Calligraphy
Calligraphy, often described as "the art of beautiful writing," has a rich history that spans various cultures and epochs. The term itself derives from Greek roots, meaning "beauty" and "writing." In Europe, the practice emerged around the first century and gained significant momentum in the sixth century thanks to monastic orders that dedicated themselves to copying religious texts with precision and creativity. Meanwhile, in East Asia, where calligraphy is deeply revered, the art form has been considered a high expression of culture since before the Tang dynasty, using ink brushes to create characters that reflect individuality and spontaneity.
Arabic calligraphy also holds a significant place in the art's history, evolving alongside Islam and serving as a means of spiritual expression, particularly in the writing of the Qur'an. Calligraphy techniques involve the use of specially shaped pens or brushes to produce varied strokes, emphasizing the importance of size, spacing, and form. Modern calligraphy has expanded beyond traditional styles, allowing artists to develop unique forms while still adhering to essential principles of visual balance and consistency. Today, many calligraphers engage in both artistic practice and commercial work, creating beautifully hand-lettered items that retain a charm distinct from digital reproductions.
Calligraphy
History
Calligraphy is known as "the art of beautiful writing." The word "calligraphy" comes from the Greek "kallos" (beauty) and "graphos" (writing). The art of calligraphy in Europe dates back to around the first century, when the Romans began to use the Greek alphabet. Around the sixth century, the art truly began to flourish, as monastic orders, which made the technique an art and a daily practice, became more common.
These orders played a key role in the development of writing. Monks trained as scribes would spend hours on end painstakingly copying biblical texts in monastery scriptoriums (writing rooms). The production of calligraphy in the church was bound by strict rules of form and consistency. However, many monks found ways to demonstrate their creativity. Borders and majuscules (capital letters) were fancifully embellished.
Calligraphy is widely practiced in East Asia, where the art form has a long history. Calligraphy was considered a high art form well before the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE). East Asian calligraphers generally use ink brushes to form their characters. Called shufa in Chinese for Chinese calligraphy, shodo in Japanese, and seoye in Korean, all meaning approximately "the way of writing," calligraphy is widely considered the most refined form of East Asian painting. A key belief in these cultures pertaining to calligraphy is that an individual's writing style can express his or her personality and intelligence. In China, the practice of calligraphy favors spontaneity and individuality: the brush is thought to record the movements of the artist's hand and arm while writing.
European calligraphy tends to be much more stylized, and is often more focused on accurately representing a given style, or ornamenting words on a page, than on personal expression. European calligraphers use quills or pens rather than ink brushes.
Another important branch in the history of the art is Arabic calligraphy. Because any implication of idolatry (the use of figures or images to embody spiritual ideas in art) was forbidden in Islam, the practice of calligraphy was long ago adopted for visual religious expression through the stylized beauty of words and letters. The practice of calligraphy in the Arab world grew in tandem with the religion of Islam and the development of the Arabic language. The aesthetic principles of the art form reflect the cultural values of the Muslim world. Arabic calligraphy is most often used in the writing of the Qur’an.
Techniques
Different shapes of pen nibs are utilized to form the strokes of letters in calligraphy. Traditional nibs, due to their shape, only work properly when moved in a sideways, diagonal, or downward stroke. Thick lines are drawn downward, using the flat width of the nib. Thinner, delicate lines and embellishments may be formed by making sideways or diagonal strokes with the nib, or by using a pointed or rounded nib. Curved lines, such as those found in the letter "S," are formed from carefully joined separate strokes. Care must be taken not to overfill pens with ink; too much will leave spots on the paper. Ink must also be allowed to dry so that it does not smear, though drying time is considerably shorter with water-based inks.
Size and spacing of letters and words are very important in calligraphy. Guide paper is ruled in standard measurements. Paper for projects may be lined or unlined. Calligraphers can also place a guide sheet underneath the paper they are working with to help guide the placement of the characters. The use of a light box may allow the calligrapher to better see the guide.
Lower-case letters are traditionally half the height of upper case or capital letters. The term for larger letters, uncial, comes from the Latin uncia, meaning "inch." Smaller letters are known as half-uncial. A commonly seen compact-style script, known as insular calligraphy, was developed in Irish monasteries in the sixth century. The style is called "insular," because of its island origins. Insular calligraphy can be seen in famous manuscripts of the period.
There are hundreds of alphabet styles, from simple to elaborate, for the calligrapher's use. Study of form, good eye-hand coordination, and a lot of practice are generally all it takes to master a desired style.
Trends
Many modern letters evolved from earlier forms that might not be recognizable to readers today. The origins of written language were pictograms. The ancient Egyptians developed a complex system of hieroglyphs, which later became a starting point for the Greek and Roman alphabets.
By the end of the Middle Ages, most letter forms were established. One of the earliest examples of a unique, consistent lettering style was found on a Roman column from 113 CE, and is called Square Capital. Anyone familiar with the Irish Book of Kells would recognize the ornate style known as Irish Half Uncial. A form of this script was adopted by Anglo-Saxons due to the influence of Irish monks who traveled to England to spread their religious beliefs.
Gothic calligraphy is one of the most ornate scripts ever developed. Gothic scripts began to appear in the eleventh century. Calligraphy spread to France as well, and several centuries later, a unique form of the decorative Gothic calligraphic script, called Batarde Miniscule, was developed.
Modern calligraphy departs from the structural rules of these traditional calligraphic scripts, but still adheres to certain principles. According to Lettering Daily, an online community for calligraphers and hand-letterers, modern calligraphy allows practitioners to create their own unique styles and alphabets, but still requires consistent letters and spacing through the use of guides, and visual balance, in order to succeed.
Calligraphy for Fun vs. Profit
Many calligraphers earn some income by lettering such things as diplomas, wedding invitations, sheets of music, restaurant menus, gift cards, and commemorative documents. Though computer graphics can today emulate many classic lettering styles, the appearance of real ink and hand-drawn letters on good parchment or vellum cannot be equaled by a machine-made product.
Learning More
Organizations
Calligraphy and Lettering Arts Society (CLAS) <http://www.clas.co.uk/>
The Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore <http://www.ccss.org.sg/index.asp>
Friends of Calligraphy <https://www.friendsofcalligraphy.org/index.html>
Lettering Daily <https://www.lettering-daily.com/>
Peannairi (Irish Scribes) <http://www.calligraphy.ie/>
Washington Calligraphers Guild <http://www.calligraphersguild.org/>
Books
Eager, Fred. The Italic Way to Beautiful Handwriting. Macmillan General Reference, 1974.
Harris, David. The Art of Calligraphy. DK Adult, 1998.
Johnston, Edward. Writing & Illuminating & Lettering. Dover Publications, 1995.
Shepherd, Margaret. Learning Calligraphy. Macmillan General Reference, 1978.