Beautiful writing is a specialist skill but it is also something that can be picked up with a lot of hard work and constant practice. Calligraphy is an age-old art that was once the primary way in which words were set down on paper and important manuscripts. Nowadays, with the modern age taking over such mundane acts as touching a pen nib to a piece of paper it is an art form that is not seen nearly as frequently.

The wonderful thing about calligraphy is that it is a pastime that can be done by anyone and it doesn’t require much room to set up and begin. There are a few specialist pieces of equipment required but once you’ve bought a calligraphy set you will only rarely have to replenish your supplies. Where the real challenge lies is in picking up the correct techniques that will graduate your shaky scrawls into beautiful and greatly appreciated works of art.

Once you have mastered the correct way to hold a calligraphy pen, the angle at which to set the pen when lettering and the size at which the letters should be formed, you are only limited by your imagination as to how creative you can get.

There are many ways to go about learning calligraphy. You may wish to enrol in a face to face calligraphy course at a technical college, sitting in a class with other students learning at the same set pace. If you would rather to work at your own pace and believe that you will be motivated enough to keep yourself going, you might prefer to pick up an educational calligraphy book and follow that through. A third option that is becoming more common thanks to the Internet is to learn online. There are courses available that allow you to progress at your own pace but you also have the support of a teacher available should you fall into difficulties.

Calligraphy guilds are also available where you can join and meet either face to face or online and discuss calligraphy matters. These clubs also hold demonstrations and meet to display work and pass on ideas, tips and techniques. Joining your local calligraphy guild is also a tremendous way to accelerate the learning process.

Learning calligraphy does not have to be an exercise that you have to master on your own. In fact, if you want to rise to an elite calligrapher it will be almost impossible to do on your own. The input and ideas of others will set you on the right path, improve your skills and help you to grow as a calligrapher. Interacting with other calligraphers will also inspire you to become more creative, driving you to expand your repertoire.

A calligrapher requires a range of calligraphy tools in order to fully achieve the lettering options available to him. This includes the calligraphy pen holder, a range of calligraphy nibs and ink. A decent work space, paper, pencils, eraser, set squares and other rulers will also help to set up the area.

When it comes to nibs there will be a favored size nib that will serve most of the calligrapher’s needs. This will be a medium width nib that is suitable for many of the common lettering tasks. As well as this nib a range of other sized nibs should be at hand to perform variations, thin style or thick style lettering. All of the nibs that you buy will have to be compatible with the pen holder that you own. For seasoned calligraphers this is never a problem because they will have their favorite brand of nibs that they most likely buy from their favorite store.

A beginner will have to work out the pen holder and nib combination that works best for them as well as discovering the most convenient place to buy them. There will be a certain turnover in tools so it is a good idea to establish a reliable source early on in the piece.

Starting out with a calligraphy set from one of the big name companies may be the most economical way to start. In the set you should get a pen plus maybe 3 nibs and some ink. This is a fine start and will be suitable as you start to learn the craft. When you have felt the hook of the art take hold you may want to venture further and buy yourself a pen that sits further up the line. This kind of pen holder may be contoured or specially grooved so that it may be gripped more easily.

Calligraphy isn’t only performed using a nibbed pen. Japanese and Chinese calligraphy, which has been around for many centuries is performed using a calligraphy brush. There are many different types of calligraphy brushes available and each is made using different combinations of hairs or furs. The brush may be stiff or reasonably pliable and, like nibs, there are different sized brushes to achieve lines of different thicknesses.

Take a careful look around the next time you visit an art store and you will find that a good range of calligraphy pens and calligraphy brushes are available giving you the perfect opportunity to take up a very rewarding pastime. Indeed, calligraphy can easily translate from enjoyable hobby to lucrative business.

When you’ve got to buy a new calligraphy pen the idea is to choose a good one. This may seem obvious, but what isn’t so obvious may be what exactly constitute a pen that is good. It will all come down to a matter of personal preference and what feels comfortable in your hand. You may not simply be able to buy a calligraphy set and hope that the pen contained within will suit your hand.

Some people will prefer a calligraphy pen that is weighty to give them something that they feel is providing authority on the paper while other people prefer a pen holder that is light. When you are holding a pen over an extended period of time and concentrating fiercely on your letters, any extra weight may play a large role in how long you may be able to maintain your form.

The thickness of the pen holder will also play a part in the decision making process. Some pen holders are quite narrow while others are nice and chunky. Again it all comes down to personal preference, perhaps it will be determined by what you are used to using or it may come down to an inability to hold a narrow stem. This will be particularly relevant to anyone suffering from arthritis.

A final consideration you should make when choosing your pen or pen holder is the grip of the pen. The point where you actually hold the pen should ideally have a little bit of contour or roughness to it. An extended session of calligraphy can see your fingers becoming a little moist which can make it difficult to grip the pen. If this happens it is handy to be using a pen that compensates and helps you to overcome any possible slipperiness.

Taking into account the factors mentioned above should ensure that the pen you end up buying is a good calligraphy pen for your needs. Once you’ve got a stylus in your hands that you like, you can turn your attention to fitting it with appropriate nibs.

Taking up a hobby such as calligraphy mans that you will need some specialised tools that will make the initial learning experience easier. These tools include, but are not limited to, calligraphy pens, calligraphy pen nibs, paper, pencils, ink and perhaps a dedicated work table. All of these items are available to buy separately or you can buy them as part of a calligraphy set for convenience.

A good basic calligraphy set should contain a calligraphy pen holder plus a range of nibs and perhaps a few different colored inks. The ability to change nibs should be a preference you go for because this gives you the opportunity to use the same holder to perform all sizes of lettering whereas a calligraphy pen with a fixed nib will only allow you to perform a single size, meaning you will have to buy multiple pens.

Some of the biggest names in the pen industry produce top quality calligraphy sets as well as a large range of additional pen holders and nibs. Pen companies such as Sheaffer, Parker, Staedtler and Rotring all have calligraphy sets that would be suitable for a beginner to buy as a means of getting started with calligraphy.

The important thing to ensure that you’ve done is that you’ve bought a calligraphy pen that feels comfortable in your hand. Calligraphy is a pastime that you will spend a long time pursuing, it is an endeavour that will require hours of concentration and you will need to feel comfortable whilst doing it.