Calligraphy is an art of writing that has flourished over thousands of years in many different cultures around the world.  Whether you are an artist, a writer or just a hobbyist, learning to write with a calligraphy pen is a valuable and rewarding skill.  Many calligraphers find that their script becomes a lucrative hobby, since skilled calligraphers are in demand for custom lettering on documents and works of art.  Once you learn the basic skill of how to write with a calligraphy pen, you can expand the applications for your calligraphy as your skills advance.

  Steps

Choose a Calligraphy Pen

1. Felt tip disposable calligraphy pens are a favorite option for beginners because you simply remove the cap and write.  These pens, like many other pens and markers, have a felt tip that fills with ink automatically, but the tip is cut to be slanted with a flat edge that comes to a point.
2. Fountain pens are more commonly used by intermediate and advanced calligraphers.  These pens have changeable nibs and ink cartridges, which are switched out periodically.
3. Steel nib pens are less common, but are good for permanent ink and detailed projects.  These pens require ink to be fed to them from a dropper every few words.

Fit Your Pen

1. Both fountain pens and steel nib pens may need to be shaped with a whetstone to fit your grip.
2. Hold the pen as you would an ordinary pen, with the nib at a 45 degree angle on the page so that if you drew a vertical or a horizontal line, the end of the line would be slanted.
3. Angle the pen slightly towards the shoulder of the hand you write with.
4. Sand down the edge of the nib so that when you hold the pen in this way, the nib is flush with the paper.  The degree to which you angle the pen towards your body when you hold it will dictate the extent to which you shape the nib.

Practice with Lines

1. Drawing vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines is a good way to practice.  Always use fluid movements for each individual stroke, and raise your pen from the page after a stroke is complete.
   
   
   
   • Use three lines of notebook paper for each vertical line you draw.
   • Draw horizontal lines about the same length as your vertical lines are tall.  Practice tracing the notebook paper lines and placing your strokes at different intervals between the lines.
2. Draw diagonal lines in both directions, leaning to the left and the right.
3. Also draw some curves and circles, practicing the curved line with opening and closing parentheses and with “o” shapes of various sizes that combine the two types of curves.

Choose an Alphabet for Calligraphy

1. A number of alphabet styles are available for use with calligraphy lettering.  Consider the following options.
   
   
   
   • Use the Chancery alphabet for a light, elegant script commonly used in modern calligraphy.
   • Use the Gothic alphabet for a bold style that can be embellished with shadows or illuminated letters.
   • Use Carolingian alphabet, used during the 8th to 12th centuries, for a Medieval effect.
   • Use the Insular or Irish alphabet for a more open font and Celtic aesthetic.
2. If you study a language with a non-Roman alphabet, you can also practice writing with a calligraphy pen in those alphabets.  Chinese and Arabic are both famous for their calligraphy, which uses a brush rather than a pen.
3. You can also model your calligraphy on an example you find online or in a text.

  Tips

• As you practice your lines and your alphabet, check that the ink is coming out evenly with each stroke.  While some strokes are meant to be thick and others thin, blots or spurts of ink mean that your nib is not flush with the page and needs to be shaped.