of the correct spelling of letters, you will have to show some fanaticism: letters need to be repeatedly written until they look the same. What you see on your sheet should match what is in the textbook.
2. I want to say right away that it makes no sense to try and learn two or more alphabets at the same time. Pick one alphabet for yourself and let’s get going. Each alphabet is unique, due to its historical and individual characteristics, and you’ll never be able to cover the immense ground in your typical one-year program in a language school. One letter at a time – learn as much as you need. No one is chasing you, evaluating you – it’s up to only you when to switch to another letter.
It’s been a pleasure sharing my experience at the time of writing and I hope it could be useful to you. Regarding your difficulties, like I’ve said before–don’t give up! You can do it. With hard work, your hobby will become a flourishing business. It’s worth mentioning that most of the best calligraphers we know did not study in classes, but rather learned by themselves.
We write letters, of course. But we try to do it as beautifully as possible.
For me, calligraphy provides a meditative character. When I write for myself or when the order isn’t urgent and I’m in a relaxed mood. But when it’s non-stop editing or a deadline is coming up, of course I would lose my patience!
I would like to learn more about creative writing, improve my handwriting and explore possibilities in calligraphy.
Sharing knowledge and experiences with other masters is very valuable to me not only for the purpose of acquiring new techniques and skills but also as a feeling of connection with people who share the same ideals. I think it’s important to learn that even though we consciously or unconsciously use aesthetics in our everyday life, they create meaning which goes beyond their functionality.
Let there be more quality!