Apprentice Core Lessons in Calligraphy

Hello and welcome to the Scribes Guild! In the apprentice section we will be working with the art of calligraphy, a form of writing that was prominent during the medieval period. Before moving on, the initiate should develop a mastery of various writing scripts, particularly the Gothic Script. Initiates are expected to practice their craft diligently and become experts in the field. These skills will be the foundation for the Journeyman courses on Illumination which combines writing with artistic expression to supplement the information that is being shared through the writing.


In this guild, you must seek out a mentor before you can join. A close relationship is expected between mentors and those they take on as initiates, so it should be with someone that you know well. As such, the initiate should appreciate and listen to the direction of their mentors as they grow in their time at the guild.


You will also need to purchase some basic calligraphy tools to in order to work through the tutorials. At a minimum, you’ll need:


- Brause medium nib (2-2.5mm is good)
- Nib-holder
- Good, basic, black calligraphy ink such as Higgins' – they do waterproof (good if you want to apply colour afterwards) and also non-waterproof (which is less staining)
- Practice paper (preferably thin, so you can see guidelines through it)
- Higher-quality calligraphy paper, like Sennelier (or cartridge paper, thin watercolour paper, etc) (Taken from Calligraphy Skills website).


These can be purchased rather inexpensively from online retailers like amazon or local art and craft stores.


Again, we welcome you, and we look forward to your time here. If you have any questions, please contact a guild master or your mentor if you have one.

Writing is one of a handful of greatest human achievements that allowed civilization and culture to flourish. Prior to its inception, knowledge had to be transmitted by word of mouth from generation to generation. Once writing developed, knowledge could be stored and transmitted not only from place to place in an exact manner, but also across time. The impact of writing cannot be understated.


Read the entry on Writing from the Ancient History Encyclopedia and share highlights from it. Did you learn anything new? What was the progression that led to its development? Share your thoughts in your journal.

Read through the article linked at the bottom of the lesson “What is Calligraphy” from the Calligraphy Skills website. Share your understanding in your journal.

Udemy offers a free course on calligraphy basics. Click the link below and follow the instructions for setting up a Udemy account (if you don’t already have one) and begin the short calligraphy course. The course covers very basic material including supplies, how to operate a calligraphy pen, pen angles, and demonstrations of Simple Gothic Hand, Italic, and French Cursive scripts. Other courses are available covering different calligraphy scripts for a small fee and might be an option if you are looking to expand your knowledge.

You already have some familiarization with some of the basic tools you’ll need to begin in Calligraphy. Read through the article “Calligraphy Tools and Materials” from the Calligraphy Skills website, and begin to develop a list of things that you need. Share your list in your journal. When you have acquired everything you need to move on, touch base with your mentor and begin the Calligraphy Core Skills lesson.

Continuing what was covered in the lessons on Udemy, we will begin practicing some core skills and sharing them in our journals. Read through “How to Write Calligraphy” from the Calligraphy Skills website, linked at the bottom of the page. In the article, the present 3 core skills:


I. Keep the pen-angle constant.
II. Lead the nib, don’t push it.
III. Make parallel lines and even curves.


Practice these skills as they are demonstrated and present your work in your journal.

Read through “Gothic: General Overview” from the Calligraphy Skills website, and begin to work on tutorials linked to the lesson. Practice the letters as they are demonstrated and share your work for each of the tutorials you complete. These skills should be practiced to the point of mastery. Get permission from your mentor before moving on to next lesson.

Read through “Italic Calligraphy: Overview” from the Calligraphy Skills website, and begin to work on tutorials linked to the lesson. Practice the letters as they are demonstrated and share your work for each of the tutorials you complete. These skills should be practiced to the point of mastery.

Read through “The Roman Alphabet” from the Calligraphy Skills website, and begin to work on tutorials linked to the lesson. Practice the letters as they are demonstrated and share your work for each of the tutorials you complete. These skills should be practiced to the point of mastery.

We have focused primarily on calligraphy that is centered on the Latin alphabet. Around the world however, many languages have developed an elaborate calligraphy system for their writing systems. Follow the link at the bottom of the page to familiarize yourself calligraphy from around the world. Pick one to practice and share your results in your journal. Note, mastery is not expected for these languages. You may delve into it as much as you like.