It’s almost springtime in the Northern Hemisphere — and while flowers aren’t quite in bloom yet, they will be soon! Let’s celebrate the new season with a simple worksheet designed to help you work on writing bouncy calligraphy.
If you like a bohemian/artistic look, bouncy calligraphy is fantastic! It offers a stress-free way to write because you don’t have to worry about drawing pencil guidelines. Letter formations are welcome to be inconsistent as long as they’re legible, and lingering flourishes fit right in. In today’s worksheet, we’ll practice writing a springtime quote in bouncy Kaitlin Style calligraphy.
First, click here to download the worksheet for free. Then, print it out on a dip pen-friendly paper like 32# laserjet. Get out your favorite dip pen and nib combination (I used a Brause EF66 oblique pen + nib), and a black ink like sumi. Then, when you’ve got a free hour or so, sit down to fill out the worksheet!
Even though bouncy calligraphy provides a fuss-free way to write, it can be intimidating! Most newcomers to this calligraphy style believe that there’s a specific formula to the letters’ bounce. In reality, the bounce pattern is mostly random. The end goal is to bounce letters up and down while still keeping the average word baseline nice and straight. Today’s worksheet does a good job of helping you to practice that orderly bounce!
The worksheet offers a lot of guided practice to help you get comfortable writing bouncy calligraphy. In the worksheet, you’ll trace over three different versions of the quote. Each version sheds a layer of “training wheels” to help you get comfortable writing the quote without help. Finally, you’ll end by writing the quote on your own … with the aid of a few guidelines.
Though I’ve provided guidelines in the worksheet, you don’t necessarily need them to write “real life” bouncy calligraphy. For an extra challenge, try writing out this quote on a blank sheet of paper (without guidelines) after you’ve filled out the worksheet!
Kaitlin Style calligraphy is TPK’s signature bouncy calligraphy style. I love this style because it takes very little time to write, and it doesn’t require a lot of fuss. There’s no need to draw pencil guidelines or worry a lot about centering.
The only disadvantage of Kaitlin Style/bouncy calligraphy is it might not be appropriate for all occasions. It has a playful look to it, so I wouldn’t use it to address materials for a very formal wedding, for example. Still: everyone has the occasion to make casual calligraphy at some point, so this is a great calligraphy style to have under your belt! You can find the Kaitlin Style worksheet — which features tons of practice — here. A basic Kaitlin Style exemplar is available for download here.
I hope that you enjoy today’s free springtime quote worksheet, and that it helps you to discover the wonderful world of bouncy calligraphy. Happy spring, and happy writing!
Warmly,
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