Calligraphy 101 Copyright © 2010 Creative Publishing international, Inc. 400 First Avenue North Suite 300 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401 1-800-328-3895 wurerestivepub.com All rights reserved Printed in China 10987654321 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gauthier, Jeaneen. Calligraphy 101 / Jeaneen Gauthier. pom. Includes index. ‘Summary: "Beginner's guide to materials and techniques for learning to do calligraphy. Includes instructionel DVD-ROM’~Provided by publisher. ISBN-13: 978-1-58923:503-8 (soft cover) ISBN-10: 1-58923'5037 (soit cover) 1, Calligraphy-Technique. I. Title. NKg600.G38 2010 74§6'-de22. 2010016769 Photographer: Corean Komarec Photo Coordinator: Joanne Wawra Copy Editor: Ellen Goldstein Cover & Bock Design: Mighty Media, Inc. Page Layout: Mighty Media, Inc. Videographer: Tom Siler Visit www-CraftsideTypepad.com for a behind-the ‘scones peek at our erafty world! Due to differing conditions, materials, and skill levels, the publisher and various manufacturers disclaim ary liability for unsatisfactory results or injury due to improper use of tools, materiale, or information in this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyrights hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, ‘or mechanical, ineluding photocopying, recording, taping of information on storage end retrieval systems—without the written permission of the publisher. However, the publisher grants to the purchaser of this book permission to reproduce the templates in the book for personal use.CONTENTS How to Use this Book. Tools and Supplies ape Writing Instruments: 9 Inks and Paints . 4 Papers... Art Supplies 20 Making Marks The Writing Su Setting Up Your Work Station. Trying Out Your Pens... a Getting Started a Table of B: Using a Dipping Pen Skill Builders Projects, ic Strokes. Foundational Hand. Foundational Hand Alphebets .. Skill Builders Projects, Proportion, Color, and Ornament. . Ruled Lines and Ladders...... Ruling Lines for Practice and Projects. Stall Buildors, Color .. Omament. Projects: : Uneial Hand and Illumination . ‘The Uncial Alphabet ......ese++0 se91204 Skill Builders, coesreseersesseses e106 Vereal Letters 108 Skill Builders 109 lumination , no us ng Gothic Hand... Lowercase Blackletter Alphabet 240 Uppercase Blackletter Alphabet........s...++.Ad Stall Builders. 445 Projects. ...s.++ 47 Italie Hand . Italic Hand Alphabete...... . 160 Skill Builders.......cces0sve+ 162 Italic Swash Cepitels. 165, Projects. 167 Brushwork and Gilding...... Beginner Brush Lettering ....... 192 Advanced Brush Lettering 193 Skell Bui ETE 195 About Gold and Silver Leal 198 Projects. 201 Calligraphy and Modern Methods of Copying « we Reproducing Calligraphy on @ Personal Computer a 219 Scanning and Inkjet Printing your Calligraphy... 220 Having your Calligraphy Professionally Printed... 298 Glossary .....4.5 Anatomy of Letterforms . Products Used « Resources Dodication ......ssss00000085 ++ 236 Acknowledgments . Rout the Author .. Index «2.66.How to Use This Book Calligraphy—from the Greek word for “beautiful writing’-is lovely to look at and a joy to create. Even in today’s world of text messaging and digital printing, beautifully written words have a special place. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to do calligraphy, but weren’t sure how to begin, this is the book for you. Here you will learn the basics of calligraphy step by step as you create projects that are easy, satisfying, and fun! You'll also be encouraged to experiment, play, and even break the rules a little as you develop your own personal style of beautiful writing. The materials needed to do calligraphy are very simple: ink, pen, and paper. However, choosing the right ink the right pen, and the right paper is not always as simple, especially when you ate just beginning. This book will help you navigate the wide array of calligraphy products available and show you which tools and sup- plies are a pleasure to use and which also deliver consistent, high-quality results, You will be happy to discov- er that having good materials to work with is « major first step on your way to creating beautiful ealligraphy. In this book you will also learn the essential skills and techniques that all calligraphers use. Most of these skills are very simple, such as learning how to hold the pen, and how to position the writing paper. However, these skills may not seem obvious at first, and they do require practice. Throughout this book you will find suggestions for practie- ing the ekille you learn in waye that are fun and relaxing and that will spark your creativity. Many beginners get discouraged when starting to leam calligraphy because their early efforts aren't “perfect” The aim of this book is to inspire you to explore and develop a style of writing that is “personal” rather than “perfect” You are encouraged to experiment, play, and keep an open mind—skills essential for any artist. It's a commonly Imown fact that no two calligraphers can write exactly alike, no matter how skilled and experienced they are. So, don't fel like you have to copy every project in this book exactly. Instead, use this book as a guide for developing your penmanship skills and as.a source of inspiration for allowing your own beautiful writing to flow. 4. calligrapny 101The het rol gi oo m Quick rateronce text The first section of this book introduces you to the vast array of tools and supplies used in calligraphy, explaining what the various items are used for, and letting you know which items you'll need to get started (as well as which ones you won't). The second section introduces the basice of using the calligraphy pen, and encourages you to explore the various kinds of marks you can make with it. Each of the following sections introduces you to a unique ealligraphie alphabet, a set of projects, the akills necessary to complete the projects, and various technical tips and tricks A list of necessary supplies precedes each project, and every step of each project is photographed so that you can see exactly what to do at each point along the way. Tips appear throughout the \ cite chee = oe | Guiek roterence book to give more detailed euggestione that will help you improve your techniques. The Quick Reference sidebars are there to clarify words or phrases printed like this. Many of the projects also include variations—different wording, papers, colors, ete—and you are encouraged to make your own variations to any project whenever you feel inspired to do eo. The DVD-ROM included with this book is an additional leaming tool that will show you the escential techniques used for calligraphy. [It is both PC and Mac compatible, and can be viewed using Quicktime software. To download the latest ver- sion of Quicktime for free, visit hitp//wwwapple. com/quiektime/download. You can do calligraphy! Now, le’s get started. How to. Use this Book S.Tools and Supplies One of the great advantages of learning the art of calligraphy is that you need only a few simple supplies to get started. This chapter will introduce you to the tools and supplies needed for calligraphy, explaining what they are used for and whether or not they are essential for getting started.Basic Supplies to Get Started + calligraphy fountain pen with a fiat-tipped nib, meesuring 2 to 3 mm wide, end equipped with refillable ink reservoir + dipping pen nib with a flat tip (often called a round-hend nib) measuring 2 to 3 mm wide + dipping pen nib with angled tip (Italic nib, Brause nib) measuring about 2 mm wide + nib holder + #0 round brush, for alue + black calligraphy ink (as well as red, blue, yellow, and white calligraphy ink, if you want to mix colors) (S mm) flat brush, craft brush + paper for pens/markers + inexpensive practice paper (heavy copier paper, greph paper, heavy notebook paper) + Bristol + pencil + grey kneadable and white plastic erasers + square, 12" (50.5 cm) + grid/lined ruler with steel edge, 12” 0.5 em) + craft knife + craft glue + drafting tape or artist's tape + little containers for ink + lass jar for rinse water + paper towels or cotton rags ‘Other tools and supplies used in this book purchase these as you need them: + agate burnisher for applying gold leaf * artist's spray fixative for stabilizing metallic pigments so they don’t brush off the paper, ‘+ bookbinder's aw! for poking holes in paper + brads for attaching layers of card stock together * brushes in assorted shapes and sizes for illuminating + self-healing cutting mat to place under paper when cutting with a craft knife * distilled water for mixing with gouache or pigment * gold and silver leaf for gilding + gold leat sizing liquid * gum arabic for use with metallic pigments mm) hole punch for punching holes in paper “+ palette for holding several colors of ink or paint * polyurethane spray sealant for sealing painted surfaces + assorted ribbon, cord, and beads for binding and decoration + fine sandpaper for preparing surfaces for painting * scoring wheel, used with 2 ruler to impress ‘arooves into paper to make e crisp fold + wax paperWriting Instruments Collraphermucavenapchmelsumnde maks molediag eallgsanty fountain pens, dipping pens, markers, quills, and brushes. Pens and Nibs Calligraphy fountain pens Calligraphy fountain pen sets Dipping pens are the are much like ordinary fountain _inchide interchangeable nibs traditional pens used by cal- pens; the main difference is of various sizes, cartridges,and _ligraphers, and consist of a that the nib (writing edge) of an ink reservoir. Calligraphy removable writing nib inserted a.calligraphy fountain pen is fountain pans for left-handed in e wooden, ceramic, or plastic broader then that of an ordinary writing are also available. While handle called a nib holder. fountain pen. The broad edge calligraphy fountain pens may Many calligraphy nibs are of the nib is what makes the tend to write a bit less cleanly also equipped with reservoirs, charactoristie thick-and-thin and precisely than ataditional which in this context means a pen lines of calligraphy pos- dipping pen, they are very useful small metal flap that fits over sible. Calligraphy fountain pens when you are just starting out. or under the nib and allows the are usually sold with an ink nib to hold a small amount of reservoir—a removable tubelike extra ink in reserve. Dipping device that can be filled with coliorapny fountain pen sot pens give the sharpest, cleanest ink and used over and over writing line, and are capable again. Disposable fountain pen ~ es of producing extremely fine cartridges can also be used in details. Because they are more delicate and flexible, they take some getting used to, however, and it takes more practice to get good results, calligraphy fountain pens, but the ink tends to be lese dense and thus not as suitable for cal: ligeaphy artwork i Dipping pens Calligraphy fountain pons. Feservairs, and cartridges Tools and Supplies 9kag ieee ad a | sfFloating-Layer Thank-You Notes These thank-you notes use decorated paper and layers of paper to build up a simple “thank you” into something special. You will find a myriad of papers and embellishments to choose from at specialty paper and art supply stores. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN How to make paper panels seem to float above the surface How to glue paper layers without making a mess How to prevent rippling when gluing paper layers WHAT YOU'LL NEED. pre-scored folded card and envelope one sheet of decorative paper one small sheet of card stock for text panel one small shoot of contrasting color card stock for backing panel embellishments of your choice self-adhesive foam dots scrap paper stecl-edge ruler craft knife: bone folder alue stick 2- or 3-mm calligraphy fountain pen calligraphy ink Let’s Begin Mescure the width and height of the card when folded. On the reverse side of the decorative paper, rule out the width and height, and add %" (6 mm) to both sides and the bottom edge. Then cut out (continued) Foundational Hand 65Floating-Layer Thank-You Notes On your work surface, ley two sheets of clean serap paper larger than the unfolded card Lay the eard, unfolded and faceup, on one of the sheets. Apply glue stick thoroughly to the lower panel (card front), taking care that glue is applied right up to the seore line and covers all edges. Move the card to the second shest of scrap paper and place the decorative paper onto the glued ares, taking care to line the top of the paper right up to (but not over) the eeore line. Cover with a sheet of clean paper and rub with a bone folder to ensure that the paper is thoroughly glued down. Cover with a sheet of paper, place on a clean, flat surface, weight it down with a heavy book or two until dried completely (about an hout) 3 Ifyou already know what size you want the text panel to be, cut out a few pieces of thie size from the cover stock you have chosen. Make several versions of text ¢0 you will have ‘options to choose from. Another approach is to write your text several times on « larger sheet of paper, leaving plenty of space in between, and decide the size of your panel based on the size of the text you have written. If you do it this way, use e clear grid ruler and pencil to lightly rule the lines for the edges of the panel. 66 Calligraphy 101 I you are making multiple cards, interleave each card with TIP 2 sneer of paper and stack the cards neatly under several ‘books until dry.Use a craft knife and steel-edge ruler to cut out the text panel, and then glue to the back- ing stock you have chosen. Press for 15 minutes or until completely dried. For a thin border as chown, use a craft knife and a steel-edge ruler to trim %" (@ mm) from the text panel. Or, as shown in varis- tions below, you might use a scissors to cut out a backing panel shape that is freeform. Remove the paper backing from one side of each solf-adhecive foam dot and affix to the back of the text panel Remove the paper backing from the other side of the foam dots and affix to the front panel of your card, Variations The shapes and colors you see in various decorative papers can provide inspiration and ideas for the shapes and colors of your floating panels. Foundational Hand 67Tiny Artist’s Book Tell a little story or joke, write a poem or a song ... but keep it brief! This small book has only four panels. Here’s your chance to be as fun and funky as you like—that’s what an artist’s book is all about. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ‘+ How to plan spacing on book pages + How to bind a paper book WHAT YOU'LL NEED ‘+ one sheet decorated cover stock ‘+ several sheets of 110 Ib (165.5 gsm; medium thick) text-weight paper * black calligraphy ink + 12" (30.5 cm) lenath of thin ribbon or cord for binding + 2mm calligraphy fountain pen + pencil * gtid ruler + steeledge ruler ‘+ bone folder craft knife: bookbinder's awl (or corsage pin) two large paperclips + cutting mat © TAP held scoring wheels anc © table-top scoring machines. Let’s Begin On a sheet of text paper, write out your text quickly and casually, breaking it up roughly into four similar-sized panels. Include illus- trations if you feel like it. Rather than trying to ft your writing into a predetermined page size, just see how your four blocks of text shape up. Do this 2 few times if necessary, trying out different letter sizes, page breaks, and writing styles Decide the size of the folded page. Based on the way this story shaped up, the live area (area covered by writing) was doter- mined to be 2%" wide « 3" high @ » 76 cm), with a trimmed page size of 346" wide » 34” high (79 « 89 em). An extra 4" (6 mm) is added to all sides but the folded side, and will be trimmed away later. (Note how block of text is placed slightly to the left of the page so that it will appear centered when the book is trimmed) (Step 2 shown on nest page) Fes, ‘aes Founcational Hano 68Tiny Artist’s Book Cut two pieces of text-weight paper and one piece of cover stock 634" wide » 4” high (172 102 em). When cutting cover stock, be sure to cut so the fold runs the same direction as the grain ENZO wasther.weueestine of the paper (page 63). Fold the two text pieces in cat's name. “He a8 5 half, using a bone folder to get a crisp edge. Nestle Sk shed 7 the two folded pages one inside the other, and pee ee use a pencil to lightly number the odd-numbered 2. tes a he gost ‘pages in the lower right corners. Use serap card APPEARED. stock to cut a rectangle the size of your live area (in this ease, 2%" wide » 3° high [6 « 75 em]) and / use as a template to lightly outline in pencil where the live area will be on each of the odd-numbered aon a8 2 (@ mm addes on gy x ae pages. Remember to position the live area closer three ses toriiim: 79% 8.9.em> ming later to the fold than to the right side, since %" (6 mm) will be trimmed from the right side of the page in the end. 4 Lightly peneil in your text based on your rough layouts. Or ty it without pencil guidelines and see what happens. Make sure your hands are free of ink spots and your work surface is clean, Have a scrap of the same paper you are using for the pages handy to try the pen before you begin a line, Use e smell piece of vellum post tioned under your writing hand so that your skin does not come into contact with the paper. Once you've finished a panel, allow plenty of time for the ink to dry before working on the panel on the opposite side of the page QUICK REFERENCE (Cover stock. This project uses some ofthe “pattern-alay” Paper created on pages 35 to 37. It pays to hold onto your scraps and test papers. Clean. Gils rom your fingers can be easily transferred to the calligraphy paper, making areas where the ink refuses tostick, Always wash your hands well and avoid hand lotions before writing. I's also a good idea to clean and dy the barrel of your pen to remave the chance of ink getting onto your fingers and then onto the paper. 70 calligraphy 101On the inside of the caver, peneil a line exactly down the middle where you want the fold to be. Place facedown on a clean surface that has some give, such ae cutting pad or several sheets of blotter paper. Position a steel-edge ruler Just next to the pencil line (not directly on top of it) and draw the tip of the bone folder along the edce of the ruler and over the pencil line. It is important to hold the ruler firmly and press fairly hard with the bone folder. You may need to repeat this a few times to obtain a deep score, especially on very heavy stocks. Fold the cover, then smooth over the fold with the bone folder. ‘After your pages have thoroughly dried, use a kneaded rubber eraser to remove any pencil ‘marks from your lettering. For removing pencil marks from where there is no ink, use a white rub: ber eraser, which actually removes microscopic bits of the paper surface, and will erase calligraphy ink too, so handle with care! Smooth over the folds with the bone folder for crispness. Position your pages (in the correct order) inside your cover, using paper clips to ensure thet the folds of the peper are positioned tightly ageinst the cover feld. Use a bookbinder’s awl or corsage pin to poke holes through the folded layers about 1" (1.3 cm) from the top and bottom edges. Cut # 12" (30 cm) length of your chocen binding meterial and thread through the holes so that both ends come out on the outeide of the book. Tie cord and trim off excess, Position book on a cutting mat and use a straightedge ruler and craft knife to trim %4" (6 mm) from top, bot- tom, and right sides. Be sure to hold the ruler very firmly while doing this, cutting slowly and cleanly. Don’t rush or push hard; you will need to make several light, even cuts to get through all the layers of paper. Foundational Hand n