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Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course
This Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course is guaranteed to help you build a solid calligraphy foundation. In it, we’ll start from scratch to teach you core calligraphy techniques. You’ll learn everything that I teach in my in-person calligraphy workshops and more.
My advice is to pay careful attention to the videos. As I write — especially with the dip pens — try to mimic what I’m doing. Pay attention, take notes, and don’t rush yourself. Remember that calligraphy is a slow, deliberate process! The most important thing is not to get frustrated. If you find yourself feeling down about your progress, call it a day and return to the course tomorrow with a fresh outlook.
Okay! Start by downloading the Course Worksheet*, which you can find in “Course Media”. Then, find a regular pen … we’ll begin with faux calligraphy in Lesson 1.
*You don’t need to download the Course Worksheet if you own TPK’s Modern Calligraphy Starter Kit. The kit workbook has all of the content and practice that you need for this course.
Note: if you’re on Facebook, consider joining (the 100% optional) TPK Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course Students group. As a member of the group, you can connect with other learners, share your calligraphy triumphs and tribulations, and post photos of your work. I’d love to see you there!
Lessons
Lesson 1: Preparing to Create Pointed Pen Calligraphy
We’re going to kick off your calligraphy learning experience by using a familiar writing instrument: a regular pen. Any pen will work to create “faux calligraphy” in this lesson! As you write, you’ll gain a thorough understanding of stroke widths, which will help when we move on to using the pointed pen.
Lesson 2: Pointed Pen Calligraphy Supplies
The wrong supplies can make for a very sour calligraphy experience. 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.
Lesson 3: The Straight Pen Holder
Now that you’re familiar with faux calligraphy and you have all your supplies, we’re moving on to the straight dip 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!)
Lesson 4: The Oblique Calligraphy Pen
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. It will help you to write slanted calligraphy, and you’ll likely notice an improvement in your posture as well. A left oblique pen may or may not help lefties, which is something we’ll explore in this lesson as well.
Lesson 5 (Optional): Creating Copperplate Calligraphy
If you’re ready for a challenge, try creating Copperplate, a traditional calligraphy style! Copperplate calligraphy requires patience and discipline to write, but the beautiful results are worth it. You can use your oblique pen or your straight pen for this lesson.
Lesson 6: Guidelines and Practice
In this lesson, we’ll cover two topics that will come in handy as you apply what you learned in this online course to “real life”. First, we’ll talk about how to create pencil guidelines. Then, we’ll explore different ways to practice your calligraphy.