Frequently Asked Questions
Your Complete Guide to the Art of Beautiful Writing
Also known as: caligraphy, calligrphy, calligraphi, caligraphie, calligraphy: however you spell it, we’ve got answers.
Calligraphy is the art of decorative, expressive letterforms created with specialized tools which may include dip pens, brush pens, reed pens (qalams) and sometimes even simple studio tools used for texture and mark-making. Calligraphy classes introduce tools in a way that is accessible for beginners.
Practiced for thousands of years across cultures, calligraphy blends technical penmanship with visual artistry. Many people enjoy calligraphy not only as an art form but also as a mindful and relaxing activity.
Whether you’re searching for calligraphy, caligraphy, or calligrphy, this guide covers everything you need to know.
Calligraphy is not the same as handwriting. It is a skill based on shapes and strokes that anyone can learn with practice. It has rules based on angles and proportion. These rules are made to help you create uniform letters. You don’t need a good handwriting to start. Everyone can learn calligraphy. Some people need to take longer to learn and internalise the basic forms but we all get there.
The correct spelling is calligraphy, with a double l and ending in -phy, not -fy or -phie. It is derived from the Greek words kallos (beauty) and graphia (writing). The most common misspellings are:
- caligraphy
- calligrafy
- calligraphi
- caligraphie
- calligrphy
- callighraphy
- calligraphy
- caligrapy
- kalligraphy
- calligrapghy
- calligraphy writing
If any of those brought you here, welcome, you’re in exactly the right place.
Can calligraphy be used for journaling and creative practice?
Yes. Many people incorporate calligraphy into journals, sketchbooks, or daily creative practice. Writing a simple line each day can be a meaningful way to build both skill and creativity. I do this every day!
In calligraphy we speak of styles, hands or scripts. We don’t tend to call them “fonts.” Fonts is generally reserved for typography.
Popular calligraphy scripts include:
- Italic calligraphy
- Gothic or blackletter calligraphy
- Uncial calligraphy
- Modern calligraphy
- Expressive, gestural or abstract calligraphy
- Asemic
- Experimental lettering
- Copperplate, Spensarian
Many classes focus on foundational scripts such as Italic calligraphy, which forms a strong basis for developing personal style. I like Italic as the starting point for Western calligraphy.
Beyond the traditional western calligraphy mentioned above, Chinese calligraphy (shūfǎ), Japanese calligraphy (shodō), and Arabic calligraphy (khatt) each represent rich, distinct artistic disciplines. These are well worth exploring and add richness and diversity into any calligraphy practice. Searching calligraphy styles or caligraphy fonts will show examples of each.
Calligraphy is hand-drawn lettering created in real time with a pen, brush. Or tool. Typography refers to the design and arrangement of pre-existing type or typeface (fonts), typically in a digital or print context. Many type designers draw on calligraphic traditions, but the two disciplines are distinct.
If you’re looking for digital calligraphy-style fonts, popular options include Edwardian Script, Pinyon Script, Great Vibes, and Burgues Script. These are useful for invitations or branding when hand-lettering isn’t practical. Searching calligraphy fonts free or caligraphy font download will surface many free options on Google Fonts and DaFont.
Fonts designed by calligraphers include:
Some of the most authentic and enduring typefaces in existence were designed not by typographers, but by calligraphers who spent years with a pen in hand before they ever approached a drawing board or a Bézier curve. The difference shows. When Hermann Zapf drew Palatino, he was drawing on decades of Renaissance-informed quill work; when Ramiro Espinoza designed Medusa, he had studied the original copperplate manuscripts closely enough to understand not just what the letters looked like, but why they moved the way they did. Calligraphers-turned-type-designers bring something that is difficult to fake: an instinct for the logic of the pen, the way a stroke naturally thickens under pressure, the rhythm that makes a page of text feel alive rather than mechanical. Their fonts tend to hold together at the level of the individual letter and at the level of the paragraph, because they were built by people who understand both.
Here are some notable designers:
Hermann Zapf : the gold standard
The most important figure in this space. Zapf designed more than 200 typefaces, including Palatino (1948), Optima (1952), Zapf Dingbats (1978), and Zapf Chancery (1979), spanning Latin, Cyrillic, Arabic, and Cherokee scripts. His calligraphic credentials were impeccable. Palatino is a warm, organic design inspired by Italian Renaissance calligraphy and printing. Zapfino, perhaps his most overtly calligraphic font, was based on his own quill calligraphy.
Louis Madarasz , Ale Paul: preserving 19th-century American penmanship
Burgues Script is a calligraphic font designed by the skilled penman Louis Madarasz, known for his contributions to the art of calligraphy, and has inspired penmanship schools for over 100 years. Type designer Ale Paul of Sudtipos digitised and expanded this tradition. His follow-up, Compendium, draws on Platt Rogers Spencer’s Spencerian method, which was disseminated across America by Spencer’s children after his death in 1867 and passed on to thousands of penmen and sign painters.
Hanneke Classen: drawn with an actual pen
Dragonflight was created by type designer Hanneke Classen, who hand-drew each glyph with a brass folded pen dipped in ink. The font gets its name from the tip of this folded pen, which resembles a dragonfly’s wing.
Debi Sementelli: lettering artist turned font designer
Sementelli is a practising calligrapher who has translated her hand work into several popular fonts. Cantoni is named after her large Italian family and described as affable, creative, and a little crazy in a good way.
Laura Condouris: two distinct approaches
Quickpen was designed to recreate the look of confident script quickly jotted with a felt tip pen or brush, while Freeland has a rich, inky texture . Two very different calligraphic tools captured in typefaces
Ramiro Espinoza : historical research in font form
A uniquely research-driven figure in contemporary type design. Born in Argentina and trained across Europe, Espinoza founded the Retype Foundry in 2007 and practices calligraphy daily, describing it as the soul of typography. His fonts consistently recover overlooked historical voices: Medusa (2014) pays tribute to baroque Spanish penman Ramón Stirling, Dulcinea draws on 17th-century Castilian flourish, and Krul revives the curly Amsterdam sign-painting of Jan Willem Joseph Visser.
Beginners are very welcome to most of my classes. Many people attending a calligraphy class are trying it for the first time and it never hurts to be a beginner for a while, even when you have done a calligraphy class. Try a beginners class again to refine your letters. In an introductory calligraphy class, you will learn the foundational strokes and simple letterforms step by step before moving into words and small creative projects.
Beginners should look for classes that cover basic strokes and letterforms given by calligraphers. Options include classes at local art studios, community colleges, and online platforms like Skillshare, Udemy, and YouTube. Searching for calligraphy classes near me or caligraphy workshops will help you to find local options.
It’s always better to sit with a calligrapher if you can. Seeing the pen in action and tweaking your individual attempts goes so much quicker in person.
Sometimes there is no distinction!
A calligraphy workshop usually focuses on learning a specific technique or script in a structured way. A workshop is normally more intense.
A calligraphy class or gathering may be more relaxed and creative, allowing participants to explore making cards, journal pages, or small artworks while learning techniques.
I always supply everything in my beginner classes. Buy as little as possible if you ae starting out. See my link on basic supplies here:
https://leesetteturner.com/faq-items/what-to-pack-or-bring-to-a-calligraphy-class
A starter calligraphy kit may typically include a dip pen holder, a selection of nibs (broad-edge for Gothic or Italic styles, pointed for Copperplate), ink, and practice paper. Brush pens like the Tombow Fudenosuke or Pentel are a popular beginner alternative. Search terms like calligraphy pens, caligraphy set, or calligraphy supplies for beginners will find good starter kits online. Don’t go crazy and buy until you are sure this is what you want to do!
In all my classes, I will show you exactly what you need and why. Each class gives a list of the supplies or materials which may be needed or recommended. Don’t fall into the trap of buying lots of equipment you don’t need or will never use. It’s expensive. In lots of my beginners classes, I supply all the equipment so that you can try out without having to buy anything. I also try and curate exactly what you need to help you through this.
Absolutely, I’m happy to help source materials and give suggestions. I prefer to bring my own tools and materials for the calligraphy. I will liaise with you on this as this is dependent on the requirements.
I am based in Cape Town, South Africa. Happy to travel. I do charge my travel time as well.
I always require good lighting. If I am writing on product, I need a table and a chair with enough space for pre and post written product (sometimes guests like to go off and come back). If we are projecting then I will engage with your tech team on the requirements. Performance space is dependent on what we are writing on.
I have done tons of activations on different surfaces. I love experimenting with new materials, almost anything is possible. Send me a note with your ideas to info@leesetteturner.com and we make a plan. If you choose to engage me, I always prefer to have a sample to test so that I can make sure you will be happy with the product on the day and that we are on brand.
Turnaround time for event calligraphy will depend on the design complexity, my schedule and the time of year. It all depends on what you need but I will happily try for a fast turnaround. So do get in touch and I’ll create something fabulous for you.
I know all about those ever changing deadlines and requirements. I will always try and accommodate these, so let me know soonest about changes. Depending on what has changed, we may need to adjust the quote. Once I start working with you, I regard myself as part of the team and will try and work with you for the best final product.
Send me an email with your idea to info@leesetteturner.com. I will get back to you about my availability as soon as I can. I can’t wait to start working with you!
Yes it’s an invitation to slow down, to be intentional about writing beautifully. So, give yourself that grace, and breathe and just enjoy it. Everyone who comes to my class comments on how relaxing it is.
Yes you will. Calligraphy is about slowing down, giving yourself the grace and time to learn without comparing yourself to anyone else. Its about a lot of practice but I believe in making things to give away and leaving letters – that;’s positive practice and it really works. The more you make and give away the better you get and the more your confidence grows. Learning calligraphy is a journey and you just have to enjoy every moment. Don’t compare yourself to ther who have been doing it for years. I will show you how.
That is not a problem. Many calligraphers have a totally different handwriting. When you are writing for function alone using your left brain your writing may not be very neat. It also depends on how you were taught, and many students are not taught to write correctly and this makes you feel your writing is not up to scratch. The good news is that your right brain does calligraphy. You start by learning and practicing the strokes that make up calligraphy and developing the muscle memory. Once you develop the muscle memory, you will see that everyone can do calligraphy. Give yourself a second chance, be kind to yourself, you will be amazed! Being in your right brain also makes calligraphy extremely relaxing.
I have got you covered! There are so many styles of calligraphy on offer that its often very confusing. You may want to learn one style and stick to it, or do several. You need to start slowly and learn how to hold consistent pen angles. I think italic is a very good place to start. If you want to do cursive styles only, then a beginners modern calligraphy is definitely the place to begin. I am passionate about teaching beginners and getting you up to steam quickly. I believe that there are quick wins, and am happy to pass these on to you. Watch this space for upcoming classes.
Normal calligraphy equipment
“Normal” doesn’t mean professional or expensive. It means familiar.
In calligraphy, familiar tools help you settle faster, listen better, and focus on the marks rather than the equipment. If something more specific is needed, it’s normally named clearly, otherwise, your usual tools are enough.
Basics
- Pencil HB, B. or a propelling pencil
- Ruler
- Paper (bond for layout, paper of your choice or that specified for the workshop)
- Small cloth or wipes for spills
- Apron
- Eraser
- Fine liner
- Scissors
- Glue stick
- Bone folder
- Old brush(es) for mixing, loading
- Add a small mixing container (if taking paint to mix)
- A container for water
Paper
- Layout paper
- Good paper for a final piece
Pens
Depending on the workshop, choose one (if it is a workshop where you are working on expression you may want to choose more than one in each group) Sometimes it is useful to have. A few sizes
Pen holder and a few nibs for:
- Pointed pen
- Broad pen: One or two broad‑edge nibs (any size you enjoy)
- Pilot parallel if you have
Brushes
- Pointed brush
- Broad brush
- Loading brush, inexpensive (if you are using gouache or watercolour to write with, you may want to have. a loading brush)
Ink/gouache
This will depend on your preference, or what is specified. If nothing is specified take black.
If colour will be used, don’t take more than 3 colours, unless specified
Ink (can always decant a small quantity into a leakproof bottle)
Paints: gouache, watercolour or acrylic (3 colours)
Optional Tools
Packing these will depend on your style and also the workshop you will attend, and your personal preference
- Fineliner (black)
- Gel pens (metallics, black, white gold, if you have)
- Wider instruments
- Cola/ folded pen
- Ruling pen
- Foam brush
- Balsa wood
- Carpenter’s pencils
- Additional nibs you enjoy
Less is sometimes more!
A good beginners class will get you to learn the basics. With 15–20 minutes of daily practice, most beginners can internalise letterforms within 2–4 weeks. A confident, consistent style typically develops over 6–12 months. Styles like Copperplate and Spencerian have a steeper learning curve, while brush calligraphy is generally more accessible for beginners.
Feel free to send me a pic, and I’ll show you want you can do with it.
Absolutely! Left handers make great calligraphers. 10% of people are lefties. You need to experiment with new writing tools, ergonomics and paper angles, whether you’re left-handed or right-handed. Calligraphy is an opportunity to slow down, breathe, enjoy the moment, and find your way. So be kind to yourself, give it a try, you will be pleasantly surprised. There are several things that left-handers need to consider when doing calligraphy: grip, writing direction, posture, special nibs, position of the paper. I’ll help you.
Leesette Turner and Leesette Turner Calligraphy retain the right to any designs created. If you want a design with exclusive rights then please let us know and we will quote you accordingly.
Yes, I do. I have done films, props, weddings, product activations, parties and more. Please email me with all the details and I will be happy to discuss rates and availability.
Yes, I do tattoos. I would love to create something special just for you. Please look through my Instagram and let me know what style you like; also send through the details of the design you are after. I will get back to you with turnaround times and rates. Please email me with all the details and I will be happy to discuss rates and availability.
Yes, I do signatures. I would love to create something special just for you. Please look through my Instagram and let me know what style you are after. I will get back to you with turnaround times and rates. Please email me with all the details and I will be happy to discuss rates and availability.
Yes. Calligraphers are regularly hired for wedding invitations, place cards, envelopes, certificates, logos, menus, and commissioned art pieces. Platforms like Facebook, Etsy, Instagram, and local wedding shows are popular for building a client base. The handmade aesthetic commands a premium that digital alternatives simply can’t replicate.
Cape Town has many coffee shops that are well worth supporting. You are welcome to contact me and if time allows, we can plan to meet!
Yes, in-person and Zoom one-on-ones are possible and are coming soon.
I offer in person workshops and you can view current available workshops soon.
I am happy to tailor a workshop to a group should you wish to offer something for a special occasion or corporate get together or team building event. Email me to discuss.
On occasion, I do offer in-person workshops during my travels.
Looking to learn from the comfort of your home? Online classes to watch at your leisure, coming soon.
I enjoy contributing to causes and would love to assist in raising awareness for issues that need more attention in this world. Because I am actively involved in projects, I am not always able to participate in all proposed inquiries. Please email me with all the details.
Sure, I am not always able to participate in all proposed inquiries. Please email me with all the details.
You can email me at info@leesetteturner.com. I will be happy to help, but please give me a few days to do so! Sometimes my inbox can get overloaded. If you haven’t heard from me, please feel free to mail again.
I always put a minimum number on my workshops. If the bookings do not exceed the number, then we reserve the right to move the workshop forward to a suitable date.
If due, to unforeseen circumstances, we have to cancel a class you will be refunded or given the option to move the booking to a future class of your choice. If you need to cancel a class it works as follows: if you cancel 48 hours in advance – 100% refund; 24 hours in advance – 50% refund, on the day of the workshop – no refund.
Your spot is booked when it is paid for.
Gift a calligraphy experience! The perfect gift idea for a friend or colleague!
If you’d like to purchase a calligraphy workshop as a gift, email Leesette (info@leesetteturner.com) with the recipient’s name and email address, as well as your details and we will be in touch to arrange your gift.