If you’ve ever tried to learn calligraphy, you’ll know that it can be challenging. But it’s also incredibly rewarding when you get the hang of it. As an art form, calligraphy has been around for centuries. In some cultures, like the Middle East and East Asia, it is given the same reverence as sculpture or painting.

So, if you want to get to grips with calligraphy, what do you need to know? Here are our top three tips for getting started. 

1. Practise with what you already have

When you are learning, start by using pens and pencils you already own. This will give you time to get to grips with the basic movements you need to make to create each letter. Calligraphy is different from writing normally, so don’t rush this process.

Once you feel comfortable with the strokes for each letter, you can invest in some calligraphy paper to help you learn lettering patterns and take your calligraphy to the next level. 

2. Learn about upstrokes and downstrokes

This is one of the basic steps to mastering calligraphy. Each letter is made up of upstrokes and downstrokes, which refers to the direction in which you move your pen or brush as you write them. 

In addition, upstrokes are always thin and downstrokes are always thick, which is what gives calligraphy its beautiful appearance. The key is to break each letter down into the different strokes you need to make to write it. 

3. Practice!

The only real way to get better at calligraphy is to practise a lot. There are various exercises you can do to help you start to get the movements and strokes right, such as simply practicing up and downstrokes without trying to write a specific letter. 

There are also many different styles of calligraphy, so even if you master one way of writing, there will be plenty of new ones to learn. When you’re starting out, pick one style that appeals to you and focus your efforts here.

By being consistent, you’ll make progress more quickly and then you can take what you learn here and apply it to different styles.