Calligraphy Lessons

There are multiple ways to learn calligraphy, the art of beautiful hand lettering. There are advantages and disadvantages to each method. The cheapest isn't necessarily the best. If you want to learn something, why not learn from the most skilled and recognized? After all, do you shop around for the CHEAPEST music teacher? Keep reading to discover some of the options.

Wow! This is the cool thing about starting out in calligraphy. You can begin with very little initial investment in supplies and materials. Basically, you can take your first beautiful steps with only THREE items - pen, paper and ink. Now, you can probably guess that, like many other fields in the arts, your supplies may end up snowballing if you get hooked. We'll talk about brands later. For starters see my supplies listed below.

Decide on your initial method of learning: online, from a book, in a class, a crash course or workshop, or from a private instructor. A) As you might expect, the fastest would be online, but it isn't necessarily the most reliable or highest quality. B) The next cheapest is learning from a good book; repeat, GOOD book. Please don't make the mistake of assuming that if it's in print, it must be right! C) Local classes will probably run you more than one good book, but, honestly the benefits you gain from the personal attention is worth a whole lot! D) If you live in a larger city, chances are you may be close to a calligraphy guild, a gold mine for learning all thing calligraphic. If so, run, do not walk, to the next meeting and they will tell you about many things available to you locally. You won't regret it! E) OK, let's be frank here, private lessons for ANYthing is probably the most expensive way to learn something. But, as usual, you get what you pay for. Well, that true if you do your homework and make sure you find a GOOD teacher.

If you choose online lessons, I suggest that you spend time looking at their samples and asking for qualifications. Remember, anyone can "hang out a shingle" on the internet and invent their qualifications. A good place to start is at http://www.calligraphicarts.org/. This is the web site for The Association for the Calligraphic Arts, a great clearing house for finding calligraphers-for-hire, calligraphy guilds and teachers.

If you choose to try to learn from a book, make it a GOOD one! Do you detect a pattern here? Just like the internet, almost anyone can publish a book these days. Just because it says calligraphy on the cover does not make the author qualified to instruct. And don't fall for the "well-her-website-says-she's-the-premier-calligrapher-of-the-world" trap. I've read that kind of statement on LOTS of "calligraphy" web sites! OK, which ones? My top picks?

Speedball Textbook 23rd ed. (or current when it comes out)
Calligraphy School by Gaynor Goffe and Anna Ravenscroft
The Art & Craft of Hand Lettering by Annie Cicale
Foundations of Calligraphy by Sheila Waters

check out www.cynscribe.com or www.cecilia-letteringart.com/

These are two sites that have lots of information to get you started.

Have fun!