How Can I Improve My Calligraphy?
One question that I always see online is “How can I improve my calligraphy?”
Indeed it’s a question that I pretty much ask myself all the time especially when struggling to learn different styles. In the case of pretty much everything we learn, including calligraphy - the best advice really is “practice makes perfect”.
Balls…
I know at the moment that feels like it’s the most obvious and unhelpful advice. I also would have been pretty bloody annoyed if someone kept telling me that during my lowest moments of self reflection. But you know I didn’t have that advice, and I wonder if it would have taken me so long to learn calligraphy if I had a cheerleader prodding me to pick up that pen and keep going. But nope I had a little tantrum, I blamed myself for my talentless hands and lack of ability and left it 3 years (each time I add) to start the same cycle again.
What made me change my outlook?
For me it was good old perseverance and dogged determination to master a lettering style that I was in love with. I gave myself one last time, gave myself a kick up the bum and got on with it. By this point I had read enough books, followed enough calligraphers on Instagram and watched plenty of videos to learn that warm ups and basic drills were going to be the key to my success. It was now or never. I found that instead of rushing straight into a project and making the same mistakes over and again, if I allowed myself twenty minutes to do those “boring” drills and basic strokes each time, I was able to iron out any wobbles allowing me to enjoy creating some of my favourite letterforms. I started to incorporate strokes and words that I would struggle with, in particular “y” and the word “the”.
I also saw people sharing their work, from when they started and compared it to when they were writing some beautiful calligraphy such as Odette Placido Hackney shares below, the first picture dated 2018 and the most recent 2020.
In summary, calligraphy is not about powering through projects it’s about mastering the basics to gain an understanding of how the lettering is composed. Take your time and allow yourself to make mistakes but keep on keeping on and do not give up. We have all been there.
Want to know more? Two podcasts that I have recently listening to mention the importance of warm ups and taking your time, here they are:-
Calligraphy Masters interview with the fantastic Paul Antonio - https://youtu.be/uOxuS6Zlgd8
The Calligraphy Podcast, Episode 13. Developing a Productive Calligraphy Practice http://thecalligraphypodcast.libsyn.com/episode13-thecalligraphypodcast-practice
Want help improving your calligraphy?
Every Monday evening at 6pm, you can join my Facebook Live where I go through my favourite basic strokes and warm ups. It’s a 20 minute session and you can work alongside me asking any questions about practice - here’s the link to my group https://www.facebook.com/groups/wildseacalligraphycollective
View my upcoming calligraphy improvers series or you can book a 1-2-1 workshop and get some video support with your calligraphy styles including composition, flourishing and envelope calligraphy.
