Calligraphy is a fun and creative skill that takes time to master. As with any other skill, you need to practice it to hone your craft and be able to produce little works of art. In this post, we’ll share 5 ways to improve your calligraphy.
1. Fill Out a Page With a Single Letter
If you’re just starting out with calligraphy, take a blank page and fill it out with a single letter. Consider drawing out your own ruling lines that will help you keep every letter consistent. If you want, you can date the page at the top and repeat this process monthly. You will be able to see how you’re improving over time and track your progress.
2. Try New Mediums
Don’t be afraid to try new mediums such as a new ink, new type of pen or even a different type of paper. Using and introducing new supplies can be a great way to jump start your creativity and find new ways to use the tools. Consider using a brass-flanged oblique pen instead of a plastic-flanged oblique. You can also invest in a new brand of paper or a writing pad that would work better for a different type of ink.
3. Create Word Art
A fun way to practice calligraphy skills is to choose a category like colors or cities or names and pen an alphabetical list of words in the chosen category. Start with A and create individual artworks for each word. Try combining several different hues of ink or stroke widths and challenge yourself to convey the meaning of the word with your art.
4. Practice With Quotes
Once you master word art, kick the challenge up a notch and practice penning famous quotes. Again, using different ink hues, stroke widths, and different style pens can help you push your limits and improve your style.
5. Find Inspiration in Calligraphy Fonts
There are plenty of calligraphy fonts online that you can download and use for free. Consider downloading a few and then try to mimic their style by writing words and sentences. You can also look up authors of those fonts and see if they have a YouTube channel or an Instagram account where they share their process of making the font. It’s great way to pick up on the technique.
6. Learn From The Pros
Speaking of pros, make sure you follow master calligraphers on their social media accounts or their websites. By doing so, you will be able to pick up a few of their tips as well as learn what tools they are using and which tools they recommend for different purposes.
Some of them may even offer free worksheets that you can use to practice your calligraphy and improve your style. You can also leave comments on their blog or strike up a conversation on their Instagram account. Show them you appreciate their art and they will be more inclined to give you a few pointers and tips to improve your skills.
7. Join a Calligraphy Challenge on Instagram
Another fun and rewarding way to improve your skills is to join a calligraphy challenge on Instagram. You’ll get a creative prompt each day for the duration of the challenge and then it’s up to you to use your skills to complete it.
Wrapping Up
Practicing your calligraphy doesn’t have to be boring and repetitive. Use the tips above to challenge yourself and try new styles by experimenting with line thickness, heights, capitals, colours, blend modes, and more. Pretty soon, you’ll develop your own style and become a master calligrapher yourself.
