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  • Welcome to TPK! This is your first of 2 free articles. For unlimited access to tutorials and articles, join TPK Premium for less than the cost of a latte.

    Free “Sonnet 18” Printable Calligraphy Worksheet

    June 29, 2021

    by

    Lindsey Bugbee

    Calligraphy Drills, Free Printables

    We’re about a week into summer 2021, which brings to mind Shakespeare’s iconic line from “Sonnet 18”. Today, I’m offering a free “Sonnet 18” printable calligraphy worksheet with drills, word practice, and a bit of flourishing!

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    Sonnet 18 Calligraphy Quote Worksheet
    You can download this four-page worksheet for free here.

    Summer is here, and this little worksheet is the perfect addition to a warm and relaxed day! In it, you’ll practice writing a line from Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 18”: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” The line is written in a slightly bouncy and flourished style to give you a bit of a challenge!

    Sonnet 18 Calligraphy Quote Worksheet

    How to Use This Printable Calligraphy Worksheet

    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 Nikko G oblique pen + nib), and a nice, smooth ink like sumi. Then, when you’ve got a few free minutes, sit down to take on the worksheet!

    Sonnet 18 Calligraphy Quote Worksheet
    This worksheet begins with a few drills to get you warmed up.

    Filling out this worksheet will help you to practice fun letterforms and a few calligraphy flourishes. It hones your calligraphy skills by providing progressively independent levels of practice writing the quote.

    Sonnet 18 Calligraphy Quote Worksheet

    The last two pages of the worksheet feature guidelines to help you write the quote on your own. Don’t forget to give your calligraphy the slightest bit of bounce!

    Sonnet 18 Calligraphy Quote Worksheet

    DOWNLOAD THE WORKSHEET HERE

    Tips for Success

    First, be sure to fill out the warm up exercises. There aren’t many, so completing that section will only take you a few minutes. Drills/exercises are an important part of any successful writing session! For the rest of the worksheet, give yourself permission to take your time and really concentrate on the letter formations.

    Remember that the point of calligraphy is to slow down! Summer days are long, so you’ve got time.

    Don’t forget, too, to keep a piece of “padding paper” under the paper you are writing on. (The padding paper can be another page of the worksheet, or just a plain piece of printer paper.) That extra padding helps to ensure smooth, balanced strokes and a more pleasant writing experience. As always, an entertaining podcast or audiobook will go a long way in making your practice session that much more pleasant. Enjoy!

    Warmly,

    Lindsey's Signature | The Postman's Knock

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About The Postman’s Knock (TPK)

Hi, I’m Lindsey Bugbee, the illustrator, calligrapher, and author behind The Postman’s Knock (TPK). Since 2012, the TPK Blog has been a vibrant creative space filled with tutorials and lessons on modern calligraphy, hand lettering, and illustration. After publishing The Calligraphy Book, I wanted to elevate the quality of content even further—so I launched TPK Premium. You can join here to receive access to some of the internet’s best creative inspiration and project tutorials.

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35 responses

  1. Jenni Avatar
    Jenni
    July 14, 2021

    Thank you for your generosity in sharing these worksheets and tips. <3

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    1. Lindsey Bugbee Avatar
      Lindsey Bugbee
      July 18, 2021

      Of course! I hope they’re helpful. 🙂

      Log in to Reply
  2. Kit Avatar
    Kit
    July 14, 2021

    I did not realize I should have another piece of paper below the one I am working one. Love those small tips you share with us :-)!

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  3. Sofia Lundgren Avatar
    Sofia Lundgren
    July 14, 2021

    Love this, definitely going to try this out!

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  4. Azalea Avatar
    Azalea
    July 14, 2021

    I enjoyed it very much! Thank you for this new worksheet! 🙂

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  5. Cheryl Coccorese Avatar
    Cheryl Coccorese
    July 14, 2021

    Love the sonnet and practice it daily. Thanks for your free printable always so helpful!

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  6. Monique S. Avatar
    Monique S.
    July 14, 2021

    I love this idea. Copying scripts and scriptures was a large part of how I was taught cursive. It will be interesting to see how it works for learning calligraphy. Thank you for sharing this.

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  7. Denise Chapel Avatar
    Denise Chapel
    July 14, 2021

    A TPK practice sheet is NEVER boring! I really appreciate your free printable practice sheets! Your are always inspiring me to continue on!!

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  8. Emalie Avatar
    Emalie
    July 14, 2021

    Lindsey you are so generous! This is going to be my weekend project!

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  9. Eleni Avatar
    Eleni
    July 14, 2021

    Always love free printables!

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  10. Melody Avatar
    Melody
    July 14, 2021

    I absolutely loooove this sonnet. It is beautiful!

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❤️ Valentine’s Day calligraphy drills ❤️ ❤️ Valentine’s Day calligraphy drills ❤️ I’m using a Nikko G nib, a straight pen, and Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bombay ink (red). Drills are good because they help you to practice your stroke contrast, writing rhythm, and spacing. You don’t have to do them *all* the time (projects also help you practice!), but I find them to be pretty relaxing ... even more so when they’re part of a worksheet, and all you really need to do is follow directions. 

The worksheet shown here is a freebie from TPK. Direct link can be found in the comments section! ✍️

#calligraphydrills #calligraphyworksheet #valentinesdaycalligraphy #valentinescalligraphy #calligraphypractice
WHAT a trip down memory lane, going through the 20 WHAT a trip down memory lane, going through the 2016 TPK Blog archives to make this little compilation. I loved 2016 and cannot believe it was a decade ago!! 😱 That year brought some of my favorite projects, like the calligraphy ampersand (which is still a popular tutorial), fabric wedding invitations, and George Style hand lettering. 2016 was also the year that my husband and I traveled to Brazil, which is still my favorite place I’ve ever visited. 

The year ended with a blitz of calligraphy workshops ... I taught in Portland, Berkeley, Brooklyn, and Tampa — all in close succession! November saw my family trying out brush pens (spoiler alert: only my 2-year-old niece, who is now 12, has stuck with brush pens), and December brought *the very first* TPK Holiday Calligraphy Worksheet set, which was created as the result of a reader request. 10 years later, I still make a new holiday worksheet set each year. 

Grateful for TPK’s 2016 ride, and I’m so looking forward to what 2026 holds! Thanks to everyone who has helped this creative corner of the internet continue to thrive. 🙏 🎨

#thepostmansknock #2016 #throwback #pointedpencalligraphy #calligraphy
There is nothing like a clean, well-organized wate There is nothing like a clean, well-organized watercolor chart. I used to make watercolor chart layouts using math and grids (which, trust me, was painful for someone like me, who doesn’t *love* numbers/measuring/calculations) ... then it occurred to me that I could use Photoshop to give myself a little boost. Much less math and fretting, which for me equals much more joy! Palette is from @greenleafblue — she made it so I could have a gorgeous palette for “The Calligraphy Book”, and this color chart definitely helped to boost the aesthetic of an already stunning supply. 🎨😍

If you’re curious about this technique for making a watercolor chart, you can search the TPK website for “watercolor chart” ... there’s a detailed blog post over how to use the template method that I’m showing you here!

#watercolorpalette #watercolorchart #colorchart #watercolorpaints #artchart
An X-Acto knife (aka a hobby knife) is one of thos An X-Acto knife (aka a hobby knife) is one of those tools that is indispensable for a lot of applications. It was designed to make precise cuts, which, of course, it does well! But, you can also use it to scrape off unwanted ink smears (pro tip: after the fact, you can smooth disturbed paper fibers with a pebble), create interesting interior cuts, trim tiny details that scissors can’t reach, make stencils and templates, refine collage elements, and gently correct small drawing or calligraphy mistakes.

I have used X-Acto knives for many TPK Blog tutorials, but up until last week, I’d never written a guide that puts the X-Acto knife front and center. That guide now exists, and you can find it by visiting the link 🔗 in my profile. Be sure to watch the tutorial video!

#xactoknife #hobbyknife #papercutting #papercutart #xactoknifeart
Just back in the TPK Supplies Shop: Finetec Arabic Just back in the TPK Supplies Shop: Finetec Arabic Gold watercolor pans (and the fabulous Finetec Golds palette). ✨ Gold makes *anything* gorgeous, but use it to make a calligraphy medallion, and it’s just next-level. 🤩 (Tutorial for this particular medallion can be found in the Dancing Pen Calligraphy Medallions Worksheet Set). 

To find the golds + the worksheet, visit the link in my bio, then navigate to “Shop”. Happy weekend! 

#goldcalligraphy #goldwatercolor #pointedpencalligraphy #fineteccoliro #goldcalligraphy
Hard to fit everything in, but this was 2025 in a Hard to fit everything in, but this was 2025 in a nutshell at TPK! 🥜

This year, I loved teaching at @thehappyevercrafter’s Workshop Week and participating in @calmingcalligraphy’s World Calligraphy as Meditation Day. And seeing the TPK calligraphy kit featured in @newyorkermag’s 2025 holiday gift guide was an unexpected (and delightful) cherry on top! 🍒

So much of what happened over the past year, though, was shaped by the TPK Premium community. Their questions and feedback helped guide Hand Lettering 101, while their encouragement fueled tutorials on topics ranging from turning red wine into calligraphy ink to illustrating recipes, painting with a wedge brush, and creating greeting cards and envelope art. 💌 That same support made it possible to create new worksheets and resources that others were able to enjoy as well, which I’m very grateful for. 

For a fuller recap (with helpful links and details) I shared a 2025 reflection on the TPK blog (link in bio).

#handlettering #gracefulenvelopecontest #pointedpencalligraphy #discordcommunity #calligraphyteacher
Which is your favorite koi-themed envelope? The fi Which is your favorite koi-themed envelope? The first one (A. Moreira), which was created as a prop for “The Calligraphy Book” ... *or* the second (Nigel Wright), which was created for the photographer who took pictures of the Moreira envelope for “The Calligraphy Book”? (When I heard how much Nigel had loved the first koi envelope, I made him his own variation!) 🎏

#mailart #snailmail #mailbox #snailmailrevolution #koiart
✨ A little comparison today … because not all ✨ A little comparison today ... because not all golds behave the same.

✦ Finetec gold → bright, cheerful, and versatile
✦ Greenleaf & Blueberry faux brass → softer, muted, and stunning
✦ Yasutomo pale gold → velvety, subtle shimmer with a sensible amount of sparkle

I love having all three on hand and choosing based on the feel I want for a project. It’s tough to go wrong! ✨

#moderncalligraphy #calligraphytools #goldink #watercolorcalligraphy #letteringcommunity mailart calligraphypractice artmaterials creativeprocess handlettering
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