How to Write Calligraphy for Cards, Letters, & Art Projects

Calligraphy means "beautiful writing" in Greek and is a practice that spans thousands of years and countless cultures, including European, Islamic, and Eastern Asian. All calligraphy styles use careful strokes to create beautiful lettering, which you can customize and add to handmade cards, crafts, art projects, and more! Keep reading to learn everything you need to know to write in calligraphy, including basic strokes and lettering , supplies and tools , and common calligraphy styles . We'll also include helpful tips from calligraphers Swetha Shenoy and Katherine Rinewalt.

How do you do calligraphy writing?

Modern calligraphy artist Swetha Shenoy suggests learning the basic strokes first, such as thin upstrokes and thick downstrokes. Use a proper writing tool, like a brush pen, with a small nib so it's easier to work with. Hold the pen diagonally at a 40° to 45° angle in a soft grip, and press down with light pressure.

Section 1 of 3:

Calligraphy Brush Strokes & Lettering

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Hold the pen with your index finger and thumb at a 40° to 45° angle. Rinewalt suggests grasping your calligraphy pen lightly between your thumb and index finger "close to the end of the pen where the nib is." Gripping it closer to the nib (without touching it) will give you "good… solid control." Rest your middle finger underneath your closed thumb and index finger for support. ^{[1]
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Expert Source

Katherine Rinewalt
Calligrapher

Expert Interview} Shenoy recommends pointing the nib at a slight 40 to 45-degree angle away from you as you write. This will help you achieve thicker downstrokes. ^{[2]
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Expert Source

Swetha Shenoy
Modern Calligraphy & Watercolor Artist

Expert Interview}
- Avoid twisting the nib as you write. The end of the writing tool you're using to write calligraphy is called a nib. Whether you’re making straight lines or looped strokes, always point the nib in the same direction and don't twist it between your fingers. ^{[3]
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- Direct the nib backward or sideways across the paper. Pushing it forward away from your hand may cause blotting and uneven letter formation.
- Use a soft grip and apply light pressure. Gripping your utensil too tightly can make your letters appear shaky, advises Shenoy. ^{[4]
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  Expert Source
  
  Swetha Shenoy
  Modern Calligraphy & Watercolor Artist
  
  Expert Interview} Pressing too hard can also damage the nib, so do your best to apply the pen to the paper with a light, consistent pressure. Try not to lean heavily on your hand or forearm, either, which creates stilted lettering.
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Swetha Shinoy is a Modern Calligraphy and Watercolor Artist and the founder of The Paisley Corner, a creative hub that has provided art workshops for 2500+ students (kids and adults).

Katherine Rinewalt is a Calligrapher and the owner of Rosebud Calligraphy, with over 6 years of experience in her craft. She's passionate about elevating weddings and events with her personalized touch.
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Practice calligraphy strokes before tackling letters. You may be eager to jump right into drawing the alphabet, but Shenoy says it's a better idea to practice basic strokes first. ^{[5]
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Expert Source

Swetha Shenoy
Modern Calligraphy & Watercolor Artist

Expert Interview} Each calligraphy style has a foundation of 9 basic strokes. When combined in different configurations, these strokes make each letter look distinct and elegant. They also set calligraphy apart from cursive, which is written in one continuous stroke of the pen instead of being broken up into smaller ones. Below is an overview of each basic stroke. ^{[6]
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- Upstroke : Drag your writing utensil nib up at a slight angle to the right.
- Downstroke : Pull the nib downward at a slightly curved angle to the left.
- Overturn : Draw a tall, slanted, upside-down U shape from left to right.
- Underturn : Draw a tall, slanted U shape from left to right.
- Compound curve : Draw a sideways S shape from left to right.
- Oval : Draw a slanted oval.
- Ascending loop : Make a loop from left to right, then drag the nib down in a straight line through the loop's curve.
- Descending loop : Drag your nib down in a straight line and add a loop at the end from right to left.
- Comma dot : Draw a small upside-down U shape.
- Practice strokes more easily by tracing over them on a pre-printed worksheet. Shenoy recommends buying calligraphy worksheets directly from calligraphy artists on Pinterest , Etsy , or Creative Market . She also says you can look for free worksheets at your local library. ^{[7]
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  Swetha Shenoy
  Modern Calligraphy & Watercolor Artist
  
  Expert Interview}
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According to Shenoy, this is the best way for beginners to learn how to write in calligraphy. To get started, select and print a sample calligraphy alphabet and cover it with a piece of tracing paper . Trace over the strokes of the alphabet letters until you feel confident enough to write the letters without the worksheet. ^{[8]
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Expert Source

Swetha Shenoy
Modern Calligraphy & Watercolor Artist

Expert Interview}

EXPERT TIP

Katherine Rinewalt
Calligrapher
Katherine Rinewalt is a Calligrapher based in Orlando, Florida. Katherine owns Rosebud Calligraphy and has over 6 years of experience. Rosebud Calligraphy is a calligraphy and stationery design studio offering invitations, handwritten pieces, and signage for weddings and special events. Katherine is passionate about helping others elevate their weddings and events with her personalized touch.

Katherine Rinewalt
Calligrapher

Practice calligraphy 5-15 minutes daily to build muscle memory. Calligraphy isn't something you can pick up in a day or even in a week. Therefore, maintaining a practice schedule is the most important part of starting a calligraphy hobby.
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Make grid lines to guide your strokes on real calligraphy projects. To keep your letters parallel and consistent in size and shape, Rinewalt recommends drawing grid lines onto a sheet of transparent paper. Next, she says, place the transparent paper on a tracing light box , layer your writing paper on top of that, and use the faint lines to guide your strokes. ^{[9]
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Expert Source

Katherine Rinewalt
Calligrapher

Expert Interview}
- Alternatively, Shenoy suggests using a ruler and drawing faint pencil lines on your calligraphy paper, drawing your letters, then erasing the pencil lines when you're finished. ^{[10]
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  Swetha Shenoy
  Modern Calligraphy & Watercolor Artist
  
  Expert Interview}
- If you don't want to draw your own grid lines or would like a template to copy, search for free calligraphy grids on the internet or purchase a calligraphy practice book .
- Use calligraphy to write "happy birthday" or another greeting in a handmade card, handwritten notes and letters, signs, pamphlets, and anything else you can think of!

Section 2 of 3:

Calligraphy Supplies & Tools

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Calligraphy pen You're free to do calligraphy with any writing utensil (including a regular ballpoint pen, pencil, or marker) you have on hand. But if you want to achieve better strokes and make your writing look more professional, learn how to write with a calligraphy pen . Here are the 3 most popular types of pens to get you started.
- Brush pens come in a variety of sizes (small, medium, and large) but will usually all be roughly the same shape. The modern version of this pen comes pre-inked and uses the pressure and direction of the writer’s strokes to form the line variations. This style of utensil is typically used for modern calligraphy.
  - Shenoy suggests choosing a brush pen with a small nib if you're a beginner because it's easier to work with. ^{[11]
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    Swetha Shenoy
    Modern Calligraphy & Watercolor Artist
    
    Expert Interview}
- Fountain pens draw their ink from a container inside the pen's barrel. While this ink will occasionally need to be replaced or refilled, it will save you the trouble of constantly needing to dip your pen. Fountain pen nibs can usually be swapped out for different sizes and shapes, so you can switch between calligraphy styles. They're most commonly used in Western calligraphy styles, including Copperplate, Italic, and Gothic.
- Dip pens are pens that you dip in ink. They consist of a wood, plastic, or bone handle and a metal or glass nib (the pointed end that will make contact with the paper). The nib is dipped in the ink and stores it in the well of the nib. These are often used in Islamic calligraphy.
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Pen nib The nib is the end of the calligraphy pen that touches the paper and where the ink comes out. It comes in 2 basic shapes: pointed and broad . Pointed nibs are more flexible and allow you to vary the thickness of your strokes with pressure. ^{[12]
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Research source} This is a great choice for a style like Copperplate, which Rinewalt says "very specifically uses a pointed pen nib." ^{[13]
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Expert Source

Katherine Rinewalt
Calligrapher

Expert Interview} Broad nibs aren't as flexible, and the size of the lines depends on both the size of the nib and the angle you're holding it. ^{[14]
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Research source} They're a good option if you're going for a straighter, more uniform calligraphy style like Gothic.
- Brush pens come in both broad (also called chiseled) and pointed nib variations, and some even have each nib style placed at either end of the barrel. If you're using a fountain pen or a dip pen , simply swap between pointed and broad nibs as needed.
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Ink The ink you choose will mostly depend on what utensil you're writing with. Inks come in a rainbow of colors, but black is the most commonly used color in all styles of calligraphy. ^{[15]
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- Pot ink is the most common ink used for calligraphy. This ink comes premixed in a small jar, so you can easily fill your dip pen nib or fountain pen barrel with it. India ink is the most common type of pot ink used in calligraphy.
- Fountain pen ink is a special kind of dye-based ink used for fountain pens. It's important to use only fountain pen ink in these types of pens, as other ink types will clog the nib. It comes in either pre-loaded barrels, which you place in your pen, or pots, in which case you fill the pen yourself.
- Ink sticks , which will also require an ink stone, are sticks of ink that must be ground and mixed with water to form the ink you will write with. They're an excellent option for calligraphers because they allow you to get several different tones from the same color of stick, depending on how you mix it. These are often used in Asian calligraphy.
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Calligraphy paper Smooth calligraphy paper will keep your writing utensil from catching or being redirected by the tiny textural variations in regular paper. You'll also want paper labeled as "sized," meaning it’s been treated to keep ink from bleeding through to the other side. ^{[16]
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- Avoid paper that’s greasy or waxy, which can keep the paper from absorbing the ink.

Section 3 of 3:

Common Calligraphy Styles

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Modern calligraphy Modern calligraphy is a unique, flexible style that doesn't adhere to the strict rules of the traditional styles, like Copperplate or Italic. It encourages calligraphers to be looser and more creative with their strokes, and it's also one of the easiest styles to learn as a beginner. ^{[17]
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Copperplate Copperplate is a classic calligraphy style that draws people in because of how elegant it looks. The letters use a mixture of thin, delicate strokes and slightly thicker lines, made possible by using a pointed pen. This style also includes a lot of flourishes, which are curving lines at the end or beginning of letters that calligraphers use to bring attention to specific words, titles, or headers. ^{[18]
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Italic Italic is a simple, uniform style of calligraphy that uses a broad nib. The strokes are mostly thick, with thinner lines achieved by changing the angle of the nib against the paper. This style is also characterized by slight curves at the beginning or end of each stroke. ^{[19]
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Uncial Uncial is a style found in European documents from as far back as the 4th century. Like Italic, it uses a broad nib, but the letters are larger and more rounded. For example, the outside strokes for "M" in Uncial are round, whereas in Italic, they're more angled. ^{[20]
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Gothic Gothic (also known as Blackletter) calligraphy originated in the 12th century and appears in many old European books and documents. The angular lowercase letters are straight, narrow, and positioned close together on the page, making the words look dense. This allowed writers to get more words on the page and conserve parchment. The uppercase letters are often more intricate, with small lines and marks throughout for embellishment. ^{[21]
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- Today, you'll see Gothic calligraphy used in official documents in the United States, like diplomas and certificates. Try writing it yourself using a broad nib on your pen.
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Arabic Arabic calligraphy is a curved, flowing style written from right to left instead of left to right. This form of lettering isn't just for writing messages; it's also for creating art. To achieve the fluid, almost watery look of the strokes, use a pen with a pointed nib. ^{[22]
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Kanji Kanji calligraphy is an ancient style used to write Chinese and Japanese characters. Traditionally, calligraphers who work in this style use brushes dipped in ink and make slow, careful strokes. The ink is either ready-made in a pot or mixed by hand using an ink stick and water. ^{[23]
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Sample Calligraphy Alphabets

Sample Calligraphy Alphabet

Sample Simple Calligraphy Alphabet

Sample Thick Calligraphy Alphabet

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How do I properly hold a calligraphy pen?

Katherine Rinewalt
Calligrapher
Katherine Rinewalt is a Calligrapher based in Orlando, Florida. Katherine owns Rosebud Calligraphy and has over 6 years of experience. Rosebud Calligraphy is a calligraphy and stationery design studio offering invitations, handwritten pieces, and signage for weddings and special events. Katherine is passionate about helping others elevate their weddings and events with her personalized touch.

Katherine Rinewalt

Calligrapher

Expert Answer

Start by gripping the calligraphy pen between your thumb and index finger, then let it rest on your middle finger. Most calligraphy pens have a divot near the nib, this will help your fingers find a comfortable and stable position. Make sure that your fingers are close to the nib rather than further back, as this proximity enhances your overall control and precision. Also, don't hold your pen too tightly, as this can lead to discomfort and cramping.

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How long does it take to master calligraphy?

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It will take a few weeks to get the basics, but lots of practice to master. The time is determined by how much time and effort you're willing to dedicate to it, as well as your natural skill.

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Can I use highlighters to do calligraphy?

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Yes, since they work like a calligraphy utensil - just remember to not use the pointed-tip ones.

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Hold your paper in place with painter's tape or weights. This will keep you from skewing or bumping the paper accidentally and messing up your letters. You can also clip or pin it to a drawing board.

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Calligraphy is also good for making cards or doing project work.
You can also use brush pens for calligraphy.

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Things You'll Need

Calligraphy paper
Calligraphy pen (such as a brush pen , fountain pen , or dip pen )
Nibs ( pointed or broad)
Ink (such as pot ink , fountain pen ink , or ink sticks )
Tracing paper
Tracing light box (optional)
Ruler (optional]
Pencil with eraser (optional)

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Expert Source

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Swetha Shenoy
Modern Calligraphy & Watercolor Artist

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How to Write Calligraphy for Cards, Letters, & Art Projects

How do you do calligraphy writing?

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Calligraphy Brush Strokes & Lettering

Calligraphy Supplies & Tools

Common Calligraphy Styles

Sample Calligraphy Alphabets

Expert Q&A

Video

Tips

Tips from our Readers

Things You'll Need

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