Calligraphy is a millennia-old art form, with its roots in both Eastern and Western cultures traditionally used for illuminated manuscripts and formal writing. Modern calligraphy spurs from this by using both new and traditional tools: it’s a more free form style of writing that maintains the elegance of traditional calligraphy while allowing for more self-expression.

In our two session, beginner-friendly Beginner Modern Calligraphy WebJam, hosted online via Zoom on December 12 & 19, our JamMaster will introduce you to the basic techniques of pointed pen calligraphy and guide you through exercises to enhance your skills. In session 2, you will learn advanced techniques and build on the basics learned in session 1. This calligraphy workshop series focuses solely on pointed pen (also called dip pen) calligraphy, in order for you to develop a formal introduction and understanding of the tools used in calligraphy. 

In Session 1, on December 12, you will learn: 

• What is modern calligraphy? How is it different from traditional calligraphy and hand lettering?
• Introduction to pointed pen calligraphy
• How to prepare a nib for first-time use and how to put the pen together
• Practicing with a straight pen holder
• Discussion about the importance of pressure in calligraphy
• Practicing the 8 basic strokes, which you will use to form letters of your own
• Practicing lowercase alphabet
• Practice connecting letters and review tricky combinations

In Session 2, on December 19, you will learn

• Pointed pen and connections
• Practicing uppercase alphabet
• Tips and tricks for various types of ink and paper
• Learning basic flourishing techniques
• Learn how to make guidelines for calligraphy and how to apply these to envelopes
• Distribution of resources list for further study

This class is beginner friendly; no experience necessary! After you purchase your ticket, you will receive a custom URL link to join.

Need calligraphy supplies? Support CraftJam and its creative community and order a CraftJam Modern Calligraphy Starter Kit! We will ship you the kit with all the right materials needed to participate (kit must be purchased at least 5 days prior to WebJam to allow time for shipping).

Suggested supplies:

• Nib holder
• Pointed calligraphy nib (as compared to broad edge or monoline) our recommendation is the Nikko G
• Sumi ink*
• Smooth paper (something with grid or regular lines is ideal). Our recommendation is any of the Rhodia paper. Our JamMaster will be using dot paper.
• Pencil
• Straight edge (e.g. a ruler)
• Kneaded eraser*
• Cloth napkin*

*Instead of Sumi ink you could use any thin drawing or writing ink, which will work in a pinch. You can use a match or lighter instead of a kneaded eraser. If you don’t have a cloth napkin (or don’t want to ruin one) use paper towels or q-tips.

And this is how a WebJam works:

After you purchase your ticket (via the Eventbrite link on this page), you will receive an email with a custom URL link to join. You will be able to add the event to your calendar. Reminder emails will be sent 2 hour and 45 minutes prior to the start. Make sure to login10 minutes before the WebJam starts to avoid technical difficulties that may delay you.

While using Zoom we strongly recommend video participation. Unlike traditional webinars, we’re keeping our classes small and intimate. CraftJam was founded to foster community amongst its participants and part of this is seeing and interacting with each other as well as the option to receive feedback and support for your projects from your JamMaster.