If you have been looking for a beginners modern calligraphy practice alphabet sheet, I have put one together. After looking online for some free printable modern calligraphy practice sheets I came up short. Some printables had letters that were too advanced, didn’t have grids included or they were not modern calligraphy.
A couple of years ago I needed to address my wedding invitations. So I set out to learn how to do calligraphy. You can read all about my journey to making money with calligraphy here. My skills have grown little by little and now I address envelopes for money.
All of the letters were made using a pointed nib dipped in ink. If you want to get started in calligraphy I highly recommend a dip nib over a fountain pen or calligraphy marker. Once your comfortable with the dip nib you can move on to other types.
This is a very standard practice sheet with some modern calligraphy lowercase letters. It includes an image of the letter and a grid for practice. The letters are not italicized because I think it’s easier to get the hang of the strokes that way.
Calligraphy Practice Sheet
If you are just starting out with calligraphy consider taking a class. There are so many wonderful calligraphy and hand lettering classes available out there. The first class I started out with was Introduction to Modern Calligraphy by Molly Jacques.
When done by an expert (not me) modern calligraphy can be so pretty and airy. It is wonderful for making handmade greeting cards, name plates, art and envelope addressing.
Calligraphy is something that I have always loved. I remember getting my first calligraphy marker and practicing holding the pen just right to get the perfect stroke. Today, we have modern calligraphy done with a dip pen and pointed nib. It’s not really “modern” if you ask me. I mean it’s a dip pen aren’t those from two centuries ago? Even still I love modern calligraphy. It makes my heart happy.
Just make sure you take out the cartridge if you are using a cartridge type of pen. When you refill it, wipe it clean first and then avoid spilling. Use wet wipes to remove excess ink on the pen.
As a beginner, you would want to buy the best calligraphy starter kit that comes with everything you need. To me, this is a good candidate because it already includes 4 calligraphy pens. These are classic pens that use cartridges. You can refill the cartridges with ink when you run out, so you should be able to use them for a long time without replacing your pens.
Inside the box comes 4 different types of pens. I like how varied the pens are. You can choose the type of pen that you prefer. It gives you more options. You can also replace the nibs with 4 other styles of nibs. Included are 4 different ink tubs with various colors as well. And for beginners, you will like that it includes a textbook where you can start practicing calligraphy as soon as you obtain this set. I can also give this as a gift to anyone interested in doing calligraphy.
This is a good calligraphy kit for beginners if you don’t mind the minor flaws. It’s not perfect but it’s good for its intended purpose. I prefer using the medium and broad nibs because they are easier to control. Still once, you improve on your skills, it should be easier to use the other nibs.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like that there are more color options in this set. It includes lots of vibrant colors so you can make your calligraphy work a lot more interesting. It also dispenses ink evenly. I haven’t experienced any clogging issue like other similar pens.
This is an elegant calligraphy set that you can keep yourself or give as a gift to friends or loved-ones. It’s a basic and inexpensive calligraphy set that is great if you are just starting out and you don’t want to choose from different tools. It only comes with one pen. Don’t worry though because the pen is quite versatile. It is made from lightweight wood and it is easy to hold because of its shape.
Calligraphy sets are easy to find. You can find them in Walmart and Home Depot. Check these out in your favorite art supply stores as well. You can also buy them from online shops like Amazon and have them delivered to your doorstep.
Are you more into calligraphy markers? Try this set. It comes with 12 markers that have dual tips and 2 gel pens. I like how there are different color options in this set, so you don’t have to go out there and buy bottles of ink to get the calligraphy colors you prefer. If you are into journaling or you just want to do calligraphy to label your art, this should be a good buy.
With this beautiful writing, calligraphy is an easy way elevate simple items
If you need some letters to practice, our next calligraphy sheet has both uppercase and lowercase letters for you to copy on the same sheet.
Need more tips? Check out this post with advice specifically for modern calligraphy.
Do you need more lined paper to practice your calligraphy on? We have free printable lined sheets for you to download. Check them out here or here . This will help you get used to making calligraphy on smaller lines.
Blank calligraphy paper #1
This calligraphy paper has slightly more subtle diagonal lines, to help you become even more skilled in your calligraphy practice.
If you’re interested in learning more about the different types of calligraphy, check out this post.
In the ancient Greek, ‘calligraphy’ translates to ‘beautiful writing’, and that is certainly true. People often view calligraphy as a lost art, but it is anything but!
So, at a time when we all need a little zen— and when a beautiful hand written card or picture could bring so much joy to a loved one we can't be with — calligraphy could be a great way to while away the hours. We spoke to modern calligrapher Kirstie Bird, also known as Ink & Flow, to get you started.
"The pressure is always on the downward strokes, then the release is always as you come up."
"They basically talk you through everything. They break down step by step how it all works and it's very easy to follow. And then there's warm up exercises and lots of different letter styles you can practice."
"The more relaxed your hand is on the upstroke, the lighter the touch, the more it will glide up the page. My motto is 'let it flow'. If you start to notice that you're getting cramp in between the front and the first finger. That means you're holding the pen too tightly," Kirstie explained.
Calligraphy pens
"To get the nib to open you need ideally need to have the pen in between your thumb and first finger, and the angle of the pen needs to be as low down to paper as possible, around 45 degrees. If the angle is too high, when you go to apply pressure it's not going to open, it's just going to scratch," Kirstie said.
"Rhodia pads are great to practice with - they come with lines, or the dot pad is a particular favourite of mine," Kirstie said.
"There's the hourglass shape, which has got the curved top, then there's straight pen holders, which are just straight. Then you can get an oblique pen holder which is a pen that's got a slight little arm that sticks out at the top. I teach with the hourglass pen holder," Kirstie said.
Our final paper is another blank sheet but with the same dimensions as the sheet above, so you can copy the same letters on it.
Need more tips? Check out this post with advice specifically for modern calligraphy.
If you need some letters to practice, our next calligraphy sheet has both uppercase and lowercase letters for you to copy on the same sheet.
If you’re interested in learning more about the different types of calligraphy, check out this post.
Calligraphy paper with letters
Calligraphy is often slanted, in an italic style. This means that many calligraphy practice papers have slanted lines to help the user shape their letters in the most elegant way.
With this beautiful writing, calligraphy is an easy way elevate simple items
In the ancient Greek, ‘calligraphy’ translates to ‘beautiful writing’, and that is certainly true. People often view calligraphy as a lost art, but it is anything but!
Do you need more lined paper to practice your calligraphy on? We have free printable lined sheets for you to download. Check them out here or here . This will help you get used to making calligraphy on smaller lines.