Product Description
Leonid Pronenko's work has been featured in more than twenty international exhibitions. He is the author of "Calligraphy for Everybody" (in Russian). Many of his students at the Kuban State University in Krasnodar have gone on to successful careers in design and calligraphy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A classic on the subject of copperplate
Not only is this book out of print but Dick Jackson is no longer with us.This book is a classic regarding the copperplate alphabet.It is written clearly with excellent examples of the letters.One of the secrets to the lettering is a light touch to the up strokes. The other is the down strokes - none of us whowere fortunate to have taken one of his workshops will ever forget his voice - MASH ON IT - as we created the downstrokes with the pen.He always wanted to see a contrast to the thick/thin lines.This book is worth searching for. ... Read more

Product Description
Pen whimsical mementos using the timeless and delicate art of calligraphy! In today's digital world, the practice of sending handwritten notes is considered an extra-special way of connecting with those we love. This exquisite set comes in a handsome case, and includes writing tools and stationery. With the stroke-by-stroke guide to each calligraphic style, you''ll complete over 40 special projects, from invitations and monogrammed stationery to greeting cards and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Disappointing
I had high hopes for this calligraphy set.The set claimed to include instructions for 40 projects and to include some paper to be used for those projects.Now, I knew there would not be enough paper included for 40 projects, but I did not suspect that there would be only two measly pieces of paper, which combined might equal a sheet of 8 1/2" x 11" paper.The stamps and stamp pad seem nice.However, the calligraphy pen itself is not easy to use.It is a dip pen, and the instructions for filling the pen are cursory.Dipping is pretty messy, and the ink seems thin.I prefer the pens included in other sets, which use a cartridge inserted in the pen.The project book has attractive illustrations, but the instruction manual does not give clear direction.Luckily I had a Sheaffer's set when I was young, but a complete beginner could get lost. ... Read more

Product Description
This unique, self-contained kit instructs artists in every aspect of this gorgeous artform including technique, spacing, italics, flourishes, numbers, and punctuation, and outlines a variety of projects to test their newly attained skills. Includes calligraphy pen with cap, 3 nibs, 6 ink cartridges, 1 top, and 16 practice grids and alphabets. ... Read more

Product Description
The extraordinary "word portraits" of master calligrapher Tim Botts have captivated readers around the world. In this breathtaking volume, Botts shares not only 75 of his favorite works from Scripture, but his preliminary sketches and notes on the process as well. Prayers written by Tim in response to his artistic encounters with God round out this inspiring collection. An ideal gift and companion volume to The Holy Bible, Botts Illustrated Edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

PORTRAITS OF THE WORD by Timothy R. Botts
Portraits of the Word: Great Verses of the Bible in Expressive Calligraphy is a 2001 book by calligrapher Timothy R. Botts. This is more of the same from Botts - seventy-five passages from the Bible illustrated with Botts' phenomenal expressive calligraphy. More of the same is exactly what we want from Botts - the way he uses fonts, colors, shapes, angles and arrangements to breathe life into the texts never ceases to be amazing.

These are Botts' seventy-five favorite pieces, and he accompanies them with his thoughts on the creative process as well as brief prayers that respond to the verses. This book is arranged thematically. In Botts' own words, taken from the introduction: "The sequence of the art begins with who God is and his revelation through Jesus Christ. Then it progresses from our response to our privileges and to our responsibilities."

My one gripe with this book is that it's too small - about eight inches high by seven inches across - and it's simply not big enough to do his work justice.

Botts' calligraphy is always fantastic, and Portraits of the Word contains some of his best work.

Portraits of the Word
If you appreciate beautiful calligraphy and the word of God, you will love this inspirational book created by a very gifted artist. ... Read more

Product Description
Calligraphy is often regarded as the purest manifestation of an artist's inner character and level of cultivation, as well as the expression of his soul, thoughts, and feelings. This lovely book presents some fifty-eight Japanese works, almost all calligraphy, from the remarkable collection formed over the last forty years by Sylvan Barnet and William Burto, literary scholars who became enraptured by the Japanese art of the brush.

Spanning more than a thousand years from the Nara period (710-794) through the nineteenth century, the material includes sublime early sutras, or transcriptions of the Buddha's discourses; an extraordinary mandala that is perhaps the finest example of its kind in the West; seminal works by such renowned figures as My¯oe, K¯oetsu, Mus¯o, Konoe, and Daishin; engaging letters and poems that illuminate courtly life; and powerful graphic statements by Zen monk-artists.

The opening essay by Sylvan Barnet and William Burto, which is directed to a non-Japanese reader, gives an illuminating look at the ways in which Japanese calligraphy can be appreciated. Miyeko Murase's introduction provides a rich commentary on the Japanese calligraphic scripts and scribes and an insightful overview of the society and world in which this art flourished.

This book is the catalogue for an exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art from October 1, 2002, to March 2, 2003. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

wonderful introduction to the art of Qur'anic calligraphy
"Writing the Word of God: Calligraphy and the Qur'an" is one of two museum catalogues published in 2007 to accompany the exhibition of Islamic calligraphy and the tools used by Islamic calligraphers.These exhibitions were first shown at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, were then at the Asia Society in New York, and can currently be seen through early December 2010 at Emory University's Carlos Museum in Atlanta.

Both catalogues were written by the distinguished Harvard scholar David Roxburgh, and each benefits from his erudition and lucid writing style."Writing the Word of God" presents Qur'an pages that cover the period from the mid-7th century to the early 15th century.The countries represented in the selection range from Iran, Iraq, and Central Asia in the east, through the Near East, and, finally, the Maghreb (that portion of North Africa that includes Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria) and southern Spain in the west.Several stories are embedded in Roxburgh's text: the increasing formalization and attention to style seen in the evolution of Qur'anic calligraphy styles; the emphasis on lineage-like connections among calligraphers; and the changing geographical loci of innovation in calligraphy styes, especially from the 10th century onwards.Technology change, especially the transition from the use of parchment to the use of paper as the main writing support, is another fascinating theme.

As those of us associated with Emory's Carlos Museum are rapidly discovering, Islamic calligraphy provides a most attractive and accessible window for beginning to learn about Islamic history.To more fully appreciate how these calligraphic traditions evolved after the early 15th century, you may wish to pick up the companion catalogue called "Traces of the Calligrapher" which looks at the work of 18th and 19th-century Islamic calligraphers in Iran and Turkey and the tools that they used. ... Read more

Product Description
This book charts the importance of teaching an inventive path within visual design, opening up a unique dimension of creative work. It presents a wide range of interesting possibilities for form and expression within letterform and calligraphy. ... Read more

Product Description
An introduction to calligraphy which demonstrates popular lettering styles with practice exercises using copy-sheets. Also provides step-by-step instructions formore than twelve projects such as greetings cards and invitations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Best Calligraphy book out there
First bought this book 10 years ago, and have been doing calligraphy for a long time, but keep coming back to the manual that showed me how to do it right in the first place. I'd tried dozens of times to "get" calligraphy, but this is book that really showed me everything I needed to make it work right. It is so clear that you won't miss any of the details that take calligraphy from pretty handwriting to real art. Illustrations and instructions abound. There are great examples of many different types of lettering. As someone who wants to know "why" as much as "how", I really appreciated how Marsh gave context to the different styles of lettering.

Fantastic Beginner's Manual!
I'm a brand-new calligrapher, and Don Marsh's First Steps Calligraphy is just right for me.With his or her prior knowledge, I can see why the previous reviewer did not find this beginner's book very helpful.For someone who has never attempted calligraphy (like me!), this is a great selection.

I just started practicing under the guidance of this book last night, and I'm already grasping the basics!Marsh offers some tips on choosing tools.It was published in 1996, and now in 2009 I'm finding quite a few of the same products are available on the market.

Beyond the lowest basics, I see some instructions on flourishes toward the back.Can't wait to get to those!

Bottom line:Just right for newbies, too basic for anyone with prior knowledge.

Good Beginner Book
This book would be good for someone who has never tried Calligraphy. I am a beginner that just finished my first class and I found the book to be a little too basic. On the positive side, there are a few good pro/con liststhat explain the advantages and disadvantages of some tools, nibs, inks anderasers. ... Read more

Product Description
Walter Foster's classic How to Draw and Paint series provides aspiring artists with an exceptional array of art instruction books featuring all subject areas and media. Each title includes easy step-by-step exercises as well as finished illustrations or paintings that will inspire artistic talent in anyone.

Packed with practical information, helpful tips, and fundamental techniques, the How to Draw and Paint series offers a complete library of resources to which artists of all skill levels can refer again and again.

What you'll learn from this book ...

• The basics of calligraphy, with step-by-step instructions for creating a variety of lettering styles

• Tips on the mechancis of lettering, including proper spacing and correct letter weight and height

• Techniques for holdign the board pen to create the thick and thin style of calligraphic letters

• How to letter several styles of alphabets and numerals with various practice strokes, pen angles, and stroke sequence

• Methods for making flourishes and swashes ... Read more

Product Description
America's leading author of books about calligraphy now presents an easy-to-learn, back-to-basics system of lettering that brings the ancient art of calligraphy into the modern world--a book for novice and master alike. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

They loved it.
Bought it as a present for a chinese friend with a 6 yo.They loved it.

Amazing illustrations
I loved Liu and the Bird when I saw it at a local library. I sent a copy to an artist friend knowing she would share it with her grandaughter. Besides showing how Chinese calligraphy evolved from pictograms, it is a great story.

Striking visuals, poetic story to introduce Chinese calligraphy
This simple story distills Chinese pictographs into their most basic elements, showing how they evolved to their present forms. But it's also a delightful and poetic story about a girl who dreams her grandfather calls to her from across the mountains.

She sets out on foot, recording the scenery and people she encounters in her calligraphy, creating multiple layers of storytelling. I read each page carefully, going over the boldfaced English words (the original was in French) and matching them to the Chinese symbols to make sure I understood.

Louis writes on the back flap that she used linocuts, a type of woodcut, with dyed paper so she could "contrast the strong lines of the prints with the softness of the torn paper." It creates a striking visual effect, with the print marks simulating the strokes of a calligraphy brush, and the vivid colors of a Westernized palette bleeding elegantly into the paper beneath.

Chinese calligraphy will always be a subject that must be absorbed rather than scanned; make sure you have some quiet time for its meditative lessons.

Note: includes activities for creating pictograms with your kids. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Appealing projects, poor teaching
I bought this package because it (1) offered the basic tools and (2) promised some fun-looking projects.However, I had a lot of problems with this kit.The nib holder didn't even fit with most of the nibs, only one of the nibs was usable, there was only one reservoir for the three nibs, very little ink was provided, and there was no straightedge (which is pretty necessary, as it turns out).There some metal foil, but none of the glue you need to apply it.

The book leaves a lot to be desired.A lot of basic things are not explained, like how the reservoir is supposed to fit onto the nib, or how to make the serifs on unical letters (those are extra strokes you're left to discover all on your own).The alphabet samples don't have guides on them, so you're not sure how big the ascenders/descenders are.

There are a few good things about this book.There are several alphabets presented.There are chapters for several techniques other than lettering, like how to apply gold foil and using brush lettering.The projects still look appealing even though I'm unlikely ever to attempt them, now that I'm using a different book.

I ended up going to an art supply store and buying all new stuff, including the all-important straightedge.From the kit I just kept the foil, the brush, and one nib.I bought a different book, "Calligraphy - A Course in Hand Lettering" by Maryanne Grebenstein, which is a far better introduction to lettering.I put my new stuff into the "Art of Calligraphy" box.Now I have my beginner's set.
... Read more

Product Description
Celtic calligraphy is an easily recognizable style that epitomizes the ideal of Celtic craftsmanship, from intricate knotwork to animals snaking into the loops of illuminated letters to a script carved in wood or etched on stone. With the help of this guide, you can learn to write the key Celtic scripts and create items to treasure. Fiona Graham-Flynn presents 18 calligraphy projects that are great for beginners and improvers alike. Start with a name plaque for a child's room; create greeting cards with a Celtic blessing; or paint some fairy wishing stones in gold for your garden. All the techniques you need are included--Uncial, Half-uncial, and Runic scripts--along with how to draw zoomorphics, or the animal ornamentation often seen in illuminated letters.*Learn the major scripts and techniques essential to Celtic style.*Includes 18 step-by-step projects using calligraphy on paper, wood, and stone, along with a gallery of templates.*Offers proverbs and lines of petry in Gaelic to use as the basis for projects. ... Read more

Product Description
A Creative, Kooky, Cool Calligraphy and Lettering Kit for Kids

Do you create way-cool wordy masterpieces out of your alphabet soup? Got a passion for perfect letters? Word to the wise--grab this kit! It's the perfect guide to creating your very own Words of Art. From lessons in classic calligraphy to tips on fresh and funky lettering styles, it's all here! The project book is crammed with tons of different lettering styles and ideas, as well as step-by-step instructions for 10 fantastically fun craft projects. Whether you perk up one of your own designs with some cool calligraphy or craft a nifty memory journal or treasure map from the project ideas, you're bound to enjoy hours of lettering fun! Plus everything you need to create these lovely letters is included inside! ... Read more