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  • TPK’s Best Calligraphy Tutorials for All Levels

    by

    Lindsey Bugbee

    ,

    For today’s article, I collected the calligraphy tutorials that I find myself referring readers to again and again! From the best information for beginners to motivational tutorials for intermediate to advanced levels, there’s something here for everyone.

    Pointed pen calligraphy butterfly themed Mother's Day cards
    The Butterfly-Themed Calligraphy Mother’s Day Card Tutorial is a great intermediate to advanced project.

    The TPK blog is a treasure trove of calligraphy tutorials. Some articles offer guidance that’s truly invaluable, pushing your practice to new heights. However, like any vast collection, finding exactly what you need can take a bit of digging! So, in today’s post, I’ve curated a list of the pointed pen calligraphy articles and tutorials I find myself directing readers to again and again. To make it easier for you, I’ve organized the tutorials by skill level to help you find the perfect match for your current needs.

    1. Beginner Calligraphy Tutorials

    The Beginner's Guide to Modern Calligraphy

    “Where do I start?” is the question that I receive most from calligraphy beginners. I always point them to The Beginner’s Guide to Modern Calligraphy. In that article, I outline everything you need to know to get started. There are several other helpful articles for the beginner, though! They are:

    2. Beginner+ Tutorials

    Not Your Average Calligraphy Drills Sheet | The Postman's Knock

    A “beginner+” is someone who has started learning but doesn’t quite have the basics down yet. These are the best calligraphy tutorials for that person:

    3. Pointed Pen Calligraphy Nib Information and Tutorials (Beginner+ to Intermediate)

    Calligraphy Nibs

    These articles, which hone in on pointed pen nibs, will come in handy for anyone who is beginner+ to intermediate level.

    • Which Calligraphy Nibs to Use and Why – It’s nice to switch up your nibs as your calligraphy abilities improve! In this article, you’ll learn about four different calligraphy nibs and what you can expect from each of those nibs.
    • How to Get the Most Out of Your Pointed Pen Nibs – This article offers tips on selecting, maintaining, and cleaning your nibs to ensure they perform at their best and enhance your calligraphy experience.
    • How to Know When a Calligraphy Nib is Done – For many people, it’s difficult to tell when it’s time to switch out nibs. A nib can wear out so gradually that you don’t notice when it’s not writing at peak performance! That’s why this article is an important read.

    4. Ink Tutorials (Beginner+ to Intermediate)

    Writing Gold Calligraphy

    Once you’ve mastered your first ink (likely sumi or India), you’ll probably want to try out different inks. It’s also important to know how to troubleshoot those inks. The calligraphy tutorials below focus on inks, and they’re perfect for the intermediate (or intermediate-ish) learner.

    5. Intermediate Calligraphy Tutorials

    State Calligraphy Art

    Once you’re feeling more confident with the dip pen, it’s time to start using it to make cool projects! Here are some calligraphy tutorial that will inspire you to get to writing:

    6. Calligraphy Eye Candy for All Levels

    Two Hours, Four Fancy Envelopes
    These envelopes appear in the Two Hours, Four Artistic Envelopes post.

    If you really just want to see some pretty calligraphy to get ideas for what to make next, check out the following:

    Even if you recognized a few of these articles, my hope is that this compilation presented you with some calligraphy tutorials that help you to move forward in your practice! If you have any questions about something that’s not on this list, I’m happy to answer. Feel free to ask in the comments; I’m glad to help. 🙂

    Warmly,

    This article was originally published in January 2021. It has been revised to include fresh articles, tutorials, and photos.