Learning calligraphy starts with understanding basic strokes, choosing the right tools, and practicing consistently. Beginners can start with a calligraphy or brush pen and practice individual strokes before moving on to letters, words, and more decorative styles.
You don’t need expensive tools or perfect handwriting to get started. Focus first on controlling your pen, creating consistent strokes, and learning basic letterforms. As your skills improve, you can experiment with different calligraphy and hand lettering styles and develop a style of your own.
Nowadays, it’s all about texting or posting online, and scribbling one’s signature is perfectly acceptable. There’s virtually no need to perfect one’s handwriting anymore, right? January 23 celebrates National Handwriting Day and the beauty of the written word. It’s also the birthday of John Hancock, who was the first to famously put ink to paper and sign the Declaration of Independence.
If you plan to turn your calligraphy or hand lettering into a printed design, make sure the artwork is prepared correctly before uploading it. Our guide on how to prepare files for printing covers the basics for getting artwork print-ready.
Even cursive handwriting is all but history in public school curriculums. When most U.S. states adopted the Common Core curriculum standards in 2010, learning script was no longer a requirement. Instead, the new English Language Arts and Literacy standards favored lessons in keyboarding or other media and technology.
The art of penmanship is establishing its merit again, however, both in education and business. States have been passing their own laws that require cursive proficiency in public schools. These states are helping students write faster, think better and keep an art form alive.
In an age of mobile devices and digital communication, lettering and calligraphy are making a strong comeback at weddings, for holiday greetings and corporate branding. That means lettering artists and calligraphers are highly sought for their artistry.
Calligraphy vs. Hand Lettering: What’s the Difference?
Calligraphy and hand lettering both create decorative letters, but they use different techniques. Calligraphy focuses on writing letters with deliberate pen strokes, while hand lettering involves drawing and refining individual letterforms.
As type designer Gerrit Noordzij explains, lettering is a composition of letters hand drawn in multiple strokes, while calligraphy consists of words written with a single pass of the pen.
Both techniques can be used to create distinctive designs for invitations, cards, signs, branding, and print materials.
Master artists share their advice on tools, techniques, tips and good reads for creating striking handwritten words that can transform your print marketing materials.
How to Start Learning Calligraphy
If you’re new to calligraphy, focus on the fundamentals before experimenting with more advanced styles. Here are six simple steps to get started.
1. Choose the Right Calligraphy Tools
Start with a beginner-friendly calligraphy pen or brush pen and practice paper. As you gain experience, you can experiment with different nibs, inks, brushes, and writing tools to find what feels most comfortable.
2. Learn Basic Calligraphy Strokes
Practice individual strokes before trying to write complete letters or words. Learning how pressure, direction, and movement affect each stroke will give you more control over your writing.
3. Practice Basic Letterforms
Once you’re comfortable with individual strokes, begin practicing letters. Focus on consistent shapes, spacing, and proportions before moving on to cursive and more decorative calligraphy styles.
4. Focus on Posture and Pen Position
How you sit, position your paper, and hold your pen can affect your strokes. Keep a comfortable posture and experiment with your paper and pen angle until your movements feel controlled and natural.
5. Practice Consistently
Calligraphy improves with repetition. Regular practice helps develop muscle memory and makes your strokes more consistent. Even short practice sessions can help you gradually improve your technique.
6. Learn From Experienced Calligraphers
Studying professional calligraphers and lettering artists can help you understand different tools, techniques, and styles. Pay attention to how experienced artists form letters, control their tools, and develop their own distinctive approaches.
To help you get started, we gathered tools, techniques, tips, and recommended reads from professional lettering and calligraphy artists.
Seb Lester
He’s known as the “Banksy of Calligraphy” for his mesmerizing Instagram (@seblester) videos of calligraphy and hand lettering. Sebastian “Seb” Lester of East Sussex, England, is a master calligrapher and type designer whose graceful curves and dense strokes landed him gigs with NASA, for redesigns of J.D. Salinger book covers and as creator of Neo Sans, the official typeface chosen for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
Website: seblester.com
- Tools:
- Beginner: Pilot Parallel Pens; Manuscript Calligraphy Fountain Pens
- Novice: Brause Calligraphy Nibs; William Mitchell Calligraphy Nibs; and Automatic Pens
- Expert: Nikko G Nibs
- Reads:
- “Scribe: Artist of the Written Word” by John Stevens
- “Foundations of Calligraphy” by Sheila Waters
- “Mastering Calligraphy: The Complete Guide to Hand Lettering” by Gaye Godfrey-Nicholls
- Any of “The Speedball Textbook” series
John Stevens
Renowned lettering artist, author and teacher of the art, John Stevens (@calligraphile) was originally a sign painter in New York. Today he is a well-admired and highly sought-after lecturer at universities, conferences and exclusive workshops. With much influence from Roman letterforms, his A-list clients include Disney, HBO, Lucasfilm, Rolling Stone and Pepsi with mentions in dozens of books and publications.
Website: johnstevensdesign.com
- Tools:
- Beginner: Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pen; Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen; Kuretake Zig Letter Pen; Pilot Futayaku Double-Sided Brush Pen
- Dramatic Lettering: Pentel Pigment Brush Pen; Copic Gasenfude Nylon Brush Pen; Royal Talens Ecoline Watercolor Brush Pen; Uni Brush Pen Set
- Asian calligraphy: Pentel Pocket Brush Pen; Sailor Mitsuo Aida Double-Sided Brush Pens; Kuretake Bimoji Brush Pen; Kuretake No. 13 Fountain Brush Pens
- Techniques & Tips:
- The Roman letterform is not one fixed style and has a simplicity within its complexity.
- Basic structures for lettering should be learned in the following order: capitals, minuscules, then cursive.
- Using a ductus to practice does not allow artists to add variation and movement to lettering.
- Working through problems helps develop your penmanship.
Paul Antonio
As a young boy in his native Trinidad, Paul Antonio (@pascribe) would comb the beach for turkey vulture feathers to use as his writing instrument. Inspired by maps bearing decorative Gothic lettering, the future calligrapher developed a fascination for flowery script. Fast forward to present day, Antonio has made London his home where he produces gorgeous lettering and calligraphy for luxury brands, such as Tiffany & Co. and Versace, and is also a scribe producing official royal documents for the Crown Office.
Website: paulantonioscribe.com
- Tools:
- Pointed pen work: Manuscript Leonardt EF Principal, Gillott 303, Hunt 56 and Hunt 22B with Pelikan 4001 ink
- Square pen work: William Mitchell Roundhand nibs, Manuscript Roundhand nibs and Automatic pens
- Techniques & Tips:
- 80 percent is thinking, 20 percent is writing.
- Before beginning, adjust position, posture and placement of the paper. Posture is critical: Sit straight, feet flat on the floor, shoulders relaxed and paper on the table at a 55-degree angle.
- Reads:
- “The Art of Calligraphy: A Practical Guide to the Skills and Techniques” by David Harris
Callie Hegstrom
Overnight Prints customer Callie Hegstrom (@makemediaco) went from freelance designer to full-time font-maker and lettering queen. She focuses on colors, shapes and design composition to create original font families like the rustic Buttermilk Farmhouse and charming Magnolia Merchant as a follow-up. Hegstrom has designed nearly a dozen handcrafted fonts using her beloved iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. Her work has graced the covers of Better Housekeeping and Sports Illustrated magazines, and has been used by Bath & Body Works, Michael’s, Minted and Dole.
- Tools:
- iPad Pro and Apple Pencil
- Techniques & Tips:
- Influences from lettering artists Stefan Kunz, Ian Barnard, Jessica Hische, Angela Southern and Nicky Laatz.
- Reads:
- How to Learn Lettering: 50 Free Tutorials and Pro Tips by CreativeMarket.com
Katie King Rumford
A childhood passion for hand lettering and sign making became an award-winning specialty for designer, illustrator and Overnight Prints customer Katie King Rumford (@katiekingrumford). From self-taught font creations to brushes with legendary chalk-lettering artist Dana Tanamachi, Rumford combines her formal degrees in fine arts and graphic design with “fun free time” for her notable work with Google and awards from the Art Director’s Club. She enjoys creating in any medium including charcoal, paint and even honey in India ink, used to imitate a spilled oil drum. Rumford draws inspiration from the work of Jessica Walsh, James Victore and the collective work of Franz Kline.
Website: katiekingrumford.com
- Tools:
- Faber Castell PITT Artist Pen B (Black 199)
- Tombow ABT Dual Brush Pen (N15)
- Tracing paper and graph paper
- Pencil and a really great eraser
- Techniques & Tips:
- Use softer brush nibs and hand motions to guide the natural weight of letters.
- Refine hand illustrations with tracing paper and pencil or pen.
- Reads:
- “Hand to Type: Scripts, Hand-Lettering and Calligraphy” published by Gestalten
- “DIY Type: 50+ Typographic Stencils for Decorating, Crafting, and Gifting” by Dana Tanamachi – A good starting point for a beginner interested in the field.
- “Sharpie Art Workshop: Techniques and Ideas for Transforming Your World” by Timothy Goodman – A fun approach to lettering.
Practice your “John Hancock” and keep the tradition of cursive handwriting alive not just today but every day. For more art and design inspiration, subscribe to the Overnight Prints Blog.
Frequently Asked Questions About Learning Calligraphy
How do I start learning calligraphy?
Start by learning basic calligraphy strokes with a beginner-friendly calligraphy or brush pen. Practice individual strokes first, then move on to letters, words, and complete phrases. Focus on consistent shapes, spacing, pressure, and pen control as you practice.
Can I teach myself calligraphy?
Yes. You can learn calligraphy on your own by practicing basic strokes and letterforms and studying techniques from experienced calligraphers. Start with beginner exercises and practice regularly before moving on to more advanced lettering styles.
Is calligraphy hard to learn?
Calligraphy takes practice, but beginners can learn the basics without previous experience. The key is to start with simple strokes and letterforms instead of trying to create elaborate designs immediately. Consistent practice will help improve your control and technique over time.
What do I need to start learning calligraphy?
Beginners can start with a calligraphy pen or brush pen and suitable practice paper. As you develop your skills, you can experiment with different nibs, inks, brushes, and other tools to explore different calligraphy styles.
What is the best calligraphy pen for beginners?
A beginner-friendly brush pen or calligraphy fountain pen can make learning easier because it allows you to focus on basic strokes and letterforms. The artists featured in this guide recommend options such as Pilot Parallel Pens, Manuscript Calligraphy Fountain Pens, Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pens, and Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens.
How long does it take to learn calligraphy?
There is no set amount of time because progress depends on how often you practice and the style you want to learn. You can begin learning basic strokes and letterforms quickly, while developing consistent, polished calligraphy requires regular practice and patience.
How often should beginners practice calligraphy?
Regular, short practice sessions are a good way to develop control and muscle memory. Focus on the quality and consistency of your strokes rather than trying to practice for long periods at once.
What is the difference between calligraphy and hand lettering?
Calligraphy focuses on writing letters using deliberate pen strokes, while hand lettering involves drawing and refining letterforms. Both can create decorative text, but the process used to create the letters is different.
Should I learn calligraphy or hand lettering first?
It depends on what you want to create. Calligraphy is a good starting point if you want to learn controlled pen strokes and traditional writing styles. Hand lettering may be better if you are more interested in drawing, illustrating, and customizing individual letterforms.
