I want to address something I hear all the time from people interested in calligraphy: “I wish I could do that, but my handwriting is trash!”
Good news: your handwriting quality has absolutely NOTHING to do with your ability to learn calligraphy! Let me break down the essentials for you in four simple steps.
Supplies Used
- Smooth Paper Pad (I love Rhodia)
- Ball-Point Pen (any pen you have will work!)
- Brush Pen (I recommend Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens for beginners!)
- Marker Paper (I love Canson)
- Beginner Course + Workbook (Show Me Your Drills, of course!)
Rather watch than read? Check out the full video by clicking the video below!
Let’s Get Started!
When I say this tutorial is easy, I mean REALLY easy. This is such a fun and super simple technique that literally anyone can do. You do not need any experience to do it, and it just looks so fun and cute.
Note: You can use ANY paint or even markers for this card design. I’m using Ecoline Liquid Watercolours because I really like them, but you can use any paint or any markers and any colours.
Step #1: Understand the Difference
First things first – calligraphy is NOT just fancy handwriting. They’re completely different skills!
Handwriting is what naturally flows from your pen when you’re jotting something down quickly. It’s that mix of everything you’ve been taught about writing letters, plus whatever personal style you’ve developed over time.Calligraphy, on the other hand, is more like drawing than writing. You’re creating specific strokes that happen to form letters when combined. Think of it as drawing shapes that eventually look like letters, rather than writing letters in a fancy way.
Step #2: Get the Right Beginner Tools
You don’t need an extensive collection of 500 fancy brush pens to get started (despite what social media might suggest)!
My top recommendation for beginners is the Tombow Fudenosuke small tip brush pen. It’s perfect because it gives you control without feeling too soft or wobbly. The key feature of any modern calligraphy tool is a flexible tip that creates thin lines with light pressure and thick lines with more pressure.
For paper, you want something smooth to protect your brush pens. I recommend either:
- Marker paper (smooth and see-through so you can place it over workbooks)
- Rhodia pads (high-quality paper available with grid, dot, blank, or lined guidelines)
Having guidelines is crucial! A common mistake is practicing on blank paper without any guidelines to keep your work consistent and straight.
Step #3: Master the Basic Strokes
This is the step so many beginners skip, but it’s absolutely essential!
Before attempting letters, learn the basic strokes – those simple shapes that form the foundation of every letter you’ll write. Without pressure, they just look like squiggles, but these are your building blocks!
The key technique: light pressure going up, heavy pressure going down. Once you’ve mastered these basic strokes, you’ll combine them to form beautiful letters.
If you skip this foundational step, your calligraphy will always look a bit off because your letters won’t be built properly. Mastering these strokes first is an absolute game-changer!
Step #4: Practice Effectively
Now that you know what to learn, how do you put it all together? This is where proper practice materials come in!
I’ve created a completely FREE step-by-step course called “Show Me Your Drills” that includes traceable workbooks, guided video lessons, and all the explanations you need to start calligraphy the right way. It’s helped hundreds of thousands of beginners learn calligraphy properly.
And That’s a Wrap!
If you’re ready to stop guessing and start creating beautiful calligraphy, head over to ShowMeYourDrills.com and sign up for free!
Remember, your handwriting doesn’t matter – with the right tools, techniques, and practice, anyone can learn the art of calligraphy!
Happy lettering!
And finally, your dad joke…
What do you call a painting of a cow?
A moo-sterpiece.
Thank you very much. You are sweet and fun 😊😊💕💕