There’s more to improving your calligraphy skills than buying high-quality calligraphy tools online, though that certainly plays a part. It’s not possible to become a great calligrapher overnight—but as your trusted arts and crafts online store, we’ve got a few useful tips to help you:
Tip 1: Slow Things Down
Calligraphy tends to be slow, deliberate work—so it’s not wise to rush your practice or try to complete it quickly. Set aside some time every day and dedicate it to calligraphy practice. Eliminate all distractions and focus on taking your time with each stroke.
Tip 2: Pause Strategically
A small pause between strokes has practical benefits—such as more uniform spacing between your letters. But it also has other advantages, as it teaches your brain to build connections between different strokes.
Tip 3: Check Your Grip
It’s a rookie mistake to hold your calligraphy brush pen like a regular pen. Instead, follow these rules of thumb for a better grip:
- Maintain an approximately 45-degree angle between your pen and your notebook.
- Keep a firm, but not tight, grip on your pen. An iron grip will tire your hand much faster and disrupt your movements.
- Don’t grip your pen too close to the tip.
Remember that your comfort should be your biggest priority, so feel free to tweak these rules depending on your hand size.
Tip 4: Apply Appropriate Pressure
The pressure you apply to your brush pen is an important part of calligraphy, as it changes the thickness of your strokes and lines. Remember to apply only mild pressure on the upstrokes to create thin lines—and heavier pressure on the downstrokes for bolder, more prominent lines.
Tip 5: Add Dates to Your Practice Work
Including dates on all your practice work is a quick and convenient way to see how far you’ve come. It’s also a great source of motivation. When you’re feeling stuck in a rut, check out some of your early practice sheets to see how much you’ve improved. It’ll also help you with record-keeping, which is essential to keep track of your progress.
Conclusion
By making it a habit to practice slowly, pausing between strokes, correcting your grip, and paying attention to your pen pressure, you can significantly improve your calligraphy skills. You’ll be an excellent calligrapher before you know it with the help of these tips, some time, and lots of patience.
King’s Framing and Art Gallery has been the go-to online art supply store in Canada and more than 55 other countries for nearly thirteen years. Check out our products for acrylic paint sets, acrylic paintbrushes, drawing and painting accessories, and more. Contact us with your queries or for more information.
