Specialization in calligraphy: art from fundamentals to ornamentation

Influences | Leo Calderón

Influences always shape us and motivate us to practice tirelessly; this is where I'll share my tastes and inspirations, which don't always come from writing. I'll introduce you to references such as Joan Quiros, Iván Castro, Luca Barcellona, Chiara Riva, Francesca Biassetón, and Ricardo Rousellot. In this section, I'll reinforce the list of references with some of their books, as well as a selection of their works.

Inspiration | Panda

No one is born knowing, which is why I want to tell you about some of the role models who still inspire me with their work.

Module 2

Rediscover the pleasure of handwriting with elegance and precision as you explore the world of copperplate calligraphy with Bego Viñuela. With her friendly style and years of experience, she will guide you on a journey where every stroke counts and every letter comes to life. Ideal for those seeking to connect with craftsmanship and transform writing into art.

15 lessons (1h 54m)

History of English calligraphy

In this first lesson I will tell you the origin and use of this calligraphy.

Materials and tools

In this lesson I will show you the necessary and basic tools for the practice.

Guidelines and ergonomics

In this lesson, I'll explain how the pattern works and give you some ergonomic tips.

Basic lowercase traits

I will explain what the basic features of lowercase letters are and how they are drawn.

Lowercase

I will explain, by groups of families, the lowercase letters.

I will explain the general rules and exceptions of lowercase conjunction.

Union of lowercase

Basic Features Uppercase

Just like I taught you with lowercase letters, capital letters also have a basic common trait that is repeated in almost all letters. Mastering this trait is essential—let's see how good you are at drawing the beauty line!

Warming the hand

I'll explain some exercises to warm up your hand. These types of exercises are very useful, and I recommend you do them whenever you can.

Capital letters

I'll explain capital letters by family group. By grouping, you'll see that it's much easier to learn the letters, since they share the same stroke characteristics.

Do you think capital letters always go together with lowercase letters? Maybe so. Let's see what the rules are...

Capitalization

Alternative letters

In this lesson, I'll give you a brief introduction to what a more expressive copperplate can be. These little tricks will help you make your composition more dynamic and personal.

Numbers and signs

Numbers and symbols can be just as important as letters, so we're going to dedicate a short lesson to helping you learn them and complete your texts and compositions.

Composition

Who said we always have to write horizontally and linearly? We can take risks and play with the composition whenever we want. I'll show you some little tricks to give your composition more dynamism. You'll see how easy it is!

Write about dark backgrounds

You may have wondered if calligraphy can only be written in dark ink on a light background. We can work on any color of background paper, but to do so, we must know the technique. In this lesson, I'll teach you the procedure.

Write with watercolor

In calligraphy, we can write with almost any colored liquid. From coffee, tea, prepared pigments, fountain pen inks, and even watercolors. Using watercolors is super simple and allows you to create your own color palette. You'll see how beautiful it looks.

Module 3

Joaquín Seguí invites you to leave the conventional behind and launch yourself into creating letters with strength, rhythm, and attitude. With an experimental and conceptual approach, you'll learn calligraphy from scratch and explore the uncial style to apply it to a unique postcard. Ideal for those who want to break the mold and give their lettering a personal touch.

15 lessons (2h 55m)

Notions about calligraphy

I'll tell you about the different types of calligraphy that exist in general and what types of tools are used for each one (flat quill, cursive, and gestural). Within this melting pot of possibilities, we'll identify where uncials are found.

Tools and materials

I'll list the materials we'll need during the course. I'll give you some tips on choosing the right ones and how to prepare them for work. Ink, flat pens, sleeve, protractor, paper...

Construction of a calamus

The quill pen is an ancient tool used for calligraphy. Let's see what it takes to make one and the step-by-step instructions for doing so.

Practical concepts for making calligraphy

I'll explain the concept of stroke angle and how to hold the pen correctly. I'll execute some strokes on paper at different angles, and we'll review the results. I'll also trace some letters, and we'll review the results to explain the differences in proportions.

Brief history of uncial calligraphy

I'll give you a brief overview of the history of the uncial style and its origins. I'll discuss the different types of uncials throughout history; how they were used and for what purpose, who used them around the world, their historical context, their transition to Gothic script, and the most important contributions they made to writing.

Round Letters Ductus

First, I'll explain how to read a calligraphy pattern and then trace part of the alphabet, explaining general considerations and pointing out some specific features of some letters. In this lesson, we'll look at the rounded letter group (CDEGOQT).

Ductus of vertical letters and with bow

I'll trace part of the uncial alphabet, explaining what to keep in mind in general and for each letter. In this lesson, we'll look at two groups of letters: with a vertical stroke (BFIJKLPR) and with an arch (HMNU).

Ductus of special letters

Finally, we'll look at the rest of the letters: the special letters (ASVWXYZ). You'll learn why they're considered special and how to draw them correctly.

Word and sentence construction

We'll do a short exercise in which I'll write words on a single line to explain how letter spacing and letter spacing work, and we'll also look at some generalities when combining different groups of letters.

Stroke modulation and flourishes

I'll give you some tips for modulating your strokes and achieving more gestural finishes. We'll briefly list some examples of flourishes for some letters.

17m

Build your arsenal of letters

Let's do a quick reference search for the specific letters we need to work with. This will help you discover various ways to write each of the letters and how to combine them.

With our search in mind, we'll begin sketching the name of your hometown or a city you like and want to work with in your project. Once we've decided which composition to use from the ones achieved in the draft stage, we'll begin refining it for the final version.

Sketches and composition

20m

Digitize

We'll cover what you should keep in mind when scanning the original handwritten calligraphy. You'll learn some tricks for retouching and working with the digitized version of the calligraphy phrase so you can apply it to your design.

From the old to the modern

With the final version now digitized, I'll give you some quick tips to give that calligraphy a modern touch that will make it fit in with any design from this century.

BONUS: Elements and production of a postcard

Let's review the essential elements of a postcard, along with some measurements and details you'll need to design your own version. I'll give you some tips on how to print your postcards and which media are best for creating a version worthy of mail delivery.

Module 4

With rhythm, ease, and expressiveness, Belén La Rivera guides you through the fascinating world of italic letters. You'll learn their structure, play with their variations, and discover how this style can transform your messages into pieces full of character. An ideal calligraphy experience for those seeking fluidity and beauty in every stroke.

18 lessons (3h 47m)

Un poco de historia

I will briefly explain where and how chancery writing, italic, and the two most widely taught historical styles were created: formal and cursive.

Conceptos caligráficos y tipográficos

Throughout the course, you'll hear different calligraphic and typographic concepts mentioned. To help you understand them, I'll introduce them one by one in this lesson.

Presentación de las herramientas

In this lesson, I'll introduce you to a series of materials; some that I'll use in the course and others that you can easily use if you wish.

Cómo hacer guías caligráficas

The construction of guides will always depend on the tool you want to use and the expressive style of the piece. In this lesson, I'll teach you how to build a classic grid to begin the exercises, so you can rest on it while you practice your lettering.

Familiarización con las herramientas

The only way to learn tools is to use them! In this lesson, I'll show you some exercises to help you feel more comfortable using them.

Construcción de minúsculas I (primera parte)

There are letters that help build the lowercase alphabet: the letters "n" and "o." I'll teach you how to draw them and then deduce other letters from this pair.

12m

Construcción de minúsculas I (segunda parte)

In this lesson I will continue to show you how to draw lowercase letters starting with "n" and "o".

Construcción de minúsculas II

We still have more letters to learn! In this video, I group the remaining letters by shape so you can practice along with the ones you've already reviewed.

18m

Mayúsculas con pluma (primera parte)

The world of capital letters works very differently from that of lowercase letters. For this reason, they deserve to be viewed independently, following the logic used previously: they'll be grouped by shape, so you can become familiar with those with vertical, diagonal, and curved lines.

12m

Mayúsculas con pluma (segunda parte parte)

We continue reviewing italic capital letters.

You already know the structure of lowercase italics—now it's time to experiment with their shapes! I'll show you three variables you can incorporate into your drawing, so you can experiment and find a style that suits you and that you'll want to keep practicing.

Exploremos las itálicas

17m

Juguemos con las mayúsculas (primera parte)

Capital letters are a territory you can explore, since there aren't many of them present in a piece or paragraph (at least in Spanish). In this lesson, I'll show you what's essential when experimenting so your capital letters shine, look beautiful, and are well-made.

Juguemos con las mayúsculas (segunda parte)

We continue with Capital Letters and the different elements you can modify to give it more personality.

19m

Selección de frase y su concepto gráfico

There are dreamy, romantic, humorous, elegant, ironic phrases... In this lesson, we'll see some examples through a pen demonstration of how the variables already reviewed help emphasize certain emotional narratives.

18m

Bocetos para la composición de la frase

I like to experiment with ideas until I get to the point! Here I'll show you how to quickly visualize, diagram, and compose a calligraphy poster.

15m

Preparación del papel y las herramientas para la pieza final

With the sketch ready, it's time to make the special grid that will go on the final paper and prepare everything necessary to create our final design.

Desarrollo de la pieza final

It's time to write the final piece: here you'll see that ink surprises and spontaneous movements are welcome.

Digitalización, Retoque y paso a otros formato

And that's it! Once your calligraphy poster is complete, I'll give you tips for aftercare, as well as show you other ways you can apply your calligraphy design.

Introduction to Foundational Calligraphy

Module 5

Immerse yourself in Foundational calligraphy with Leo Calderón and discover how simplicity can become pure beauty. With a clear and creative approach, you'll learn the basics of this style and explore its potential by composing a piece full of balance, color, and personality. Perfect for those seeking precision without sacrificing expression.

19 lessons (4h 6m)

Foundational Calligraphy History

In this lesson, I'll talk about Edward Johnston, the creator of foundational calligraphy. His work has influenced both our typographic and calligraphic studies. You'll also learn how this style has become a fundamental tool for various platforms, from everyday products to font bases. We will review some of his bibliography and research carried out by other calligraphic references, such as Foundations of Calligraphy , by Sheila Waters, or Making and Composing , by Francisco Gálvez. This sample of references will support the narrative of the research that Johnston developed to achieve the Foundational.

Characteristics of Foundational Calligraphy

For this lesson, I'll present the basic technical characteristics of foundational calligraphy, from its architecture and visual hierarchies to the formation of fundamental strokes for both the exercises and the final work. We'll first focus on understanding the basic architecture of letters and defining the easiest parts to learn. We'll then learn about visual weights, scale and width variations, letter spacing, lines of text, and paragraphs, among other things.

Let's prepare and take care of our tools

In this lesson, we'll learn in detail about the tools to use: from using flat-tipped calligraphy pens and calligraphy markers to making a simple craft tool that I offer as an alternative.

15m

No grids, no party!

To create disorder, we must first organize our ideas; the same thing happens in calligraphy. While it's great to practice a new style on blank paper, using calligraphy guides will always help us better understand the distribution of spaces, widths, and heights of letters. That's why, in this lesson, I'll teach you how to create and use our own grids.

Initial strokes: sticks and curvitas

We'll begin this lesson with initial line exercises, taking into account factors such as angles, heights, and various shapes; all based on module or puzzle piece exercises. We'll see how joining groups of straight and curved lines will form the first sets of letters that I'll show you in the following lessons.

With the first modules completed, you'll be able to advance to the first group of letters: the lowercase straight sisters (h, i, j, l, m, n, r, t, u, f); you'll learn ways to work with them, based on the combination of the initial strokes seen in the previous lesson. Later, we'll play with words associated with this group of letters, which will help us adjust spaces, shapes, and their structures.

A letter as a puzzle

Now it's the turn of the lowercase curved sisters (obpq d- ce); just like in the previous lesson, you'll learn ways to work with them and you'll be able to expand the level of words to perfect the level of letter-spacing and counterforms . That is, base the construction of the rest of the letters on the example of the shape of the O, mixed with some straight modules, to give shape to the rest of the sisters.

Curved sister letters

If straight lines and curves weren't enough, now we have the lowercase diagonal sisters (v, w, y, z, k, x); with this group, you can fine-tune details of shapes and spaces to work with all kinds of words, without limitations, while maintaining the spacing exercises you've practiced previously.

Diagonal sister letters

If you thought this style was easy after all the exercises seen above, I challenge you to try the demonic sisters! (a, g, s). These letters have a slightly higher degree of difficulty, which is why we will focus on practicing these forms to add them to our alphabet. We will emphasize the care these letters must take in their construction, looking at examples of optimal results and common mistakes made when practicing with these modules.

Demon Sister Letters

Capital letters and not die trying 1

In this lesson, we'll begin working on the same initial strokes and shapes that will help us build our set of capital letters. We'll learn their heights, counterforms, and letter spacing, as well as their correct and incorrect forms, always starting with the base letters: N and O.

15m

Capital letters and not die trying 2

In this video, we'll finish learning capital letters in foundational calligraphy.

Numbers, signs and symbols 1

Another important group to practice in foundational learning is numbers and intonation marks, punctuation, basic accents, and other fundamental symbols, such as parentheses and brackets. We'll learn how to construct them and add them to our character set to further enhance the development of paragraphs in texts.

Numbers, signs and symbols 2

In this video we will continue working on numbers, signs, and symbols in foundational calligraphy.

Continuous writing

In this lesson you'll learn the importance of the angle of the stroke in letters and how words are written continuously. I'll teach you the meaning of calligraphic color and how it influences the development of good word composition. To do this we'll do simple exercises like the famous MINIMUM, as well as the creation of pangrams (sentences that contain all the letters of the alphabet).

Choosing, diagramming, sketching our phrase

In this lesson, I'll teach you how to experiment with different ways of presenting a text in Foundational. I'll present examples of possible options that will help us develop our final composition. The important thing is to try different combinations.

If you're looking to further enhance your work with foundational calligraphy, even going so far as to work on the gestures of your pieces, in this lesson I'll give you details on the correct use of gestures, strokes, and shapes that won't affect the legibility of your work.

Gesture

With the sketch ready, in this lesson I'll choose the colors to create an optimal palette. We'll also focus on the correct choice of paper and inks for this case. Everything will depend on what we want to communicate in our sentence. All of these elements will help us better reproduce and visually communicate our foundational alphabet; all based on what we learned in Lesson 3 of Unit 1.

You live in colors 1

In this lesson I will continue with the construction of the calligraphic piece, working according to the previously chosen color palette.

You live in colors 2