Calligraphy’s Hurdles
Picking up a longtime hobby, our publisher tries out some new calligraphy tools and techniques, only to find that mastering graceful script is harder—and messier—than it may appear.
Calligraphy’s Hurdles
Story by , Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
A few weeks after writing an article about the miraculous world of calligraphy, and its remarkable masters (Calligraphy’s Magicians), I decided to dive into this world myself.
For decades, ever since I was a teenager, I have practiced with my own, somewhat improvised informal forms of calligraphy. It’s always proved fun for me—and, I think, for those I write to—but I’ve always known it’s not the real thing. It’s often said that as people age, they tend to return to the joys and passions of their youth. Calligraphy is one of those passions for me. And so, inspired by some of the gorgeous work of serious calligraphiles, I recently took the plunge and bought some supplies: a few interesting inks, a half-dozen different nibs for dip-pens, a couple of nib holders, some quality paper, and a guided practice book for Copperplate script. (All of which can be had, I should note, for less than $100.)
