We all know that beautiful calligraphic lettering can lend an elegant flair to the written word. But have you ever imagined going beyond lettering and using calligraphic techniques to create stunning works of art? Calligraphic Drawing: A How-To Guide and Gallery Exploring the Art of the Flourish by Schin Loong (Rockport Publishers/Quarto, November 2018) can show you how.
* Complimentary book received for review. This post contains affiliate links.
Like many craft books, Calligraphic Drawing begins with a section about the tools and materials you’ll need, in this case, metal nibs, nib holders, ink, and paper. Loong describes several brands of nibs and provides helpful information about their differences as well as sample strokes made with them so you can choose one best suited for you. She also gives some good tips for using and caring for your tools, in particular, repeating “Never let ink dry on your nib.” Her Troubleshooting Guide will help you solve problems you may run into as you undertake your new craft, and she provides advice and encouragement in a section called “Before You Begin.”
After practicing the lessons and performing the exercises in the first chapter, “Basic Strokes and Flourishes,” you’ll grasp the fundamental skills you’ll need to move on to the heart of the book. There you’ll use calligraphic strokes to draw a jellyfish, a goldfish, and several types of birds, including a swan and a peacock, all with step-by-step guidance. You’ll then learn to embellish your lettering and to add lettering to your drawings, as well as creating cartouche designs to enhance your pictures and lettering. In the latter parts of the book, you’ll find more intricate designs for animals such as an elephant, a dinosaur, and a puppy, some with embedded lettering.
Beyond the lessons, Calligraphic Drawing includes a gallery of some of Loong’s finished works to inspire your creativity. As she says, “The basic steps for the strokes are simple, but as you learn each new pattern and stroke, you’ll watch your drawings flourish and develop into more complex and beautiful compositions. Your process may be different from mine, but that is what makes flourished drawings so special—each is unique to the hand that created it.”
Schin Loong is the calligrapher and artist behind Open Ink Stand Studio in Las Vegas. Follow her on Instagram to enjoy beautiful samples of her work and updates on events. Rockport Publishers specializes in instructional design books and is an imprint of The Quarto Group. You can visit Quarto Knows on Facebook for all the latest updates.
* This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may or may not receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thank you!
Disclaimer: A. Bailey received complimentary products for review purposes & feature on The Classy Chics blog. No monetary compensation was received. A. Bailey’s thoughts, opinions and words are 100% her own. Your thoughts may differ. This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, we will receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thanks!
This is a wonderful book . I hope it also inspires people to have better penmanship.
I love the idea of this book. I don’t think I would ever be able to do that but I love watching it.