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The beginning of Western calligraphy dates back more than 2,000 years. Early
writing was done with brushes as well as reed and quill pens, and calligraphers, or
“scribes,” used stone, clay tablets, papyrus, and animal skins as writing surfaces. Our
modern alphabet has its roots in ancient Rome, where early inscriptions in stone
feature all the capital letterforms we recognize today.

During the medieval era, manuscripts, which had been previously copied only by
monks, began to be produced in professional workshops. Trained scribes executed
the calligraphy, and illumination artists added decorations and gilding (or gold leaf).
As reading became more common, demand for personal prayer books increased.
Thousands of copies of the devotional Book of Hours were made, and many pages
from these books can still be found at antiquarian book markets.

In the 15th century, the invention of the movable type printing press eliminated
the need to copy books manually, so calligraphy soon fell into general disuse. But
the printing press also was responsible for elevating calligraphy to a specialized art

match the intricacy produced by engravers of copper printing plates. The elaborate

times.

The modern revival of calligraphy was sparked in the early 20th century during the
Arts and Crafts Movement. There are calligraphers teaching today who can trace
their “lineage” back to teachers such as Edward Johnston and Rudolph Koch. During
the 1970s, Donald Jackson, scribe to the Queen of England, conducted workshops
in the United States that generated intense interest in calligraphy. Inspired by his
visit, lovers of the art form founded a number of guilds that continue to be active
today. Now there is even an international community of Internet calligraphers called
“Cyberscribes,” which began in the 1990s.

6 The Complete Book of Calligraphy & Lettering

Calligraphy: A Brief History 7
PART 1
Introduction to Calligraphy 11
 You have many choices when selecting writing tools for hand lettering.
Pencils are often used for layout, but you can use a pointed brush, broad-
edged brush, pointed pen, broad pen, ruling pen, parallel pen, or markers
for the letters. These tools can be used interchangeably, meaning that
you can use the ruling pen instead of the pointed brush for a variation on
any of the alphabets, depending on your skill level. Some tools have to be

but now we expect to go to the art supply store, remove a tool from its
packaging, and have it work exactly the way we want it to.

Pens, brushes, and inks are not all created equal. There are no industry
standards. Additionally, we each have our own preferences. Each tool has

will be with others. Experiment with different brands to discover your

personal preferences.

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Introduction to Calligraphy 13
14 The Complete Book of Calligraphy & Lettering
Introduction to Calligraphy 15
 Calligraphy pens are simpler than they appear. Their design is centuries old, and
need not be improved upon. They consist of a handle, nib, and reservoir (which can be
removed for easy cleaning). Most handles are a standard size, but it is a good idea to
purchase your nibs and pen holder from the same manufacturer to ensure that they

16 The Complete Book of Calligraphy & Lettering

Introduction to Calligraphy 17
Dip pens require a little preparation and maintenance, but when properly handled,
they are long-lasting tools. Before you jump into writing, you’ll need to learn how to
assemble, load, manipulate, and clean a dip pen. Have a stack of scrap paper handy, and
take time to become familiar with the unique character of the marks made by each nib.

If you choose to dip the nib rather than load it with a brush, hold the nib against
the side of the palette well (or ink bottle) to drain off the excess after dipping.

18 The Complete Book of Calligraphy & Lettering

Introduction to Calligraphy 19
This diagram will familiarize you with the terms used throughout the rest of the book.
As you can see below, the various stroke curves and extensions of calligraphic lettering

baseline, and cap line), which will help you place your strokes. (See page 21 for more
information on ruling guidelines.)

20 The Complete Book of Calligraphy & Lettering

No matter what your skill level, you’ll usually need guidelines when doing calligraphy.
Without these helpful marks, your writing can lose the rhythm, consistency, and visual
alignment that make calligraphy so pleasing to the eye. Follow the steps below to prepare
your writing surface with all the necessary guidelines. Remember that you can easily erase

Introduction to Calligraphy 21
Basic Calligraphy Styles 23
 Sans Serif is a basic, simple letter style that is quite easy to execute with a broad-
tipped pen (such as the #1 roundhand). It is a thick-and-thin Roman alphabet
without serifs.

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Basic Calligraphy Styles 25
26 The Complete Book of Calligraphy & Lettering
Roman letters are the foundation for many of the alphabets we use today.
Roman stone cutters and scribes developed the classic form. There are many
variations of the Roman alphabet, but the basics remain unchanged.

Basic Calligraphy Styles 27

28 The Complete Book of Calligraphy & Lettering
Basic Calligraphy Styles 29
 Chancery Cursive is a favorite with calligraphers because of its beauty, function,
and speed of execution. Chancery Cursive is an italic letter style that is ideal for
manuscripts, poetry, diplomas, awards, testimonials, or any situation requiring
a mass of copy. The beautiful form blends well with most calligraphic alphabets.

30 The Complete Book of Calligraphy & Lettering

Basic Calligraphy Styles 31
 Batarde is a beautiful angular alphabet that was developed in France during the
15th century. Batarde is a natural for the broad-tipped pen. It is a very angular

broad-tipped pens to achieve the sharp ribbon effect.

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Basic Calligraphy Styles 33
 Here are several styles of numerals that should be appropriate with most letter
styles. It is not necessary to use the same form as the rest of your message. A
distinctive numerical style can add interest to your piece.

34 The Complete Book of Calligraphy & Lettering

Basic Calligraphy Styles 35
Scan or copy this page to use for practicing your hands.

Basic Calligraphy Styles 37

 Once you become comfortable with creating the letters and alphabets in this

38 The Complete Book of Calligraphy & Lettering

Now let’s mix calligraphy with creativity. First remember that good lettering design
emphasizes important words, creates interest, and expresses the proper mood
and feeling. This is achieved through contrasts of size, weight, form, and direction.
Study the following example to see how you can use these contrasts to create unique
designs that complement the nature of the text.

Basic Calligraphy Styles 39

Traditional Alphabets 41
 Mastering the skeleton hand gives you the basic skills for learning all the other
hands. This hand features the basic underlying structure (or skeleton) of the
letterforms. Practicing these letters will train your hand to remain steady while
drawing straight and curved lines. These letters were made with the drawing

for practice if you wish. As you re-create the letters of this hand, as well as any
other hand, remember that part of the charm and appeal of hand lettering is the
imperfections. While these hand-lettered alphabets follow the general rules, they
won’t align exactly on the guidelines.

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Traditional Alphabets 43
Scan or copy this page to use for practicing your hands.

Traditional Alphabets 45
 shapes are simple, formed by very basic strokes, and most familiar to your eye.
This style was adapted in the early 1900s from a 10th-century bookhand by Edward
Johnston. It’s a great choice for beginners and when legibility is important.

46 The Complete Book of Calligraphy & Lettering

Majuscules should be a little shorter than the minuscule ascenders (in this
case, six pen widths). To keep the majuscule and minuscule letters visually

which makes a broader stroke.

Traditional Alphabets 47
Scan or copy this page to use for practicing your hands.

Traditional Alphabets 49
 One of the oldest hands, Uncial (pronounced “un-shul”) in many ways is the easiest
to learn. This hand can be considered commoncase, as it has elements of both
majuscules and minuscules. As you work, keep the letter shapes wide and round.
Ascenders and descenders are very short, in keeping with this hand’s essentially
majuscule style.

Uncial serifs start with a wedge-shaped stroke. Begin with a 30° angle at the start of the
stroke and move the nib up and to the right to create a thin line; then pull the nib straight
down, toward you, forming the stem stroke of the letter. Fill in the small angle of the
wedge with a short curved line.

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Double stroke the stem letters, leaving a small gap between each line. Then close the

stem letters with ink, if desired, as shown in the letters above.

Traditional Alphabets 51
Scan or copy this page to use for practicing your hands.

Traditional Alphabets 53
 The common characteristic of all blackletter hands is the compression of letters

shown below is called “Textura Quadrata,” or “broken letters,” and it often resembles
a picket fence. The bottom style, “Batarde,” is a cursive blackletter hand that was the
primary bookhand used in the late Middle Ages.

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Traditional Alphabets 55
Scan or copy this page to use for practicing your hands.

Traditional Alphabets 57
 Traditionally used to begin a verse or chapter in medieval manuscript books,
versals are usually seen individually. These versatile letters are used today in
expressive calligraphic work; more modern-looking versals can be drawn without

idea of their structure and how to reproduce them.

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The curved and straight sides of a Lombardic letter, as seen in the U at right,

widest part of the curved side is actually much wider than the straight, up-
right stroke.

Traditional Alphabets 59
Scan or copy this page to use for practicing your hands.

Traditional Alphabets 61
 The quickly written Italic hand was developed from humanist bookhand, letterforms
from the Italian Renaissance. Based on 10th-century minuscules, this style often was
used to produce books prior to the invention of the printing press.

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Traditional Alphabets 63
Scan or copy this page to use for practicing your hands.

Traditional Alphabets 65
 The spacing of the letters in a word and the arrangement of the lines of words on a
page are an important part of this art form. The composition (the arrangement of all
the elements in a completed work) is as important as the individual details.

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To get a feel for the proper spacing between words, Ligatures, the joining of two letters, occur naturally
write practice sentences with n in between each in combinations where extensions or serifs meet at
word. The n provides a natural-looking space and the waist line. However, not all letters in ligatures
minimizes variation. Keep spaces to a minimum to actually touch, as this might create the look of
prevent rivers (vertical visual gaps down the page another letter. Look at the rn combination. In the
created by word spaces). ligature, the n simply lacks the serif; if the letters
touched, they would resemble an m too closely.

Traditional Alphabets 67
Illuminated Calligraphy 69
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Lettering with gouache allows you to paint words from your pen. While this

Illuminated Calligraphy 71
 While practicing the basic letterforms, a tube of black watercolor paint (or a bottle
of black ink) is all you need. But once you begin making words on a page to display
and share, you may want to incorporate color into your lettering. Of all the media
you could use, gouache provides the most brilliant color. Gouache is a painting

solid coverage. To complete the illumination projects in this section, you’ll need
cobalt blue, leaf green, lemon yellow, brilliant red, white, and gold gouache paint.
Read on for information about mixing color and how to prepare your pen for
writing with gouache.

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Illuminated Calligraphy 73
 A short quotation makes a great subject for learning to place words in a layout.
Choose a saying that will comfortably break into two or three lines, but not one that
is so wordy that you won’t want to practice writing it a few times.

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Illuminated Calligraphy 75
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After you write your practice words, cut them
out. Try different layouts with them. You may
opt for a classic centered layout, like the one
shown here, rather than the horizontal layout

vertical line on the center of the background

center. Align each word’s center to the line on

the paper, and attach the words to the paper
with low-tack or artist’s tape to use as a guide.

Illuminated Calligraphy 77
 The word “illumination” comes from the Latin word , which means
“to light up or enlighten.” In calligraphy and book art, it refers to decorating a
page with bright colors and shimmery gold. Decorated majuscules and intricate
borders lit up the pages of ancient books and offered an exciting way to provide
colorful focal points among black lettering. You can achieve the same look.

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Illuminated Calligraphy 79
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Illuminated Calligraphy 81
 Book illumination rose to the height of intricacy and beauty during the medieval
era. Artists often applied gold leaf to letters or to the backgrounds of versals and
illustrations, which would catch the light as the page turned. Today gold paint
offers a similar effect that artists can use to create historically inspired Gothic
means “the greening power
of life,” so I infused the border with plenty of green vines. I created this image
using a tracing method to transfer the design, which I explain on the next page.

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Illuminated Calligraphy 83
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Illuminated Calligraphy 85
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Illuminated Calligraphy 87
 Today’s scribes still use decorated letters to call attention to a special word
or name. Although the letter R below is based on classic, calligraphic design
principles, I’ve used a looser style for the painted background, resulting in an
airy, lighthearted look that has moved away from the traditional Gothic style.

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Illuminated Calligraphy 89
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Illuminated Calligraphy 91
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Illuminated Calligraphy 93
 As your calligraphic skills develop, you may enjoy adapting and inventing decorative
techniques to use with your letters. Look to both ancient and modern illumination for
inspiration. The resulting letters can serve as stand-alone monograms or as versals to
begin a page of beautiful, handwritten text using your newly developed skills.

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Illuminated Calligraphy 95
Contemporary Calligraphy 97
 Alphabets seem to attract us, even
when they're not being used to form
words. Their letterforms are an
important graphic medium; they
communicate and reinforce content.
Each style represents a voice. In
conservative typography, the voice
is rather subtle, but in graphic and
illustrative work, it is more prevalent
and powerful. Like calligraphy,
learning and mastering lettering
takes practice. With practice and
observation, your ability to add your
own variations to the alphabets in this
book will increase.

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Contemporary Calligraphy 99
 hold, stroke, and rhythm. You must learn to do these things correctly before you will

A stroke should not feel hesitant, and the shape the tool itself is prone to create
should be understood and applied to the letterform that you are rendering.

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Contemporary Calligraphy 101
 The scribe of the past would cut a reed or quill pen, thus shaping the nib to his or

well. For example, metal pens sometimes have a polished and slippery feel. When

techniques in this section, you will discover ways of modifying your tools that will
make them work to your advantage.

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Contemporary Calligraphy 103
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Contemporary Calligraphy 105
 In music, you learn both the instrument and the notes at the same time. Lettering is
similar in that you are learning the tool and the subject of lettering simultaneously.
In order to become a master of both, there are a few things to keep in mind.

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Contemporary Calligraphy 107
the test of time. One of the most celebrated examples of this style can be
found at the base of the triumphal Trajan Column in Rome. The Trajan
Inscription contains the most elegant forms of Roman lettering, and it
was written nearly 2,000 years ago. Imagine that. We still use the letters

you can only alter them. They are considered to be the highest in the
letterform pyramid. I recommend that any serious lettering artist do a

create as the Trajan letters, but exhibit some of the same elegance.
They are done with a broad-edged brush or

2,000 years ago until present. These letters

were studied in the Middle Ages and during
the Renaissance era, and they are still studied
today.

There are several ways to approach Trajan

variations: written, drawn, or built up with
broad or pointed tools. In writing them, you
will learn a few special techniques that will be
useful for other hands as well. My purpose is to share methods that are
not too demanding, with the assumption that you may not want to be
purist, but rather that you will want to create beautiful letters that are
placed well on a page.
Contemporary Calligraphy 109
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Contemporary Calligraphy 111
If an artist wants to make letters by hand, oftentimes they would like
the lettering to have that “hand done” touch. With the brushstroke
method, the letters display the characteristics and changes in
transparency of the animated stroke.

and partly because it is a liberating and expressive tool. A

brushstroke can communicate everything from power to delicacy

Japanese (along with other Asian cultures) have developed writing

to a very high level, and the brushwork in the best of Asian art is
deserving of study and admiration. Abstract expressionist painters

where the way each stroke is executed is a high art. In the West, the
brush is an experimental tool for creativity.

Even when not being wielded in a

traditional manner, the brush is still a
great mark-making tool. Simply by viewing
its mark, one can see where the stroke
started, its speed and direction, and where
it ended.

The most challenging aspect of learning

the brushstroke is becoming accustomed
to what the stroke wants to do and
absorbing this into your subconscious,
which will allow you to create with its natural shape. When you pick

you must become familiar with its “inner rules.” (See “Pointed
Brush,” page 104.)
Contemporary Calligraphy 113
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Contemporary Calligraphy 115
This lettering is unabashedly expressive. It is lettering that begs
for attention. It is less disciplined than classic-inspired hands,
and presently it’s a bit trendy. You can use these styles in place
of typography, where it complements the perfection of the
computer with a human element. There is a culture to this type
of work, and it is mostly associated with youth and creativity.
(Picture your high school notebook.) You can draw or write these
letters with any tool. I prefer the ruling pen, but you can use any
instrument with which you are comfortable. Once you get the
hang of the basic rhythm, you can invent your own alphabet.
You do not need every letter to be crazy or different. In order for
the variety to work, you must establish some order or unity to
the letters. That might sound funny, but you get more “pop” on
your creative play if you restrain in areas to provide the stage, or
backdrop, for the drama.
Contemporary Calligraphy 117
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Contemporary Calligraphy 119
Edgy styles are sophisticated yet a bit aggressive, or “forward.” This
lettering has beauty but does not fall into the “pretty” category that
is normally associated with calligraphy. This group has calligraphic
underpinnings but seeks to put more action and expression on
the page. Many of these alphabets can be created with any writing
instrument, with each tool producing different variations. Notice
the weight placement: Broad tools will place the weight at a low-
to-high axis, whereas the ruling pen and pointed brush will do the

have great visual judgment. It takes a while to learn the rules and
know which ones to break. When you want to create lettering with
a contemporary feel, this style is a good bet.
Contemporary Calligraphy 121
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Contemporary Calligraphy 123
Handwriting is a system made unique by different habits and
personalities. Whether loose, illegible, careful, or consistent, each
handwriting style says something about its writer.

This section features alphabets that employ strokes similar to

handwriting. These strokes have an abundance of movement, and
the letters are often joined. Handwritten letters are informal, and
no two are the same. There are variations in line weight that do
not follow the regularity of formal calligraphy; however, form and
rhythm are still important. Alphabets based on handwriting have a
loose but controlled quality.

some areas and thin in others, as I want a broad edge with pressure
and release capabilities. This is a useful technique in many ways for
other types of lettering too. You can create classic lettering styles
with this technique as well.
Contemporary Calligraphy 125
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Contemporary Calligraphy 127
Lighthearted and related to the Fun & Funky style (see “Fun & Funky,”
page 116), this category is “innocent” and happy, and it may exude a
bit of humor and character. These alphabets are preoccupied with

When drawing the alphabets in this section, think of both your

audience and of what “voice” you imagine is behind the letters. Once
you determine this, you can add or take away details to suit your
tastes, and you will know that your work is communicating the tone
that you intended. It’s possible that you will create letters that stand
alone as purely decorative works of art.
Contemporary Calligraphy 129
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Contemporary Calligraphy 131
Once you are comfortable with your writing instruments and basic

in this section with a ruling pen and a broad-edged pen loaded with
high-quality watercolor paints. When choosing the colors you are
going to implement in your lettering art, keep in mind the basics of
color theory (see “Color Theory,” page 72), as well as the tone of the
message you are trying to convey.
Contemporary Calligraphy 133
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Contemporary Calligraphy 135
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Contemporary Calligraphy 137
PART 2
Flourishes & Embellishments 141
 As with slanted script, it’s still very important to maintain even spacing between
and inside the letters. Each letter should take up roughly the same amount of space.
This script was written with a pointed pen.

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Flourishes & Embellishments 143
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Flourishes & Embellishments 145
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Flourishes & Embellishments 147
 Give capital letters lots of space, and avoid squeezing the next letter of the word into

thick lines.

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Flourishes & Embellishments 149
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Flourishes & Embellishments 151
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Flourishes & Embellishments 153
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Flourishes & Embellishments 155
Illustrated by Hand 157
 When it comes to beautiful, expressive lettering, the possibilities are endless.
From pencils and markers to pens and paints, you can use just about any
mark-making tool to craft pretty letters and words. On the following pages, I’ll
introduce you to some of my favorite lettering tools, techniques, and inspirations,
including some of the fun materials you’ll need to complete the step-by-step

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Illustrated by Hand 159
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Illustrated by Hand 161
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Illustrated by Hand 163
 Beautiful cursive script complements any hand-lettered piece. If you’re still

alternative to achieve a similar effect. It does not replace or devalue calligraphic

skill, but it can help create the look you desire as you develop your calligraphy skills.

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Illustrated by Hand 165
 visually plan the lettering before you begin inking.

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Illustrated by Hand 167
 One of my favorite hand-lettering skills is to letter in shapes. This technique
is not only fun but also visually pleasing and great for creating graphic work
that is ready to print on cards, T-shirts, or tattoos.

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Illustrated by Hand 169
 Basic hand lettering is typically practiced with black or colored pens or pencils on
white paper. To create a striking piece, try using . Negative space is
the area around an object or word. With this technique, make white letters against
a dark background. The effect creates powerful works of art that stand out with

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Illustrated by Hand 171
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Illustrated by Hand 173
 Stippling is a technique that involves drawing or painting small dots to create
detail and depth. I love to use stippling as a technique for pen-and-ink drawing,
but it is just as fun to use in hand lettering for a really cool effect.

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Illustrated by Hand 175
 A beautifully painted phrase or illustrated word can have a powerful, inspiring
impact. Elements such as shapes and silhouettes, scale and proportion, and texture

look, or bring your own personality to any snapshot, page, document, or chart with a
custom font. Using the illustrations below as inspiration, practice creating your own
word illustrations.

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Illustrated by Hand 177
 Many graphics and logos contain letters that are drawn to form the shape of an
object or an idea. There is freedom to drawing these types of words because there

Follow the steps below to try your hand at drawing an object-shaped word.

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Illustrated by Hand 179
 Ribbon lettering is a fun way to add personality and a unique look to your lettering.
Practice this basic tutorial to get the hang of it, and then take it to the next level
with the example on page 181.

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Illustrated by Hand 181
 Now that you’re getting the hang of hand lettering and loving your results, it’s time
to open yourself up to a whole new realm of opportunity. All you need is a camera,
a computer, and Adobe® Photoshop® or similar photo-editing software. Once you
learn to convert your work to a digital format, you can create any number of

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Illustrated by Hand 183
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Illustrated by Hand 185
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Illustrated by Hand 187
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Illustrated by Hand 189
Chalk Lettering 191
 It doesn’t take much to create beautiful chalk lettering and artwork. All you truly

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Chalk Lettering 193
 In my hunt for good chalkboards, I have found that they’re becoming increasingly

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Chalk Lettering 195
 Make this chalkboard calendar for a cute
addition to any wall in your home. There’s no
need to replace it each year. The grid and days
of the week always stay in place. Just erase and
update the month and day numbers each month.

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Chalk Lettering 197
 Drop caps are the large letters often found at the beginning of a book chapter.

create your own personal drop cap. Get as ornate as you like, and reference other

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Chalk Lettering 199
 Practice lettering your
name in contrasting styles.
Search books, magazines,
and websites like Pinterest

styles (e.g. blackletter, script,

and retro). Draw your name
in each style. Notice how
each style varies from the
others, and incorporate those
differences into your piece.

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Chalk Lettering 201
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Chalk Lettering 203
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Chalk Lettering 205
 Now that you have a brand-new, blank chalkboard, just imagine all of the

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Chalk Lettering 207
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Chalk Lettering 209
 can use anything, from a silly phrase to a recipe to a simple illustration.

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Chalk Lettering 211
 In this exercise, we’ll experiment with chalk realism, as well as

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Chalk Lettering 213
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Chalk Lettering 215
tales and dreaming. For this project, let’s dive into our childhood fantasies and create a
really whimsical piece.

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Chalk Lettering 217
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Chalk Lettering 219
PART 3
Lettering Arts & Crafts 223
 Whether you’re an artist, a student, or a working professional, a notebook
or journal can help you stay organized. It’s also a great place to doodle and
brainstorm creative new ideas. A journal with a personalized cover created by
you makes a great gift as well. Here you’ll learn how to make your own little
work of art using a journal cover.

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Lettering Arts & Crafts 225
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Lettering Arts & Crafts 229
 Hand-lettered art featuring an inspirational
quote makes for a beautiful wall hanging, and
if the quote inspires viewers, that’s even better.
Think of it as a pep talk every time you pass your

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Lettering Arts & Crafts 231
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Lettering Arts & Crafts 233
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Lettering Arts & Crafts 235
 Using kraft paper as a tablecloth, create a whimsical and fun alternative to boring
ol’ place cards. Unique, beautiful, and cheap, try this out the next time you host a

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Lettering Arts & Crafts 237
 Determine the
placement of each
downward stroke by
looking at the letter
and noting each place
where you would
pull your pen down
if you were using a
traditional calligraphy
pen and nib.

238 The Complete Book of Calligraphy & Lettering

Lettering Arts & Crafts 239