We offer many calligraphy books from the instructional to the more inspirational selections. However, beginner calligraphy students often need to be pointed to the right direction on the best place to start their research and study. For broad-edged calligraphic work, we have some excellent resources in our catalog which can inform, inspire, and teach newbies what they will need to know on their calligraphic journey. In this post, we have selected four books to help get a beginner student started. Also, be sure to check out our post on inks for broad-edged calligraphy.
B2769 Foundations of Calligraphy by Sheila Waters– Essential. This book by Sheila Waters is a modern classic and always a best-seller. A highly recommended resource for beginner calligraphers. In the 110 pages of exemplar alphabets, instruction, and hints, Sheila shares with you the knowledge she has gathered over her decades of study and practice. She provides insightful analysis of forms and constructions and helps you learn and work toward mastery of the alphabets.
B3974 Calligraphy: A Complete Guide by Julien Chazal– Another great choice to help build a foundation in the basics of calligraphy. This lavishly illustrated guide is suitable for beginners, but also has much to offer for more skilled scribes. The book’s 40 alphabets include historical models as well as more contemporary ones.
B3098 Calligraphy Alphabet for Beginners by Mary Noble and Janet Mehigan– Presents instruction for Uncial, Foundational, Carolingian, Italic, Flourished Italic Copperplate, Gothic, Lombardic Capitals & numerals. Letters are presented in groups of similar forms with ductus and stop-action photos. Final section presents adding metallics and color to letters and pieces using some newer techniques.
Speedball Textbook, 23rd Edition. Edited by Joanne Fink & Judy Kastin– *Note: The 24th edition is expected to be published in December 2015* Alphabets and examples are presented by some of the top calligraphers and teachers. A very good resource for broad-edged calligraphy from beginner students to the more advanced. Includes monoline roman, edged pen roman (S.Waters), foundational (Winters), versals (Wronker), knotted letters (Van Stone), uncial, Carolingian (S.Waters), blackletter (Dunham), gothicized italic (Marcy Robinson,
Morentz), italic (Sheila & Julian Waters), copperplate (Caroline Paget Leake), Spencerian, Neuland, flat brush, pointed brush (Holliday & Reaves), italic handwriting, and Hebrew.