Thursday 30 September 2010

Using A Good Calligraphy Guide

Calligraphy is an art and it requires a lot of practice and hard work to master. However, whether you have mastered the art or are a complete beginner it is always good to use a calligraphy guide while working since it will show you the spacing of letters and the angles that should be created when practicing any style of calligraphy.

Though it is possible to create one's own calligraphy guide by keeping track of the letters meant for practice, it is also advisable to get a professional guide that will provide the best accuracy and consistency. It is easy to get this guide sheet from the internet by downloading it onto your system and then getting it printed.

If you are a beginner you may not be aware that there are many styles in calligraphy and hence many calligraphy guide sheets are available for the different styles. These guide sheets produce different angles and lines for each lettering type. These guide lines will teach you how to work on Theodoric style of the medieval period, Offenbach Chancery Font and Fiorenza Font of the renaissance period. With these styles you can place the angles of writing either to the right or use vertical and high lines.

Normally a calligraphy guide is used with a piece of tracing paper. The guide can be placed under the paper from where you can draw over the guide lines. For this purpose you should choose the right types of paper. For instance paper like heavy vellum is not favorable for this purpose as the parchment is very thick and you cannot see the guide lines through it. If you are using this paper you will have to make heavy lines with a pen over the guide before using it for calligraphy writing.

Many years ago, people made paper out of parchments obtained from goatskin, calfskin or sheep skin for calligraphy writing. Though it was meant to be appealing then, today it does not find a place in the art of calligraphy writing. Paper like vellum, bond, linen and many other types of typing paper are used for this purpose. When buying paper you should experiment on each of them with your nib and ink to choose the right paper.

Calligraphy is an art of skill and neatness, not a contest of speed. Hence when practicing calligraphy one should make use of the calligraphy guide, spending much time going carefully and thoroughly through the various lines for the best results. By practicing slowly and carefully you can achieve perfection in time.

Edward Ashcroft-Hamilton is a passionate calligraphy teacher and artist. Click the following link for more great tips and advice on calligraphy guide

Also, for your FREE 10 DAY MINI CALLIGRAPHY COURSE, don't forget to visit www.calligraphywizard.com

No comments:

Post a Comment