Make your handwriting even more beautiful with these at-home calligraphy hacks
Image: Olivia Hope Calligraphy
The art of beautiful penmanship has become popular again in the last few years, as many of us turn our back on technology and revert to beautiful, traditional methods of communicating with our loved ones. And now, as we continue to look at new, fulfilling ways to occupy our time, you might want to consider reigniting your passion for beautifully handwritten gestures.
Once the preserve of those very special occasions when only formal stationery will do, handwritten notes, letters, thank-you cards and other messages are becoming more popular now that we find ourselves unable to spend time with everyone we love. And thanks to the likes of Meghan Markle (a one-time professional calligrapher) becoming renowned for writing heartfelt - not to mention beautiful - hand-lettered notes, it’s no wonder that we’re all looking to improve our skills in the art. Prior to lockdown, calligraphy classes had shot up in popularity, with many of us wanting to learn the art and make every correspondence as pretty as a picture. Until such classes can resume, why not start your calligraphy education from home? If you want to improve your handwriting, we’ve gotten the inside track on the skills you need to know...
Kirsty Brannagan is the pen behind Olivia Hope Calligraphy, an Edinburgh-based calligraphy studio that not only creates stationery for you, but teaches you the art, too.
‘In today’s society, speed and ease often seem to win over the more time-consuming, but often far more thoughtful, personal option,’ Kirsty tells us. ‘I spend a lot of time writing invitations and addressing envelopes, but I actually can’t remember the last time I received a handwritten envelope in the post! Imagine finding a beautifully lettered envelope among your bills and junk mail, one where you could run your finger along the writing and feel the raised ink. It makes the recipient feel so special, and it beats sending a text, a thousand times over.’
So, we know it’s a nicer way to interact with your loved ones, but how on earth do we do it?!
According to the experts, it’s all in the practice. Arm yourself with a pen and paper, and download some alphabet templates; there are hundreds of free downloadable options available with a quick Google search, so print them out and get practicing. Find calligraphers whose style you admire, and use their quirks for inspiration in developing your own style; add flourishes and flicks where it feels natural to do so, and take it slow to achieve the best results.
‘If you’re not quite ready to tackle a nib and ink, try a thin brush pen – I like the Pentel Touch Brush Sign – and practice a few thin upstrokes and thick downstrokes, which can improve the look of anyone’s handwriting,’ says Kirsty.
For inspiration, here’s a few of the finest calligraphers Scotland has to offer, to help you feel ready to up your handwriting game and start sending some beautiful, personalised notes to your loved ones…