Before I ever held a pointed pen, these pieces made me *want* to. Here are eight examples that gave me the motivation to start … and still spark creative energy in me today.
In Lesson 1 of The Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course, I encourage you to seek out examples of calligraphy that spark your creativity. In that same spirit, I’m rewinding 10+ years to share the pieces that helped me fall in love with the pointed pen. These are some examples that made me think, “I have to learn how to do that”! Today, I’m highlighting eight pieces of early inspiration and explaining why they meant so much to me.
There were two main colors that piqued my interest in the pointed pen: white and gold. I couldn’t help but notice that, when paired with a dip pen, these two colors are dazzling and opaque. This is one of the gold calligraphy examples that crossed my radar in the early days, and I loved everything about it. The calligraphy is casual but skillful and the color scheme elegant. Envelopes like these sparked a passion for postage stamp collages, which is something I still love after all these years.
By the time I stumbled upon these contrast-filled envelopes, I had (thankfully!) already figured out how to use white ink. The flourishes were what really made me swoon. I loved the idea of writing addresses that are camouflaged in a jungle of happy flourishes, and Kathy’s work introduced me to that concept. For better or worse, I’ve been flourishing envelopes ever since.
I first came across Phyllis’ work in 2014, and I still remember the feeling I had when I discovered her Instagram feed. It was a mix of, “More … more … I need to see more!” and “I have to stop scrolling RIGHT NOW and try making something like this.” In trying to choose images for today’s article, that feeling came back. I’m still just as inspired by Phyllis’ incredible creativity as I was over a decade ago.
Heads up: Phyllis has been taking a well-deserved break from posting her work in order to spend time with her grandchildren. But, before she took that break, she wrote several incredible tutorials for TPK!
I first noticed Molly Suber Thorpe’s Modern Calligraphy (affiliate link) in 2014. I was visiting my mom at her house in Kansas, and the book practically called to me from the coffee table. It was hard not to devour every page! Molly was one of the first to embrace pointed pen calligraphy as a tool for modern expression, and her book made calligraphy feel fresh and accessible. After reading Modern Calligraphy, I was inspired to try writing with watercolors, coffee, and gouache. It was through Molly that I found the Brause EF66 nib, which remains my favorite to this day.
While I only recently discovered The Gift of Calligraphy, its author, Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls, has been on my list of inspirational artists for years. When I first saw Maybelle’s work, I was immediately enchanted by her signature style: expressive, organic, and full of personality. Her choppy, sometimes spindly strokes — along with her openness to ink bleeds and spatters — felt like a breath of fresh air. Instead of fussing over every mark, she embraces the spontaneity of the medium, which makes her work feel alive. For me, that was (and remains) a powerful reminder that calligraphy doesn’t have to be rigid to be eye-catching and delightful.
I will always love everything about the wedding map you see above: the color scheme, the lettering, the illustrations, and the energy. Danae’s Santa Fe map is what piqued my interest in combining calligraphy and illustrations to make maps, and that’s a project I’ve loved ever since.
The example above was a revelation to me as a beginner. It showed me that calligraphy doesn’t have to be complex to be compelling; just one graceful line of script can carry the entire piece. The playful bounce of the names, paired with clean block lettering for the address, strikes a good balance between whimsy and clarity. This calligraphy goes to show: you can keep things simple and still make something beautiful.
When you first set out to learn calligraphy, it’s hard not to laser-focus on the lettering aspect. Seeing examples of dainty pointed pen botanicals helped me to realize that calligraphy is much more than just alphabet characters! Photos like the one above planted that “think-beyond-the-letters” seed, and now I use the pointed pen to make everything from medallions to woodland creatures to people.
Now that you’ve seen what inspired me as a beginner (and, frankly, continues to inspire me), think about what kinds of calligraphy projects pull at you. Let yourself dream a little, and follow those threads. One of the best ways to spark inspiration is to collect examples that make you say, “Yes! I want to do that, too.” Keep them handy as you practice. And if you’re part of the TPK Premium Discord, don’t hesitate to share what you’re drawn to … examples include Pinterest boards, screenshots, or even calligraphers you admire.
Thanks so much for reading and for supporting this special creative space,
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