This post will cover the all time commonly asked questions about calligraphy like material
s, resources, inspiration, etc.
How to get started ?
Grab tools, practice only basic strokes for several days for your desired scripts then move to letters, then words, then sentences and so on.
What tools ?
There are variety of tools from which you can start with ranging in cost from free to hellfire.
Nibs : For broad edge western scripts I recommend Speedball C-series nibs for starters as they are sturdy, fast, and very consistent on their own, the reservoir mechanism is excellent. Then after perfecting the skills one can try more flexible nibs like the Manuscript tape and round hand nibs and then the William Mitchell round hand nibs, Brause nibs, etc.
Pens : There are broad edge dip pens in various sizes, like Pilot parallel pens, Automatic Pens, Pratik Pens, they are not flexible but have their own pros like automatic consistency, cartridge system like in Pilot Parallel.
Brushes : A whole sub discipline, brush pens for modern calligraphy, Chinese brush for Chinese calligraphy, Flat brush for Roman and other broad edge scripts, and so on.
Markers : Chisel tip markers are best for layout and practice, many brands produce great markers, like Speedball, Copic, Zig, and so on.
DIY tools : Not sure about investing on tools ? Make your own, like cola pens, double pencil tool, Bamboo Qalams, etc. Video tutorials to make then are easily available on Youtube.
Ink : For starters fountain pen inks are alright, then move to calligraphy inks, there are many brands like Manuscript, Speedball, Daytone, Camlin, and one of my favorites, Krishna ink.
Paper : Use normal A4 or A5 printer paper for practice and try different inks to see which one does not bleeds. For final works you can use handmade paper, water color paper, Ivory sheets, etc.
Other stuff to be ready with : A pencil, eraser, ruler (For layouts and guidelines. Never forget guidelines), a bowl with water to clean your tools after use, A piece of cloth and tissue papers to clean your mess and then there are variety of fancy tools which calligraphers love to use like roller scale, drafters, ink mixer and stuff which you can later acquire in your journey.
Where to learn from ?
Already there are plenty of "free" resources are available on the internet, like Youtube tutorials, free E-books, exemplars by established calligraphers. But if you need personal guidance and real time feedback, there are online workshops and courses.
There are great books available both in digital and paperback formats, taking us to next question.
Super useful books for beginners ?
There are some wholesome books which are great for calligraphers at every level. Some that I heavily recommend are -
Calligrapher's Bible - David Harris
Art of Calligraphy - David Harris
Calligraphy for Dummies - Jim Bennett
Speedball Textbooks
There are many other great books, here I am just focusing on wholesome books with exemplars.
Is there any scope of calligraphy ?
One of the most asked questions. Yes there is a lot of scope depending upon what workstyle suits you best. If you like repetitive tasks then proceed with calligraphy for envelopes, wedding invitations, certificates, etc. If you like one big job then do large custom commissions. You can dive into calligraffitti art, do it on walls, cloth, on whole planet.
If you are in touch with graphic design then you can make logos, album covers, t-shirt prints and whole variety of stuffs by digitalizing your work.
And also you can just perfect your skills and start teaching calligraphy.
Do I need any certification to start a career ?
Nope. All you need is skill and knowledge.
Some great Calligraphers / Communities to follow for inspiration.
Can't list everyone here so just mentioning very few from the "must follow" Instagram profiles in my knowledge.
John Stevens - https://www.instagram.com/calligraphile/
Jake Weidmann - https://www.instagram.com/jakeweidmann/
Tri Le - https://www.instagram.com/tri.shiba/
Sachin Shah - https://www.instagram.com/sachinspiration/
Achyut Palav - https://www.instagram.com/achyut_palav/
Inku Kumar - https://www.instagram.com/inkucalligraphy/
Suzanne Cunningham - https://www.instagram.com/suzcunningham/
Seb Lester - https://www.instagram.com/seblester/
Pokras Lampas - https://www.instagram.com/pokraslampas/
Calligraphy Masters - https://www.instagram.com/calligraphymasters/
Lettering Daily - https://www.instagram.com/lettering_daily/
Here I have covered only a few topics, you can help me extending this blog by commenting your own questions which I will try my best to answer.