Creative Calligraphy: Find Your Style with a Sketchbook
A course by João Varela , Lettering Artist and Type Designer
Experiment with brush strokes and lettering techniques to develop your own unique visual language
“I've always thought that words are the best conveyor of meaning, both through their message and their shape.”
Lettering artist and type designer João Varela specializes in using different materials, techniques, and styles to design experimental letter forms based on traditional calligraphy. He collaborates with clients and studios, alongside publishing his personal projects and sharing his creative process on social media.
In this online course, João teaches you the basics of traditional calligraphy and how to reinvent it, from simple geometric strokes to more elaborate letters. Develop your own sketchbook, filled with creative lettering exercises and use it to help you build your artistic style. Find your stroke and intensify the power of written language.
What will you learn in this online course?
15 lessons & 18 downloads
- 100% positive reviews (31)
- 975 students
- 15 lessons (2h 37m)
- 18 additional resources (8 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Fill a sketchbook with calligraphy exercises, exploring different tools and techniques to build a habit of practice.
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone with an interest in expressing their creativity through creative calligraphy.
Requirements and materials
Basic calligraphy experience is required.
In terms of materials, you will need:
paper
Indian ink
gouache
acrylic paint
brush markers
a broad nib pen, and a few other materials specified by the teacher in the course.
Reviews
João Varela
A course by João Varela
João Varela is a lettering artist and type designer based in Lisbon, Portugal. His passion for letters started in his teenage years with graffiti, and he’s since dedicated himself to creating expressive lettering in different mediums and styles. João went on to study graphic design at ESAD in Caldas de Rainha, and a master’s degree in type design at Écal, but also considers himself to be largely self-taught.
He is known for his experimental approach to calligraphy that challenges the traditional methods. As well as collaborating with clients and studios, João is committed to his personal projects, including a self-published book on his creative process. He also documents his work via Instagram.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Creative Calligraphy: Let’s Get Started!
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Experimental Calligraphy
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Calligraphy through Time
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A Switch in Function
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From Lines to Glyphs
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Historic Scripts
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U3
Expression and Tools
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Expression with a Single Stroke
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Breaking Down a Character
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Expressive Words
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Tools Make Shapes
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Scaling Up
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Playing with Ink
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U4
Bringing It All Together
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Preparing the Sketchbook
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Joining Everything Together
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FP
Final project
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Creative Calligraphy: Find Your Style with a Sketchbook
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for those with some prior experience in calligraphy, focusing on experimental and expressive techniques beyond the beginner level.
You’ll need a range of calligraphy tools such as brushes, markers, pens, ink, paper, and sketchbooks. The course encourages experimentation with both traditional and unconventional materials.
You’ll learn experimental hand lettering, creating unique letterforms, working on large surfaces, mixing alphabets, using various tools, and embracing mistakes as part of your creative process.
Yes, the course includes lessons on creating calligraphy murals, scaling up artwork, and techniques for brush lettering on walls and textured surfaces.
Some basic experience with calligraphy or hand lettering is recommended, as the course builds on foundational skills to explore more advanced, experimental techniques.
Absolutely. The course emphasizes experimentation, creative process, and personal exploration to help you develop a unique artistic signature in calligraphy.
Yes, the course explores traditional styles such as Gothic, Roman, and Copperplate, as well as how to reinterpret and experiment with them for expressive results.
Curso muito completo
Excellent course!
Molto bello, consigliato!
I really liked Joao's approach and personable manner.
Using the experiments to assemble into an easy-to-make book is a great idea and fun to do.
I'm going to work more with some of the ideas and I like the freer style as an approach to calligraphy.
Many thanks for a lovely course.
muy divertido