If you’re wondering about Can I learn calligraphy? Should you want to learn calligraphy? Here are the 10 things you have to know before learning calligraphy.

If you are wondering, should you learn calligraphy or not? Here are the 10 things you should definitely want to know before making any decision. 

10 Things To Know Before Learning Calligraphy

It’s been 7 years since I started doing calligraphy. Here are the 10 things I wish I had known before learning it. It would have made my whole journey easier from the very beginning.

1. Calligraphy Will Take A Lot of Effort and Practice to Learn.

If you are wondering, can I learn calligraphy or not? Then you have to know that calligraphy takes huge efforts and hours of practice to learn. It’s not a simple skill to acquire. 

And mastering this skill takes hours of practice daily. I agree it’s a very beautiful skill and looks very satisfying. Professionals do this very effortlessly and it looks very simple while watching.

But it takes them years to build that muscle memory. The whole Calligraphy is based on muscle memory. Artists train their muscles for repetitive hand movements. And it took them hours of practice.

So if you’re just blown out by these effortless calligraphy writing. Then maybe you have to stop and think for a moment. Because these few words are the result of their hours of practice.

And I am not saying it’s very hard and only a few people can do it. No, it’s not that case. 

Anyone in the world can do that calligraphy. But it just takes practice and discipline.

And also it does not take so long to acquire this skill. Just daily 2 hours practice. That’s it. So I don’t wanna scare you by saying it takes years to learn or only some people can do it.

No, not at all. You can learn it easily. But it just takes discipline and daily practice. Otherwise your journey will get a lot harder and longer. And calligraphy actually takes years to master it. But you can easily learn normal level calligraphy in a few months. 

Here is our great article which explains to you how much time it takes to learn calligraphy? Who can learn calligraphy? And what does it take to learn calligraphy? Also it has a step by step guide for making the whole process faster.- How Long Does it Take to Learn Calligraphy?- InkSmooth

2. Don’t Get Excited by Instagram Videos.

If you’re learning calligraphy because you got fascinated by the instagram calligraphy video. Or any other stratifying and beautiful videos.

Calligraphy is a beautiful art form. There is no second opinion on that. Calligraphy is similarly beautiful as it is shown in that video. But the hidden truth here is you have to do hard work for it.

It takes discipline and hard work to write something that much beautiful. Therefore, be aware that calligraphy also takes effort for beautiful results. 

It’s not all shiny and colorful. Therefore it also has the hidden hard work it requires in it. Don’t run behind the shiny object.

Otherwise you won’t be able to achieve anything. Be aware that it’s not only beautiful days and blessings. Sometimes it can be boring and time consuming.

So don’t be fascinated and attracted blindly. 

3. Calligraphy Can be Self-taught, You Don’t Have to Attend Courses or Classes.

The third thing you have to know is that you can learn calligraphy on your own. There is no need to get classes or courses for learning.

And you can learn it easily without any teacher. I am saying it because I see a lot of people asking about classes and best courses.

Even a lot of people ask me about the best places to learn calligraphy. And I always answer them “home”. Because it is actually the best place to learn calligraphy.

At home just bring the right equipment and start practicing. You can practice for hours without any disturbance. And learning calligraphy requires a lot of focus and patience. And home is the best place for it.

 You’ll feel comfortable and relaxed. And also one thing is that there is no need for a teacher in calligraphy.

I don’t know why people focus a lot on it. But in reality you can learn calligraphy at home without any special courses or classes.

And I am not saying you don’t need any help. You’re obviously going to need a lot of help in it. The more knowledge you have the better your journey will go.

But you’re gonna need basic help. And buying courses for that is literally a waste of money. 

Let me tell you, the basic help you can get from google. Like how long it takes to learn, tips to helping and improving, mistakes to avoid while learning calligraphy.

These all basic and simple information will save you tons of time. And you can get it from google easily. You just have to look for it. Lot of people make the mistake of not trying to find such a thing. But it will help you a lot.

You can even check our website for such useful content. You don’t have to waste money on classes and courses, unless you want to do something big in calligraphy.

Otherwise if you just want to learn average calligraphy you can easily do it on your own.

And lastly, here is our article which is gonna help you completely for learning calligraphy on your own.- Can Calligraphy be Self Taught? And How?- InkSmooth 

It will give you a complete answer to this question. And also help you by step by step process to learn calligraphy at home without any help.

4. You Have to Have Technical and Basic Knowledge About Calligraphy.

The fourth thing is that you have to know about the basics of calligraphy. You have to have all the technical knowledge about calligraphy. Otherwise you’ll create mess on your desk.

Simple thing is that calligraphy is very easy, but it’s not like sitting and writing on paper. You have to have information about pens, nibs, and paper.

Otherwise you’ll make some critical mistakes. For example, if you just take everything granted and use any normal paper for calligraphy.

Then you can end up spending a ton of money on nibs and brush pens. Because rough paper worn out your nib very quickly and can damage your brush of brush pens. So spending a little extra dollar on paper can save you tons of nibs and brush pens in the long run.

And also beyond that i went further to help you and found out a coupon code which can save you money on the best paper.

I shared that in this article.- InkSmooth Best Paper for Calligraphy- Buyer’s Guides

But having this useful information not just saves money, but also time. 

And not just this type of information content, but technical information. Like which nib should be used for getting certain results. Nib quality, type of nib and inks, etc

You can get this type of content all over this website. So keep in mind that it is necessary to have technical information about calligraphy. It will make your journey smoother and easier.

5. Never Skip Basic.

As we mentioned in the last point it is necessary to have basic information about calligraphy. Before jumping to learn calligraphy, get to know the basics. It will make your learning process a whole lot easier and smoother.

Lot of people avoid the basics as usual and make the learning process longer. So don’t be that fool. Go through the basics once and avoid any unnecessary mistakes.

Here is the beginner guide to avoid beginner mistakes.- Is Calligraphy hard to learn? 8 tips for beginners- InkSmooth

6. Use The Right Tools for Doing Calligraphy.

If you came at this stage and still decided to learn calligraphy anyways. Then you have to keep in mind that you should use the right tools and equipment for calligraphy.

Choose your tools wisely and currently. Because it’s a one time investment. If you want to learn brush calligraphy then you must get a calligraphy brush pen. If you want to do blackletter calligraphy then you should get an appropriate nib for that. And vice versa for every font.

You should want to get the right type of nib and tools for specific calligraphy fonts.

Here is the article which directly gives you complete information about calligraphy tools.- 

• Our Best Recommended Tools
• InkSmooth Best Calligraphy Pen Buyer’s Guides
• InkSmooth Best Paper for Calligraphy- Buyer’s Guides

Our page has a complete guide. And it not just recommends the best tools but also helps you to select appropriate tools for your calligraphy font type.

7. You Can Make a Career In Calligraphy.

So enough scaring. Let’s come to plus points also. If you’re scared because of the article. Or any other thing. You should also remember the plus points and benefits of calligraphy. 

There are a lot of benefits and good points about calligraphy. So don’t be scared about the efforts you had to put into learning it.

Before learning calligraphy we think about all its bad points. But we also should think about its good points and advantages.

There are more advantages and benefits of learning calligraphy than its disadvantages. So  don’t  be afraid of putting effort and time into it.

I know not a lot of people are scared of putting effort into learning. but some people can wonder whether they want to waste their time in calligraphy or not.

Calligraphy is not at all a waste of your time. So don’t think in that way. It has a lot of benefits to offer. 

It can help you to make extra money, or you can make your whole career in it. And besides money it can help you a lot in life. For example, it can help to improve your body posture, your vocabulary and motor skills, and a lot of other things.

If you want to know about all of it’s benefits, then check out this article- 13 Powerful Benefits of Learning Calligraphy- InkSmooth

And if you want to take calligraphy as a career, then you should check out this article from inkSmooth- Calligraphy as a Profession? And Career in Calligraphy- InkSmooth

8. Don’t Write it, Rather Draw Calligraphy.

And at this point I am pretty sure you decided to learn calligraphy. Here are some very important things you have to know before learning calligraphy.

While learning calligraphy, never ever try to write it. Rather always try to draw it. There are mainly two reasons behind it.

First one is that it will  be easier for your muscle memory to learn. Calligraphy is all about muscle memory. And if you try to write then  your hand will try to write in your normal handwriting.

And it will become hard for your muscle memory to unlearn the handwriting and learn pulling calligraphy strokes. So to avoid these complications you should try to draw it.

It will make your learning process dramatically faster. And it can make a day and night difference.

And the second reason is, calligraphy is a beautiful letter pulled by the strokes. So in calligraphy you have to pull the strokes and make a letter. It’s not writing, it is pulling strokes.

Therefore it is a lot easier to learn calligraphy with this method. Therefore try to draw strokes rather than write the letters. It will be more efficient and effective.

Wondering, can calligraphy improve your handwriting? Read this article- Can Calligraphy Improve Your Handwriting?- InkSmooth

9. Write Slowly.

Then the next point is while learning calligraphy try to write slowly. Calligraphy is all about focus and patience. Therefore don’t rush into anything. 

Be relaxed and slowly write. And in my personal experience, when I wasn’t into calligraphy. I just used to use this technique for handwriting.

I just tried to write slowly with focus, and it made my handwriting 70% better. It’s just a magic method for good handwriting. 

And it goes the same with calligraphy. Focusing and writing slowly make your learning 50% better.

So keep this thing in mind. Never ever be in a hurry. Take your time and write slowly and patiently. It will truly benefit you a lot in the whole learning process.

10. Increase Your Contacts and Connect with Other People.

And lastly, try to connect with other people. Share your this beautiful skill and writings with others. Take their opinion. Express your creativity.

Connect with other artists on social media. Connect with  youtubers, follow them. While talking with other artists, youtubers, and websites you’ll find some great tips and ideas.

It makes your knowledge broader. And sharing is caring! It will make you more knowledgeable and alive.

In this way you are able to enjoy this beautiful skill at the most level possible. And most people make mistakes and avoid this point. 

But meeting with other people. Sharing thoughts with them, even on social media, is the most magical thing ever.

Don’t miss out on this. Do connect with other people and try to understand their thoughts and their creativity. It will make you wiser and make you feel alive from within.

So that’s it for today. These are 10 points you have to know before learning calligraphy. It makes your whole experience smoother and delightful. 

So in case you’re wondering, can I learn calligraphy? Or is calligraphy my type of thing to learn? Should I learn calligraphy? Here are your complete  answers!