About the New Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course

Through January 2026, TPK Premium and Premium Plus members have the opportunity to work through a completely new Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course. We’ll tackle a new lesson every three weeks, with class discussions and Discord feedback/encouragement in between! If you’re new to pointed pen calligraphy or looking to brush up on your skills, I highly recommend that you join us.

About the New Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course

Over the summer, Premium members and I tried a new lesson-by-lesson format. We met for live class discussions on Zoom, and in between lessons we used Discord to chat, share photos, and give feedback and encouragement. The results were amazing: I could see exactly where students were getting stuck and address those challenges in real time. The format worked so well that I knew I had to bring it to TPK’s most popular online course.

The 2025 version of the course will include six lessons and six live class discussions. We’ll move at a comfortable pace, with breaks between lessons to enjoy fun TPK Blog tutorials that build on what you’re learning. By January, you’ll be creating pointed pen calligraphy you can feel proud of — and you’ll be excited to keep growing your skills.

Course Supply List

The TPK Modern Calligraphy Starter Kit includes all the main supplies you need for the course, with the exception of a regular pen, a regular pencil, a potato, and laserjet paper.

Assembling supplies a la carte will save you a bit of money. Here’s a detailed supply list if you wish to do that:

• Any pen or pencil – I use Pilot G2 05 pens.
• A Nikko G nib
• A Brause EF66 nib
• A starchy potato (such as Russet) – You’ll need this to prepare your nib for use.
• A straight calligraphy pen
• A brass-flanged oblique pen fitted for a Nikko G pen (Lefties can skip purchasing this supply at the beginning. A left-handed oblique is included in the lefty starter kit.)
• Sumi or India ink – you’ll need to transfer some of it to a small jar.
• 32# Laserjet paper – If you can find it, HP Premium is best.
• Access to a printer – So you can print off the Beginner Modern Calligraphy Online Course worksheet set. (No printer? TPK’s calligraphy starter kit comes with the worksheet.)
• A scrap of tightly woven cotton cloth
• A cup of clean tap water

Course Schedule

Lesson 1: Faux + Pencil Calligraphy (Launches Friday, August 29th) – We’re going to kick off your calligraphy learning experience by using familiar writing instruments: a regular pen and a pencil. As you write, you’ll gain an understanding of stroke widths and pressure exertion, which will help when we move on to using the pointed pen. The Lesson 1 class discussion will take place on Friday, September 12th.

Lesson 2: Pointed Pen Calligraphy Supplies (Launches Friday, September 19th) – While the fanciest supplies won’t automatically make you the best calligrapher, it is incredibly important to start with a strategic collection of specific tools. In this lesson, you’ll learn which calligraphy supplies you need, how to prepare those supplies for writing, and how to set up your workspace. The Lesson 2 class discussion will take place on Friday, October 3rd.

Lesson 3: The Straight Pen Holder (Launches Friday, October 10th) – Once you’re familiar with your pointed pen calligraphy supplies, we’ll move on to using the straight pointed pen. Since this is your first rendezvous with a dip pen, remember to be patient with yourself. Watch the videos, take notes, and don’t get discouraged if your homework doesn’t end up looking perfect. (No one starts off writing immaculate calligraphy!) The Lesson 3 class discussion will take place on Friday, October 24th.

Lesson 4: The Oblique Pen Holder (Launches Friday, October 31st) – If you’re right-handed, the oblique calligraphy pen will more than likely become your pen of choice. Despite its intimidating appearance, the oblique pen is a simple device that aids your writing angle. (A left oblique pen may or may not help lefties, which is something we’ll explore in this lesson as well.) The Lesson 4 class discussion will take place on Friday, November 14th.

Lesson 5: Guidelines, Slant Lines, and Layouts (Launches Friday, November 21st) – In this lesson, we’ll cover three topics that are vital to the success of your calligraphy projects: designing and using effective guidelines, slant lines, and layouts. (In the process, we’ll also explore how to effectively address an envelope.) The Lesson 5 class discussion will take place on Friday, December 5th.

Lesson 6: Drills and Practice to Boost Your Skills (Launches Friday, December 12th)
The best way to get better at anything is to practice! In this lesson, we’ll do several engaging drills together, and we’ll make a game plan that ensures continuous improvement. The Lesson 6 class discussion will occur after the holiday season ends and things have time to settle down a bit, on Monday, January 5th.

Complementing Your Learning Experience with the TPK Premium Discord

Discord allows TPK Premium members to connect and share work as they take this course. Discord is a simple, forum-esque platform where TPK Premium members can chat, share assignment photos, ask questions, and support each other throughout the course.

You are always welcome to ask course-related questions in the lesson discussion section within the course. Asking questions in Discord, however, will get you quicker feedback — and you can easily upload photos there. If you’ve never heard of Discord, it’s essentially a chatroom that is exclusively for TPK Premium members. I keep a close eye on questions there; and you may find that other Premium members are able to help, too!

Note that you must be a TPK Premium or Premium Plus member to connect with us on the TPK Discord.

I am really looking forward to working through this course with you! Thanks so much for your interest, and I’ll see you in Lesson 1!