If you’ve ever scrolled past gorgeous calligraphy on Instagram and thought, “Ugh, I could never do that,” this post is for you. Because I’m about to show you a sneaky little trick that looks like real calligraphy – but doesn’t require any fancy tools, special pens, or even previous experience.
Yep, really.It’s called faux calligraphy, and it’s hands-down my favorite beginner-friendly hack. Think of it as the gateway to real calligraphy – like dipping your toe in the water before diving in headfirst with brush pens and pointed nibs.
Supplies Used
Rather watch than read? Check out the full video by clicking the video below!
Let’s Get Started!
What is faux calligraphy?
Faux calligraphy is exactly what it sounds like: fake calligraphy. But in a good way.
Instead of using a brush pen that naturally gives you those thick and thin strokes, you just use a regular ol’ pen (seriously, anything you have on hand) and manually draw in the thick downstrokes yourself.
It gives your writing that fancy calligraphy look without actually needing to learn any of the technical stuff right away.
How do you do faux calligraphy?
Here’s the basic breakdown:
- Write your word in cursive or your version of “pretty script.” Don’t stress about it being perfect – just keep your letters a bit spaced out.
- Look for the downstrokes. These are the parts where your pen would naturally move downward if you were writing.
- Draw a second line next to each downstroke to “thicken” that part of the letter.
- Fill in the space between the lines. That’s it!
When you’re done, you’ve got a word that looks like it was written with a brush pen, but it’s all thanks to some good ol’ fashioned pen magic.
Why do I love teaching faux calligraphy?
Faux calligraphy is perfect if:
- You’re brand new to calligraphy and don’t want to invest in supplies just yet
- You feel overwhelmed by brush pens and pressure control
- You want to dip your toes into lettering without the pressure (pun intended)
Plus, it starts training your eye to see where thick and thin lines should go – something that’s super helpful when you eventually move on to real brush or pointed pen calligraphy.
Want to Keep Going?
If you try faux calligraphy and fall in love (it happens!), I’ve got something you’re gonna love even more: my free beginner course, Show Me Your Drills.
It’s a step-by-step introduction to modern calligraphy where I walk you through all the basics – no guesswork, no confusion, no wondering if you’re doing it “right.” Just structured, satisfying practice with a huge community of learners cheering you on.
Thousands of people have taken it, and I always hear them say they wish they’d started there first.
You can sign-up for free it right here.
That’s a Wrap!
Give faux calligraphy a shot this week, and if you share your work online, tag me on Instagram @thehappyevercrafter – I LOVE seeing your progress!
And finally, your dad joke…
What did the hat say to the scarf?
You can hang around here. I’ll just go on ahead.
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