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• Method 1 of 3: Writing in calligraphy
• Necessities

Calligraphy (meaning "beautiful writing" in Greek) is the art of decorative writing. It is a tradition that spans thousands of years and countless cultures. Although calligraphy was mainly used for religious purposes in the past, it is now used for a variety of purposes. If you want to learn this beautiful art yourself read the text below.

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Method 1 of 3: Writing in calligraphy

1. Sketch the shape and placement on the sheet before you start. You can simply leave these basic underlines as is or you can outline the space for each letter. If you want to work even more extensively, you can sketch the entire page before you start.
   • Use a ruler for a neat placement and be sure to preview the style you like so you can roughly mimic the style of the letters.
2. Hold your writing pen or brush tightly. The calligraphy brush is held differently from the pens. The brush is also held differently depending on whether it concerns Eastern or Western calligraphy. If you hold your writing materials correctly, you will be able to form the letters nicely.
   • For Eastern calligraphy, hold your brush almost upright and down while using the first three fingers of your dominant hand. The closer you hold the brush to the bristles, the sharper the stroke will be defined. In this style your elbow should be held up and your hand still, the brush is only moved by your fingers.
   • For western calligraphy with a brush, you hold the brush almost the same as a regular brush. Rather use a brush for Western calligraphy than a pen as it gives your letters a round and fluid shape.
   • For Western or Arabic calligraphy, continuously hold your pen at a 30-60-degree angle with the tip of the pen moving away from you, up and to your left. If you keep the wide part of the tip parallel to the paper you will create a thicker line and if you keep it perpendicular you will create a thin line. Dip pens work much the same.
3. Make sure you have the best paper you can get. You need this paper to draw on. This can vary from printing paper to high-quality calligraphy paper. Use the material that suits you best. Paper can be purchased at stationery stores, craft stores, art supply stores, and over the Internet.
   • Make sure the paper is smooth. This will keep your pen from snagging or slipping. Avoid paper that is greasy or waxy as this can prevent the ink from being absorbed properly by the paper. Look for paper that prevents the ink from leaking, but allows it to dry quickly.
   • Look for archival or acid-free paper. This paper ensures that your artwork can be stored for a very long time. It also helps to use leak-proof paper. This is paper that has been treated to prevent ink from leaking through. Ask for it in a specialist shop or search the internet.
4. Make sure you have good writing materials. Although you can make calligraphy with any writing utensil, there are certain writing utensils that are suitable for it. Your choice depends on the type of calligraphy you practice and what writing utensils you like.
   • Dip pens are pens that you dip in ink. They are made of plastic, wood or bone and have a metal tip (which makes contact with the paper, the tip of the crown is this). The tip is dipped into the ink and stores the ink in the reservoir of the crown. The dip pen is most commonly used for both Arabic and Western calligraphy, although it can also be used for Eastern calligraphy.
   • Fountain pens look like dip pens but draw their ink from a refill in the pen. Although you have to replace the refill every now and then, you don't have to dip the fountain pen in the ink every time you do with a dip pen.
   • Brushes, mostly used for Eastern and sometimes Western calligraphy, come in various shapes and sizes, but they all have more or less the same shape. They are dipped in ink. The writer determines the line thickness by pressure and direction of the brush.
5. Get the best ink. There are many different types of ink and the type depends, among other things, on the type of writing material you are using. Although there are several ink colors, black is most commonly used in both Western and Eastern calligraphy. Use whatever you like best.
   • Ink sticks, which also require an ink stone, are sticks of ink that are ground and mixed with water to make ink. They are excellent for calligraphy practitioners because you can create many different shades of the same ink this way, depending on how you mixed it. They can be purchased at hobby stores, Asian stores and over the Internet.
   • Bottle ink is the most common ink used in calligraphy. This ink is already mixed and comes in a small jar. You dip your writing utensils in the jar. India ink is most commonly used for calligraphy and can be found in most art supply stores.
   • Fountain pen ink is an ink that is dyed (contains dyes). It is important that you only use fountain pen ink with a fountain pen because other inks can cause your fountain pen to clog. Fountain pen ink is in refills that already contain the ink or in a jar with which you fill the fountain pen yourself.
6. Get rulers or other measuring instruments so that your work looks professional. You may need helplines to make sure your work is written straight. Or maybe you want to write along a curved or round line and have a guide for this on paper. Rulers and other measuring instruments ensure that your work looks professional and even.
7. Have tape or weights at home to minimize frustration. You can use this to hold the paper in place while you write. Otherwise, you may get creases and skew the paper. You can also use clamps or a drawing board.
   • Pay attention to the type of tape you use. If it is too strong, you can tear the paper when you remove the tape. Painter's tape is best.

Necessities

• Pointed writing utensils
• Ink
• Suitable paper
• An idea or example of calligraphy alphabets. Good versions can be found here
• Brush
• Suitable table where you can work comfortably.