Lucy Edmonds - Modern Calligraphy: A Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering the Art of Creativity

LUCY EDMONDS

of QUILL LONDON

CONTENTS

You can download a printable pdf of a dotted practice page here and a lined practice page here

Congratulations if this is your first step on your modern calligraphy journey Im delighted that you have decided to join this incredible community of lettering lovers!

Modern calligraphy has taken the world by storm in the last decade and Im thrilled to have helped kickstart the UKs obsession with it. I founded and run a stationery boutique, Quill London, and we hosted Londons first modern calligraphy workshops in 2014. Since then our workshops have been featured in all kinds of national press, and weve seen several thousand eager students come from all over the world to be part of this super-hot trend. Rather excitingly, many have gone on, through our improvers class programme, to turn their new skills into a business or to enhance their existing careers. Ive met all kinds of inspiring people who have absorbed modern calligraphy into their jobs graphic designers, tattoo artists, florists, cake makers, embroiderers and stationery designers. Who knows where this could take you!

But equally, I meet hundreds of people who are seeking an opportunity simply to learn a new life skill, crucially something that takes them away from a screen for a few hours. Its surprising that in this age of digital communication, modern calligraphy could have provoked quite this level of obsession. But perhaps its because we find ourselves addicted to our phones and laptops nowadays calligraphy offers a wonderful antidote.

Modern calligraphy is a style of pointed pen calligraphy thats based loosely on the Copperplate style, which originated in England as far back as the seventeenth century but was prolifically used by eighteenth-century penmen, and then travelled across the world via the clerks of the British Empire. When framed within calligraphys rich 2,000-plus-year-old history, its a brand new phenomenon, having only emerged in the last ten years or so. Its sometimes condemned as merely fancy writing, and admittedly modern calligraphy is less demanding in its approach than the rigorous traditional scripts of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, so its widely practised at a comparatively more amateur level. But this is surely why its become so wildly popular. Its accessible, anyone can do it, and you can create your very own lettering style from it. Just like Copperplate, which has a set of rules that make it recognisable, modern calligraphy has its own set of characteristics that make it so. This book will show you why modern calligraphy is more than just fancy handwriting. In fact, it wont necessarily even improve your handwriting.

Every modern calligrapher has their own signature lettering style sometimes several. As you immerse yourself in this new world, youll soon be able to recognise the work of your favourite modern calligraphers. Some styles reveal hints of a formal Copperplate education; others are quite the opposite: loose, wild, organic. My lettering style is on the latter half of the spectrum. I am not trained in Copperplate but I highly recommend giving yourself a basic understanding of Copperplate letterforms, as its beneficial to grasp the fundamental concepts that underpin modern calligraphy if you want to produce the best work. Naturally, in this book youll be learning my style but I will show you ways to develop your own.

I came to calligraphy quite by accident. A few years ago I began to notice this stylish writing appear on my Pinterest and Instagram feeds, and discovered that it had a name: modern calligraphy. After becoming completely captivated, I realised that it was almost all coming from the USA and consequently, that there was nowhere here in the UK where you could learn it. I thought it could be fun to put on a workshop event in London for our stationery-loving customers, so I found a fabulous British calligrapher and implored her to teach it to us. That class was meant to be a one-off but Quill has never looked back! Since picking up a pen for the first time in that class I was hooked. But like any skill learning to drive, speaking a new language or playing a musical instrument it takes time and practice to master. I have to admit I didnt take to it very easily, and Ive progressed only through sheer determination. I am a living example of that age-old mantra Practice makes perfect! (Well, theres always room for improvement)

Modern calligraphy has been an unexpected but exciting twist in my career. Ive been lucky enough to work with some incredible brands and people, who have commissioned my lettering style for all kinds of projects, from fashion week invitations and events to personalising luxury goods, and from bespoke stationery to tattoos. Im humbled that Quill, along with all the inspirational calligraphers that we have had the pleasure of working with, has been at the forefront of this revival in the UK.

This book is designed for complete beginners to modern calligraphy and presents a step-by-step guide to help get you started. Its tempting to dive straight in to words, but try not to jump ahead too quickly. Its important to get the basics right. If you can learn to have patience, its the best way to progress and I promise you will see improvement quickly.

Towards the end of the book I have included some creative ideas for you to put your new skills into use. Your modern calligraphy endeavours dont need to be ambitious at first why not try addressing your next letter or birthday card using your new talent?

Practising modern calligraphy is a perfect way to unlock your creativity. Absolutely anyone can learn its irrelevant if you have terrible handwriting and it doesnt matter if you think you arent creative. In the last half-century, scientists have increasingly studied creativity and we now know that creativity is something we all have. Its a myth that some people just arent creative. Being creative is a habit that you can get into. Modern calligraphy is a fantastic exercise for your creative muscle: it requires regular practice to unlock the creative pathways in your brain, and the practice in itself demands your full attention, which in turn rewards you with an almost therapeutic sense of relaxation and mindfulness as you write.

As you start your calligraphy journey I really recommend you to surround yourself with inspiration. Make use of all those digital resources at your finger tips: calligraphy videos on Instagram and YouTube, learn from blogs such as those Ive suggested at the back of this book, and engage yourself with the worldwide modern calligraphy community online.

Modern calligraphy is a hobby that you can dip in and out of as and when life and time allows. Just have a go and with a little patience, perseverance and practice you will be creating beautiful lettering in no time at all. Beware it can become quite addictive! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

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Nikko G nib

Higgins Eternal ink

Speedball straight penholder

Rhodia dotPad

As your confidence and experience grow, youll want to branch out and experiment with different tools. Here are some additional materials you might want to add to your modern calligraphy armoury:

Oblique penholder

Sumi ink

Dr Ph Martins Bleedproof White ink

Finetec metallic inks

Tombow brush pens

A range of nibs, such as Brause Steno, Gillott 404, Leonardt Principal

Layout paper

Bristol board

Watercolour paper

A pipette

Gouache paints in primary colours