Modern Calligraphy

I liked that the book has a section that talks about "paper rules" to determine what type of paper to select based on the type of project you are doing. The step by step instructions for creating the letters are good. There is also a project section that is very detailed with the supply lists and pictures of the steps required to create the various projects. This book focuses on pointed pen, script calligraphy using pens dipped in ink.

I have done calligraphy for friends in the past, and I also do a lot of hand lettering and chalkboard art and was looking for a book to help me improve. I dug through a lot of reviews before finding this book, and I can't be more pleased with it!In skill, I am somewhere in the Intermediate area, but this has beginning tips as well as pointers on working with watercolor and gouache. Molly Suber Thorpe gives helpful pointers on nibs, nib holders, ink, and paper(which is worse - having paper that your nib skips on, or the sound of your nib skipping on paper?) for those just starting out, and then segues into writing - "letters first, then words, then sentences." There are some wonderful reference pages with upper- and lower-case letters of the alphabet, followed by a page with numbers and punctuation. Some reviewers complained that the pages are ordered by letter of the alphabet, but I prefer to look at individual letters rather than alphabets. (A note on the printing - the background of the letter pages has a grid pattern, and in my book the page with Ss and Ts has the background grid visible over the letters. I found it slightly distracting but not detrimental; I'll add a photo showing what I mean.)The book explains spacing, working with rulers or with a light box to achieve a straight line, as well as digitizing one's calligraphy. Writing with watercolor and gouache are covered(as well as ink and watercolor washes in general) in the Intermediate Technique section. The section on addressing envelopes also has a handy etiquette chart!The final section of the book is devoted to DIY calligraphy projects, and while I may not directly do these projects, the information is sure to be useful for similar projects in the future. Projects range from calligraphed wrapping paper to stationery to digitizing one's calligraphy in order to create a custom stamp.Molly Suber Thorpe's expertise shows in her work, and her writing style is casual and easy to understand. I feel like I have improved already - it has given me the confidence to attempt calligraphing in Greek - and Modern Calligraphy is both a great instructional tool and a helpful resource. I couldn't be more pleased.

I have been writing in one style of calligraphy for many years and purchased Modern Calligraphy: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started in Script Calligraphy in order to learn a new style. As the title states, this book only discusses modern calligraphy. I did not realize that modern calligraphy requires little emphasis on instruction. It is more of a free-form calligraphy style. Molly Suber Thorpe encourages that each person design and become comfortable with his or her own unique style. She provides many examples of each letter and recommends trying to write the same letter and word in different ways until discovering a favorite way to write. Traditional calligraphy, on the other hand, requires enormous discipline and proper technique. I believe this book and style of calligraphy are more appropriate for someone who already has calligraphy experience. Regardless of style, calligraphy requires a lot of patience and practice. In my case, I really like this book and am enjoying learning modern calligraphy.Modern calligraphy requires specific supplies and lots of practice. Thorpe begins the book by discussing supplies and set-up. She goes on to describe how to form letters and words. Thorpe also provides advice on intermediate tools and techniques for more advanced students. Finally, there are numerous calligraphy projects. Each project includes a supply list, directions and plenty of pictures. Basically, this book has everything from starting out to completing a calligraphy project.I highly recommend this book for learning the modern calligraphy style. However, I believe this book is appropriate for those with some experience with calligraphy.

I just started to learn calligraphy by taking a class on Skillshare. I was finding it difficult and I saw that the calligraphy II class was taught by Molly so I bought her book thinking that perhaps it would help. I have to admit, it was SO much more informative than the calligraphy I class taught by a different instructor. I think Molly's teaching style must line up better with my learning style. She discusses in detail how to hold the pen (I was holding it wrong), how to prep your nibs (the way I did it wasn't good enough so the ink wasn't flowing well), and how to practice learning the strokes before you move onto letters.I was trying to start writing letters and words before I got the strokes down so I was getting frustrated that my letters weren't the best. Once I followed Molly's advice on different learning strokes, I realized that I didn't have good control over the pen and was pressing way too hard to get the desired effect.I'm still working on mastering the letters before I move onto words, but her book has been so amazingly helpful already that I would be satisfied if the book stopped there. I can't wait to read through the rest.I bought a few other calligraphy books and this is definitely the most helpful one for newbies. I feel like most of the other books assume that you've learned some calligraphy before and skip over all the essentials for beginners (tools, pressure, inks, paper, etc).My only wish is that in her resource guide recommended some nibs for beginners. I'm just using the nibs recommended in my skillshare calligraphy I class and I only like one of the three. I'll definitely take Molly's skillshare class because her book is so great. I can't say enough about how awesome this book is.

This is a book of many exemplars for modern calligraphy. People who are looking for a book on copperplate calligraphy should steer clear of this book. It is a book for pointed pen using modern calligraphy. The book has many useful projects. If you are starting out in modern calligraphy and want a book, this one is the best!

Un libro muy completo y bellamente ilustrado. Es patente el esmero de la autora por producir obras de gran calidad. Tras haber tomado un par de clases con ella, este libro me confirma que todo lo que sale de su mano tiene este sello de garantía: calidad y belleza.

Un bel libro ma non per imparare le calligrafía moderna, e più per avere più idee anche Diversi tipi di carattere... Ma e un libro per un livello intermedio

I started to learn modern calligraphy and this book provides clear guidance to tools, tips, and letter practice.

Je me suis fiée aux avis des internautes pour choisir ce livre et je ne suis vraiment pas déçue, il est génial !!Je n'aurais peut-être pas choisi celui-ci si je n'avais pas lu les avis, d'autres livres étant peut-être plus attractifs au niveau de la présentation, mais je pense que ce livre est le plus complet et le plus détaillé, même si mon avis est totalement subjectif puisque c'est le seul livre que j'ai lu sur la calligraphie (cela dit, aux vues des avis et des présentations, je pense que certains autres livres sont plus de la "poudre aux yeux" que de véritables bibles sur la calligraphie).Le livre Modern Calligraphy se compose de 5 parties super détaillées; j'en suis à la deuxième et je suis en train de faire les exercices pour apprendre à faire les traits et les lettres (je n'ai pas encore commencé les phrases) et la première partie était tout aussi intéressante et m'a permis de choisir le bon matériel et de comprendre pourquoi tel papier est mieux que tel autre ou comment choisir mes plumes à bouts pointus... En revanche, ce livre est en anglais et il faut donc trouver les bons termes en français avant d'acheter le matériel, mais ce n'est pas très compliqué.Bref, ce livre est une bible de la calligraphie et je le recommande à tous ceux qui s'y intéressent, débutants ou non. Pour ma part, je suis totalement débutante et ce livre me guide pas-à-pas. Il est génial et on voit que Molly Suber Thorpe est passionnée par son sujet.