Calligraphy Slant Lines Explained

If you’re new to calligraphy, you may have noticed some diagonal lines on practice sheets. Those are called “slant lines”, and today we’re going to talk about what they are, why they’re useful, and when to use them.

The Importance of Calligraphy Slant Lines

In my early days of pointed pen calligraphy, I didn’t know about slant lines. I used to rely on ‘eyeballing’ the slant of my letters, and though the results were decent, they lacked a certain finesse. The moment I introduced slant lines into my work, it elevated to a level of elegance I had never achieved before!

Slant lines help you to produce calligraphy that’s sophisticated and clean. While you don’t have to use slant lines all the time (I sometimes skip them when creating Kaitlin Style calligraphy), it’s worth taking the extra time to make them!

What are Slant Lines?

Slant lines are diagonal guidelines that are usually angled between 52 and 55 degrees. They exist to help ensure that all the significant vertical strokes in your calligraphy are parallel to one another. This will give your writing a consistent, professional look. For example, observe the “hello” below. The significant vertical strokes (those written in red) are parallel to the diagonal pencil lines.

Do Slant Lines Help With Letter Spacing?

Unfortunately, slant lines aren’t much of a help when it comes to letter spacing. That’s because all letters have different widths. An “m”, for example, is significantly wider than an “i”. As a result, it’s difficult to use slant lines to ensure consistent space between letters as you write. That’s just something you’ll have to eyeball (and the Calligraphy Spacing Cross Drills Worksheet can help you with that).

When to Use Slant Lines

You should always use slant lines in your calligraphy practice because they help you to naturally write with a consistent slant. It’s kind of like training wheels on a bicycle … you get used to writing with the slant lines. Then, if for some reason you can’t use them on a project, you’re better at making that consistent slant.

When you incorporate slant lines into your projects, you can count on polished and pretty script. The flourished “Congrats” envelope below, for example, benefits enormously from the guidance of slant lines.

How to Make Slant Lines

Slant lines aren’t difficult to make, and I’ll show you two techniques for adding them to your project in the video below. It’s easiest to make these lines if you have a parallel glider on hand.

When Not to Use Slant Lines

While many projects benefit from slant lines, it’s perfectly fine to skip using them. I rarely use slant lines for casual projects or just-for-fun calligraphy doodles. Basically, if you just want to play and have fun, feel free to eschew the slant lines.

Slant Line FAQs

I’ve received several questions over the years about slant lines. Below, you’ll find a mini FAQ based on those questions to clear up any confusion:

Question: How do I determine the correct angle for slant lines? – A traditional (copperplate/spencerian) slant line angle is 52-55 degrees. But, feel free to play with that in order to make calligraphy that feels authentic to you! I use 90 degree slant lines to make Amy Style calligraphy.

Question: How do I erase slant lines without smudging ink? – Wait for your ink to completely dry before erasing! For inks like iron gall or sumi, drying time is just a couple of minutes. For paint-like inks like Bleed Proof White, it’s best to wait overnight if possible.

Question: Are there specific styles of calligraphy where slant lines are not recommended or necessary? – Yes! While you can use slant lines for any calligraphy style, they’re not strictly necessary for bouncy styles like Kaitlin or Cocktail Casual.

Question: How do I adjust slant lines for different sizes of calligraphy? – You don’t! A 55 degree slant line looks the same for a letter, whether that letter is one inch tall or one centimeter tall.

As you continue your calligraphy journey, don’t underestimate the impact that slant lines can have on your work. They provide the structure and consistency needed for elegant, professional-looking lettering. But remember, the most important thing is to enjoy the process and let your creativity flow—slant lines or not!

Thanks very much for reading TPK, and enjoy the rest of your week.

Warmly,