What is Brush Calligraphy?

Brush Calligraphy in its essence is calligraphy using a brush. This brush can be a brush pen or a marker pen or even a paintbrush or the modern water brush. Brushes have been used for ages by artists to render beautiful paintings and in time, they slowly crept into the area of creating beautiful calligraphy and lettering. Understanding the brush, its capabilities and movements resulted in the formation of Calligraphy using a brush and thus, was formed the concept of Brush Calligraphy. In modern times, the evolution of Brush Calligraphy incorporated the marker pen with a flexible tip or nib. Exerting pressure on this flexible tip helped a calligraphy artist to distinctly utilize thick and thin strokes and write elegant letters.

While you can achieve traditional calligraphy with a brush pen, the modern script is the most popular form of Brush Calligraphy, allowing the brush to flourish across the sheet with grace and ease. The alternating thick and thin strokes bring a whole new character to the paper, giving it a modern glow of its own. Traditional Chinese Calligraphy was founded on the basis of using the movement of a brush dipped in crude, thick ink. The residue of the ink would leave a satisfying trait that would not only please the eye but also provide a soothing feeling settling in one’s soul, whether you are the one witnessing the art or the one creating it.

Though it is used interchangeably with Brush Lettering, I believe this comparison is set for another time and another blog.

I Want to Learn Calligraphy, Which One is the Best to Start With?

Beginning your calligraphy journey with brush calligraphy can be a big boost to your learning curve, especially if you have harboured a keen interest in the creative side of things. If you have, at any moment in your life, contemplated learning calligraphy and do not know where to begin, Brush Calligraphy can be a great way to simply start. The availability/affordability of brush pens and the versatility and ease through which one can put to use the art of calligraphy using a brush are some of the reasons why it is such a crowd-puller and favourite. The variety of brush pen tip sizes and the options of colours available make it a fitting prospect for just about anyone to learn.

Through my experiences, I have taught and helped so many people immerse themselves in the art of Brush Calligraphy, young and old alike. The fascination is beyond comprehension and the age is never a limit. The fun and excitement of holding a brush pen and gliding it across a sheet of paper seem to appeal to people of all demographics.

What Would I Need for Brush Calligraphy?

Brush pens! Paper! The Will to Learn and Grow!

Having the right materials, perhaps a guiding hand to lead your way and the right tools from a wide market/industry can make a difference in your Calligraphy journey. As India is currently right in the spotlight of emerging Calligraphy and the art seems to be getting more traction with each passing month, the availability of tools, artists and instructors have been increasing tremendously. Having begun my journey in 2017, what I am now witnessing is a surge in calligraphy enthusiasts, thanks to the exposure it now receives on social media. With a surge in enthusiasts, the tools and equipment are surfacing quickly, making it easier to learn the art and discover the potential of the variation that exists in the world of Calligraphy.

There are tons of brush pens currently available in the Indian market, with Indian brands like Add Gel and Camlin doing wonderfully when it comes to calligraphy for beginners. Foreign brands like Tombow, Kuretake and many more are relatively expensive but are wonderful once you steady your hand for calligraphy.

One important tool that I designed and created is the e-Copy Basics of Brush Calligraphy Foundational Course Workbook for Beginners. This comprehensive instruction-and-practice workbook has been designed and curated especially for beginners who are fascinated by the art form and for those who wish to take their calligraphy learning to the next stage. Packed with traceable guidelines for each letter in lowercase & uppercase, number and sign, you will also have a good understanding when it comes to forming words and writing a complete sentence in calligraphy! How about that for your first lesson in Brush Calligraphy.

Everyone is looking for some help and support when they start their journey. So, it was only right to have this downloadable digital workbook ready for all who wish to learn calligraphy, either on their own or through the online courses offered by calligraphy artists including me. You can purchase the e-book and print/reprint the practice sheets as much as needed. It is clearly a one-time beneficial purchase. Click on the link for more details on the entire kit for Brush Calligraphy.

I cannot seem to decide! It sounds wonderful though!

It has been a year since I began teaching Brush Calligraphy through workshops and more recently, through online courses, and through these classes, I have been able to offer a bird’s eye view to those who wish to learn sans the start-up issues. India is a growing base when it comes to Calligraphy and it is only in the last few years that the appeal and recognition for Calligraphy have increased. Pointing people in the right direction has helped countless of them to flourish in their art and some even have started making a living through the art.

Calligraphy is a slow art but it is exciting and learner-intensive at the same time. It has a lot of technique involved but can be wonderful once learned. I have come to admire the art of Brush Calligraphy for all that it is: versatile, handy and elegant. Each stroke is therapeutic and each stroke can transport you to a place you could call paradise. Give it a try and practice rigorously, it will surely never disappoint!