Knowing what to choose when there are so many different nibs and inks to choose from can be confusing. For modern calligraphy you need a pointed nib, sometimes called a drawing nib. Avoid broad edged nibs with a wide flat end, as they are for traditional calligraphy. Universal Pen Holders The name universal means that it will hold any nib, so this is what to look for. We have given you a universal holder with a straight handle. You can get oblique too, the one with the bend in the image above. We will come to those in a later issue. There are also cork handled ones, which are great if you find your fingers are hurting from gripping the pen. Calligraphy Inks There are many different types of ink, and as we work through the course we will show you how to work with colours, metallics, paints and brush pens. The key to which ink to buy is to look for pigmented inks rather that dye based inks, as they won’t bleed or feather as you work. Calligraphy Nibs When you’re a beginner, a medium flex pointed nib is perfect. That’s because it copes well if you apply too much or too little pressure. You can make the nice contrasts between the thick and thin lines that make calligraphy so pretty. Medium flex nibs can handle a great deal of pressure before they break, which is good news while you are working out how hard to press. The tines don’t catch on paper as much as more flexible calligraphy nibs. Finally, because it’s large, it holds a lot of ink, which means you won’t need to dip as much as with other nibs. Because of all this, the Leonardt 30 needs a bit of welly to get a nice down stroke. It can take it, so make sure you press down enough for the tines to open up. The wider they splay, the thicker the line you make. What does flex mean? The flex of a nib means how flexible the nib is. The more flexible the nib, the more pronounced the contrast between thin upstrokes and thick downstrokes are. More flexible nibs are more challenging to use, as they hold less ink and can scratch as you work. We have put everything together for you on our Amazon Influencer page. To view them click here. Pointed nibs can vary hugely, from the most delicate, flexible ones; to firm and robust. Watch Kirsten show you her selection of these calligraphy essentials on our YouTube channel. Her video lays out these 4 things you need to start calligraphy. Happy Lettering, Kirsten

The world has been turned upside down so quickly, so remaining positive despite it all is a challenge we all share. We are trying to embrace this forced slowing down of life and hope that some of the things we've been working on this week, will help you, by taking you out of the real world and into the magical world of calligraphy for a moment! What better time to practice calligraphy and enjoy that sense of peace it gives? Our hearts go out to the critical workers as they care for all of us who need them. We appreciate that for them there is no downtime, in-fact the total opposite. Learning at Home As we all acclimatise to living in such different circumstances, we wanted to offer content that would be accessible to everyone, from your homes. So we've added free, fun content to our  YouTube channel and we will be adding more every week. These boredom busting, 5-10 min tutorials are for adults or kids, or families can do them all together and share and compare between each other for inspiration. Watch our master calligraphers, Kirsten and Maisie demonstrate, up close! You can see exactly how they form their letters and their ways of turning quotations into calligraphic designs. There are simple things to try out at home, with free templates included, so download them and give them a go yourself. We’ve also recorded premium online workshops for adults and kids. They include a lesson plan of downloadable worksheets that you print at home as many times as you need, giving you hours of potential calligraphy practice. Once you purchase one of these Pre-recorded workshops, you can watch it again and again. The link is printed onto the worksheets, so by purchasing the worksheets, you gain access to the tutorial for as long as you need it. View options here. Filmed in Kirsten’s and Maisie’s friendly and interactive style, they teach you the skills you need, with lots of tips and tricks and an inspirational artwork to trace over and copy at the end, just as if you were with them at a workshop. We'll add more on our website, so that you can really progress as if you were on one of our weekly courses. Kirsten’s teenage daughter Sofia (13) has set up an account on Instagram called @themoderncalligraphykidsclub dedicated to children’s calligraphy. She’ll be setting a weekly challenge on Saturday mornings and encouraging calligraphy kids to get involved. Our hope is this will give them all a bit of inspiration and a distraction from their screens at this confusing time. She has given up her bedroom and converted it into a temporary filming studio. So, if you know a creative kid, why not ask them to take a look and then share their calligraphy endeavours by using #TheModernCalligraphyKidsClub. The wonderful people at Royal Talens are sponsoring this, so we will be offering a weekly prize. From the workshops we’ve run, we’ve found that given the chance, boys, as well as girls, love to spend time practising calligraphy, which helps their motor skills and increases their ability to concentrate. Orders as Usual! Our online shop is still open, as the studio is in Jill’s garden! She and her 3 sons have been packing up your purchases and posting them out to you. With isolation now a reality for many, if you know someone who might like to give calligraphy a try and benefit from the distraction, but prefers books to 'online', we've put together some of our books and kits' in discounted bundles. Whether it's for pointed pen calligraphy, brush lettering or if you're an improver, we have a special 'bundle' for you!! Thanks so much to all of you who have ordered from us in the last couple of weeks.

How would it feel to turn your love of calligraphy into your career? Really quite exciting?! Sound like a dream?! Well it can become your reality - want to know more? Then keep reading. Turning your treasured hobby into a career really is possible with the help and guidance we offer in our workshop series about just this! . Here at The Modern Calligraphy Company we’ve created the first ever 'Build a Career' in calligraphy course. Focused on In-store Calligraphy, it provides insights and training for live events. Designed to give you the skills and confidence needed to be able to perform at the highest level, for the most prestigious brands. Event calligraphy is an extremely competitive field, so giving your client exactly what they are hoping for from you and your services is imperative. During this online course, consisting of three, two hour sessions, we explain what goes on behind the scenes; the expectations of clients and the criteria you need to fulfil to be able to join our national team of calligraphers around the country. The Build a Career course is a brilliant opportunity to join our lovely calligraphy team, meet new people, travel and share your love of calligraphy. Don’t just take our word for it though, we caught up with some of our newest team members, who are all part of our team now, having attended the last course that we ran. Mathilda Lundin summed it up beautifully: “To me it’s just something about sitting down and creating a design by hand that feels so thoughtful, and connects you to people. So many things are online these days that it’s just amazing to sit down and do something away from the screen. It feels very calming.” In such an online world, it is clear that calligraphy offers a respite from scrolling. Another of our calligraphy team is Claire Delfont, who came to our last pointed nib masterclass. She adds “It’s difficult to focus on anything else when you are doing calligraphy, so it is good for the soul!” This is one of the reasons we love calligraphy and why we love a career away from the emails. Claire also mentioned how lovely it is to bring a smile to people’s faces through “something as simple as seeing their names written beautifully.” There’s huge amounts of pleasure in helping someone add that extra special touch to their gift. We asked our newest team members what they loved most about the Build a Career course. Laura Prudence attended and she told us: “It was incredibly interesting to learn about event calligraphy, how to adapt my own style to meet a client’s brief.” Laura, also touched on learning about what goes on behind the scenes: “I hadn’t realised how much planning goes on before a calligrapher goes into a store! As there are very few opportunities to do this, I really enjoyed meeting other calligraphers and swapping experiences and advice. If you like to keep challenging your calligraphy, events are a great way to do so. You can broaden your skill set whilst working." Nyree Forster highlighted that one if the most important thing she gained from the brush masterclass that she attended was "how to figure out which brushes and nibs work best for you, then practise with them.” We couldn’t agree more. Another new member of our team, Vicky Daws, reiterated this message, saying the number one reason you should attend a Masterclass is “to be inspired to keep going and you’ll absolutely get there if you practise, practise, practise.” These latest members of the team are currently adding that Modern Calligraphy touch to Christmas presents up and down the country for the luxury brands that we work with. So if you love the sound of all the above, and want to have the confidence to do events work by learning the skills you need to join our team, then book your place now. Our next round of events include Chinese New Year, Valentine’s and Mother’s Day. Our next Build a Career course in 'In-store' Calligraphy is ready to be booked, so be sure to be there as we keep groups small, so that we can give lots of attention to everyone attending. It really is an exciting time to be part of our growing modern calligraphy team. Places are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment and start 2020 with an exciting new opportunity.

With Christmas just around the corner, perhaps there's a few of you (we include ourselves in this) that are yet to buy Christmas presents. The team here at The Modern Calligraphy Co. are trying something a bit different this year, by giving the gift of experiences. Think cinema tickets for our children, tickets to a play for our parents, a voucher for afternoon tea for grandma. If you have someone you want to buy for with a love of calligraphy, a voucher for one of our workshops (we have two brilliant, and totally new 4-week courses starting in the New Year if you are feeling generous) is perfect. When you order one you can download and print it off so they have something to open on Christmas day. They can then select the workshop date and location that they prefer. The idea of giving the gift of an experience and even learning something too is not new. It ties in nicely with another tradition that appears to be less popular these days, making a New Year’s Resolution. Only 1 in 5 (37%) of us Brits hope to “improve themselves in some way.” So why the move away from making resolutions? There appears to be a reluctance if not cynicism surrounding the tradition, in fact a whopping 62% of us will not make any. The problem lies with the fact typical resolutions are grounded in the idea that we will deny ourselves something, and expect to be able to change a long-term habit. Habits are conditioned and automatic responses and prove the hardest to change. Only 27% of those that made them last year kept them. Can you guess the most popular resolutions? Exercise more, lose weight, get organised, live life to the fullest, save more/spend less, quit smoking, spend more time with family and friends, travel more, read more. We have all tried one if not a few of these top ten, to find our determination waivers at a certain point! There's a day of the year which is now called “Quitters Day”, it isn’t the middle of the new year, or even a few months after it. The 12th of January is the day many of us decide our resolutions are not manageable, @OfficialUmairS on twitter captures it perfectly “January 1st: Gym is entirely FILLED! January 10th: Gym is almost empty #NewYearsResolutionsFail Well we want to change the growing negative approach to New Year’s Resolutions! Let’s take a fresh approach this year. The end of the year is the perfect time to look at our mental health, our inner happiness and take stock of what we can change for the better. However, we need to change the experience into a positive one, think less deny ourselves something to achieve our goal and more gain. Gain knowledge, health, valued time with loved ones, gain time back from staring at our devices, gain social confidence and a renewed energy for life. We need to make small changes and goals that are achievable. Those who made a resolution with a goal in mind, for example taking up running to enter a race later in the year, will have a higher success rate, 92% of those were still active ten months later. We are all for an affirmative perspective, which is part of the reason we have created the two new 4 week courses. People that attend our workshops often ask for the option to learn over a longer period and really build their skills. For the great price of £120 it is the perfect gift to a loved one (or yourself) this Christmas. At the end of the course you will have spent time with new people; learnt new skills; and have produced your own unique artwork to display with pride in your home - a wonderful visual reminder of just how far you have come. The first course is called “The Perfect Piece” where we will teach you to shape words - we will meet for 2.5 hours every Tuesday evening 7-9.30pm, running from Tuesday 21st January to 11th February. Making a shaped piece can often seem a little daunting, so over this four week course, we will break it down into simple steps and teach you how to create a beautifully balanced calligraphic artwork in a simple form of your choice such as a heart or square. We’ll look closely at layout, composition, knitting your lettering together, flourishing and embellishments. Our second course is called “The Perfect Piece using Resist”- again over four weeks meeting every Tuesday evening running from Tuesday 25th February to Tuesday 17th March 2020. Over this four-week course, Kirsten will teach you the expert tips and the tricks you need to be able to successfully master this combination of techniques. You’ll explore colour blending, metallic washes, highlights and embellishing techniques that can help you to bring your calligraphy to life. Working with masking fluid and coloured washes, gives amazing, dramatic results. Your calligraphy will shine out of a coloured background, with a brightness that can’t be matched by any other technique, allowing you to create a stunning layered artwork. New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to reassess our lifestyle and make small changes to help us achieve the most out of the coming year. There is something appealing about seeing it like a blank page, waiting for you to try something new. If you decide to make New Year’s Resolutions this year try our tips to ensure you get past “quitters day”, with a smile on your face and a lightness in your step. We would love for you to join us on one of our four-week courses and help you fulfil your resolution. If a workshop isn't for you but building up your calligraphy skills for 2020 does appeal to you , then our book called A Year in Calligraphy takes you through the year, progressing your skills each month. With step by step projects and new skills to learn in each chapter, we know you will be inspired to keep going with your calligraphy all year long. Let us know in your comments what New Year’s Resolutions you will make in year 2020 and if you would like to share what you have done with us please do. We are starting a new # especially for you to show us your calligraphy projects or pieces inspired by us in any way. #themoderncalligraphyclub

With Halloween a distant memory it feels okay to use the ‘C’ word, yes Christmas is around the corner! We adore Christmas and November is the perfect time to start thinking about that perfect gift. If, like us you love the idea of giving the gift of an experience, then keep reading, we have wonderful workshop vouchers so you can give the gift of relaxation to your loved ones. We have a great selection of stocking filers and more luxurious calligraphy kits in our online store too. Not to mention our selection of books, including our latest release ‘A Year in Calligraphy’. Perhaps you are looking to treat yourself in the run up to Christmas? All too often the stress of the big day can snowball until by the time it is Boxing day you realise you haven’t stopped. Our lists grow, so too our stress levels and we lose sight of the real meaning of Christmas, enjoying quality time with loved ones. Treat yourself with one of our friendly and relaxed Christmas workshops, allowing you time just for you, to learn amongst new friends, get crafty and really get in the festive mood. Take a look on our website at the range of workshops taking place in the run up to Christmas here. We have even combined wreath making and calligraphy in a new workshop in Chichester. Most of our workshops are suitable for beginners, excluding our Masterclasses. Many of us are looking to move away from buying generic gifts. As shoppers there is an increase in conscious buying, trying to support local businesses and our high streets. A popular gift to give is the gift of an experience l and learning something new. We have a selection of vouchers that make the perfect gift, perhaps you know someone who would love to come to one of our workshops. We offer a range of workshops, but excitingly you can find our workshops nationally too! For the ultimate gift join us for our popular weekly classes, over ten weeks you will master the art of Modern Calligraphy. Make new friends & begin your journey to becoming an advanced calligrapher. Check out our workshops here! Each student receives one of our Practice Pads, wooden pen holder, a nib, as well as a dual tipped black brush pen. Our regular followers will know that the last few months have been really exciting for our team, with the release of our latest book ‘A year in Calligraphy’. Start 2020 with a new project each month, what a great challenge for the year ahead! We have a selection of other books also such as the ‘Little Book of Calming Calligraphy’, ‘Secrets of Modern Calligraphy’ and ‘Secrets of Brush Calligraphy”, all signed to make the gift extra special. If you are looking for stocking fillers check out our online shop with gifts starting from just £5! Calligraphy is great for children and adults and it is the perfect way to encourage us all to put our phones and devices down and learn a new skill. If you know someone that is keen to get started with calligraphy or perhaps you are wanting to send something extra special our Luxury Calligraphy Kits are the answer. Beautifully packaged and for a limited time only they are on offer! No other modern calligraphy kit on the market contains so many high-quality calligraphy tools and teaching resources. We offer kits for both children and adults, in either Brush or Nib as well as an Essential Calligraphy Kit to go with our book - The Secrets of Modern Calligraphy. Starting from just £13.99 these kits make a lovely gift and best of all they are affordable. Rather than spend a small fortune on toys that your children play with for a few months then forget, or another pair of socks for that one family member that you are never quite sure what to get, we are here to help you with a truly memorable gift. Our team would be more than happy to help you find that perfect gift and can give you more information about workshops, books and calligraphy sets so please do get in touch if you need a little help. If you are local to Chichester then do come and visit us when we will be at The Kennels Christmas Market 30th Nov – 1st Dec. Escape the bustle of the high street and soak up the festive atmosphere that brings together a collection of artisan products, festive gifts and delicious food with handpicked stalls, all of course, wrapped up with mulled wine and mince pies. It’s the perfect place to discover special Christmas gifts for loved ones and friends. HaEscape the bustle of the high street and soak up the festive atmosphere that brings together a collection of artisan products, festive gifts and delicious food with handpicked stalls, all of course, wrapped up with mulled wine and mince pies. It’s the perfect place to discover special Christmas gifts for loved ones and friends. Have a wonderful Christmas! Jill x

There has always been a battle in the calligraphic world - freedom vs. discipline. There are those that only advocate disciplined, legible work, and those, myself included, who prefer expressive, abstract lettering where it is the strength of the mark, the power behind it, not the traditional form, that is exciting. That said, I had a formal training, specifically to understand the rules behind creating letterforms. I felt that with a foundation knowledge, I could then move on and break the rules (because let's face it, that's where the fun is!). With amazing teachers such as Gerald Fluess, Gaynor Goffe and Ewan Clayton, I learnt the history and rules of calligraphy. The knowledge they passed on to me has served me well. It has enable me to complete work for clients who require formal styles of calligraphy, as well as those who want something more expressive. I've worked as a professional calligrapher for 21 years and let me tell you, the times they are a changin’... This new calligraphy is anything but formal, Pinterest is full of this deliberately hand made lettering style. The contrasts between the thick and thin strokes are not created, as I was taught over 20 years ago, with a flat nib held at a constant angle, but instead with a pointed nib and applying more or less pressure. I celebrate all this change, calligraphy has truly been reinvented! The cobwebs have been blown away and the stuffiness has vanished with this new, funky, instant style of lettering. There are tutorials and demos everywhere you look online, so does it matter that you didn't study for years and have never heard of the Lindisfarne Gospels?! I don't think it does. This new modern calligraphy lets everyone have a go; it's uplifting, fun and so creatively fulfilling. So, hooray! Let's all get busy with a dip pen or brush to see if we can make something beautiful, whilst having fun.

One of the most in-demand & respected calligraphers  in the UK, Kirsten discusses her distinctive take on the traditional craft of calligraphy. Using either brush or nib, she turns words into images in a way that is totally unique. Below: Kirsten uses her calligraphy to make bold and colourful pieces. "I’ve always loved being creative, and particularly hand lettering. I did an art foundation course, followed by a degree in Graphic Design. Halfway through the course, the hand drawing techniques we’d been learning were replaced with creating layouts using computers. This didn’t appeal to me! Happily, I managed to persuade my tutors to let me complete my degree using just hand lettering. I even wrote my dissertation by hand – and the rest is history! " How did you develop your calligraphy skills? I wanted to be a professional calligrapher but I preferred to concentrate on bold pieces using vibrant colours, splashes and abstract shapes. I knew that I needed to learn the rules and foundations of formal calligraphy to be taken seriously as a professional. I was accepted into the Roehampton course in traditional calligraphy, and gained a full understanding and respect for the craft. You work with nib and brush, so what are the differences? Which is your favourite? Although the pressure and release is the same for both the brush and a pointed nib, they produce very different results. Nib work is lovely for smaller, delicate pieces, while brush is great when working big. My favourite tool is the brush, it’s so flexible and creative, and I love to work large! How did you become a professional calligrapher? I got a part-time job teaching calligraphy to adults in West London. As well as doing that, I designing internal signage for the All Bar One chain of restaurants. My school friend Jill ran one of their bars in the City of London, and she saw an opportunity. She approached All Bar One to put on an exhibition at her branch whilst it was closed over the week-end. It was so successful that the pieces hung at the site for a month, and then toured other All Bar One restaurants around the country. It was following this exhibition that the work was noticed by artistic director at the Globe Theatre. He approached Kirsten to create a 13-metre mural for permanent display within Sam Wanamaker's newly rebuilt replica on the South Bank in London, which led to more commissions. What are the biggest delights and challenges of running the business with your best friend? We work perfectly together because we bring such totally opposite things to the business. She is logical and thinks strategically; I process everything visually. We never compete – we complement each other. We respect and trust each other completely as neither one of us could do the other one’s job. We get to work with and meet some amazing people and have travelled all over the place installing our art. The biggest challenge is when she’s checking my spelling on a final piece – we both keep our fingers and toes crossed and hold our breath! Have you ever had any disasters or made any mistakes? Once I finished a piece that had taken three hours, but as I pulled the masking tape holding the artwork to the drawing board away I ripped the paper and had to start all over again. I always imagine that my first version of a piece that I’m working on is a run through. That way, I take the pressure off myself and if it works out first time I am pleasantly surprised! Where do you most like to work on your designs? I’m really lucky that I work in a beautiful studio, only 10 minutes from my home. What do you like to do when you’re not in the studio? I have two young daughters, so most of my free time is spent with them – we love a walk along the beach, and my favourite thing is to potter around in the garden. What new projects do you have coming up? We’re rolling out workshops around the UK, tutors will deliver the workshops that we have developed, so that we can offer classes all over the country. Plus, we are running masterclasses which teach professional calligraphers the tips and tricks they need to do live event calligraphy work. We are busy creating mock ups for the luxury brands we work with, ready for their Christmas campaigns. These are then used as assets for our team of calligraphers across the UK to follow. This means the style of calligraphy for every brand is consistent, no matter which store, and in which town the calligraphy personalisation is taking place.

As the summer days seem to draw lazily to a close and the autumn breeze picks up, we wrap up a little warmer. Our workshop in Birdham is nestled amongst the trees, and as their leaves slowly begin to change colour, our imagination fills with pumpkins, warm spices, moonlight and just a little magic! The first signs of Autumn send excitement through the office, as we finalise the details for our magical Halloween Family Workshop on Tuesday 29th October. Find full details here. Our family workshop is perfect for beginners, where you will be introduced to working with brush pens, dip pens and have a go at different lettering techniques. It is also a lot of fun learning something new with someone you love. To keep you energised a lovely selection of treats both naughty and nice will be on standby from fruit, cookies, and cakes as well as a section of soft drinks, cordials and hot beverages. We also offer vouchers for our workshops if you would like give them as a gift. At The Modern Calligraphy Company we enjoy celebrating the creative side of Halloween, traditionally carving a pumpkin is the first thought, but we like to take things one step further. Traditionally we all carve pumpkins on Halloween, but they make great statement pieces to write on. First paint a pumpkin in a block colour such a white, and then use a contrasting colour to write on it such as black to create your spooky message. Do you have a favourite quote from a play or a film that invokes the feeling of magic? We have taken inspiration from Shakespeare with ‘Fire burn cauldron bubble’. You can then embellish the pumpkin with coloured gems, wouldn’t this pumpkin would look great on your doorstep?! If you would like to see Kirsten working on different surfaces, watch her tutorial on YouTube. As you can see, Halloween is a great chance to experiment with writing on different surfaces whilst decorating your house for a party, or creating party favours. Delight your friends with goody bags personalised with their names or with different spooky phrases, then fill with sweet treats. Experiment writing on glass, such as a mirror, picture frame, or window and write a Halloween message! Or perhaps write a greeting across your doorstep welcoming guests to your Halloween party using chalk pens. Have you tried chalk pens, edible icing, ink or chocolate to write calligraphy with? The only limit is your imagination! Whether you want to create a frightful Halloween or an enchanting evening, playing around with the style of your penmanship is part of the fun with modern calligraphy. Varying your technique can alter the overall mood, however you spend your Halloween we hope it is full of family fun! Have a look at our Pinterest for more Halloween inspiration. If you're interested in booking our Halloween workshop- it is beginner level and children of 9 years or older can be booked in on their own, or come along with their parents, friends, or grandparents etc. Children younger than 9 will need to be accompanied by an adult. Have a Happy Halloween!

Since 1997, when we first started out as Kirsten Burke Calligraphy, our goal was to share the joy that modern calligraphy can bring. Through passion and dedication this has now become very much a team effort! Now ‘The Modern Calligraphy Co.’ with a new website, a new name, but with the SAME passion & core value. We love what we do, and we love sharing it with people. Concerns that we hear time and time again are “... my handwriting is terrible, will that matter?” or “..isn’t it just for women?”, our answer is absolutely not! Modern calligraphy is a world away from the formal scribe you may think of when hearing the word ‘calligraphy’. Our workshops introduce you to the world of Modern Calligraphy. The more playful, but just as loved sibling of traditional calligraphy! With this form of calligraphy making mistakes is fine, in fact we encourage it! It is through making mistakes and really getting into the flow of calligraphy, that you get to benefit the most from this wonderful craft. You can decide to come to a workshop for an evening, a full day or as a family, the choice is yours. Our website has information about each workshop, and we are always happy to help if you need a little extra guidance. Throughout the year we also run special seasonal workshops such as Wedding Workshops and Christmas Card Workshops which are always very popular. Calligraphy workshops are a wonderful way to spend time as a family. At our Family Friendly workshops young and old can learn how to create lovely lettering with a dip pen, or with brush pens. Girls and boys become totally engrossed, and it's lovely to see them giving their parents a few tips on how to improve! A calligraphy workshop is also a great way to help older children, especially teenagers, young adults and adults who struggle with self-esteem issues, anxiety and depression. Research by the University College of London has shown that calligraphy has proven results in helping in these areas. Our workshops are set within our unique Victorian studio in West Sussex. With lofty vaulted ceilings and double barn doors, the gorgeous windows are awash with natural light. The studio fills with people, of different ages, from different backgrounds, eagerly full of anticipation and excitement. On warm summer days the barn doors are opened, and the bird song drifts in on the summer breeze. We enjoy a delicious buffet lunch outside on a full day class, in between our learning! As you can imagine, as Autumn draws nearer this space becomes a cosy den, a place to forget the outside world. Book for our Morning Dip Pen Workshop on the 10th October, full details are here. Most importantly our workshops are a calm space for you to learn at your own pace, amongst like-minded individuals, with good food and great encouragement. Because of the growing popularity in calligraphy, we are expending our classes nationwide. With our fantastic ambassadors delivering the same, carefully structured course, you will be able to become enchanted by the escapism that calligraphy offers. Our first Nationwide classes will be starting in Cheltenham and Worcester this September. If you would like to be notified as soon as they are ready to book, please sign up for our newsletter and we will keep you updated. You will find the link at the bottom of the web page. The concentration in focusing on the pressure you apply to a nib ora brush lets ones mind clear, this is mindfulness at work. Escape the stresses of every day life for a few hours and enjoy learning something new. We are here to show you how.

With the growing trend of calligraphy sweeping the nation, we were excited to be commissioned to write a guide especially for the Mail on Sunday. The focus of the guide was to share the mindfulness techniques of calligraphy, whilst providing easy to follow templates for those just starting out in calligraphy. The 16-page guide included basic strokes, about modern styles as well as the alphabet and fun phrases to use. “CALLIGRAPHY CAN COMBAT ANXIETY, IMPROVE WELL BEING AND BOOST SELF ESTEEM” — RESEARCH FROM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON Many of us long to find a way to switch off from our busy lives and find a moment of peace and relaxation. New research from University College London has revealed the positive effects of calligraphy and other creative hobbies on our emotional health and well-being. Being creative can help relieve stress, free up “mind space” and improve self-development, which helps build self-esteem. So whether you are looking for a creative hobby to try at home or to join one of our friendly and relaxing calligraphy workshops, The Modern Calligraphy Co invites you to take the first step on your calligraphy journey. So why not pick up a pen and let your worries wash away, as you immerse yourself in the wonderful world of calligraphy. Move over adult colouring in, calligraphy is here and gaining momentum to become the most popular mindfulness technique of 2019! Our goal has always been to inspire others to share our joy of calligraphy, the joy of creating something unique and the ability to have a moment of peace simply by picking up a pen. It’s important to know that you don’t have to have great handwriting or a flair for art to reap the benefits of calligraphy and progress to create your own ‘Insta worthy’ unique work. In the guide you can learn some of my secret tips & tricks like body position, breathing, ink flow and what kit you will need. Don’t feel you need to spend a fortune on kit. You can get beginners kits for under £15 or you can even start with a soft 2B pencil and regular printing paper if you don’t want to buy anything. If you missed our free guide, check out our YouTube channel for guidance perfect for both beginners and those of you looking for the next challenge! We regularly post new videos, so please do subscribe to our channel. Increasingly we are all looking for experiences and the chance to learn something new, marking a shift from the instant gratification of buying something that is in all likelihood going to end up redundant in the near future. Calligraphy is a wonderful craft to learn with others and here at our quirky workshop in West Sussex, we regularly hold workshops, for half or full days.  We will soon be rolling them out across the UK too. We celebrate the joy of creating with a sociable atmosphere including food and a cheeky glass of wine to get those creative juices flowing! Come on your own or in a group, we are a friendly bunch and aim to provide guidance whilst making sure everyone is having fun. If you can’t make it to one of our workshops, don’t worry, we have the perfect calligraphy starter kit on sale in our online store or click through to Amazon to buy. The kit comes with lessons, hints and tips and all the bits you need to get started. We have a great selection calligraphy supplies too, ranging from different pens, inks and downloadable templates. Did you know we have also written four books on Modern Calligraphy- with signed copies available online in our store? We love to see your calligraphy work, share it with us on Facebook and Instagram using #MindfulCalligraphy

Is your handwriting terrible? It doesn’t matter. You aren’t artistic? It doesn’t matter. You can still get amazing results. The fun thing about modern calligraphy is that it doesn’t need to be perfect; it’s the imperfections that make it so human, and that’s the appeal. Using a Nib The key to modern calligraphy is that it’s written with a pointed nib, rather than a broad edge nib. This means that the nib comes to a sharp point and you make thick and thin lines by pressing harder and softer as you go up and down. It is also called a ‘dip pen’, as you dip your pointed pen into ink. As the nib has a point, it can be used by anyone, right-handed or left-handed and because it’s easy to use, it is great for kids too. There are many different pointed nibs available. In my experience, most beginners are worried to push down on their nib. Our Choice of Nibs We teach lots of workshops and have tested different nibs with our students. Leonardt 30 – the most popular by far in workshops. It flows nicely and is flexible enough to get the thick and thin lines that make calligraphy look so beautiful. Leonardt 256 – a firmer nib, for those who use more pressure when they write. For when you feel more confident: Leonardt 700 – great for smaller calligra­phy, it’s a tiny nib, so gives beautiful fine lines. Brause EF (stands for Extra Fine) – also creates stunning small calligraphy. There are many more to try, this list is by no means the only pointed nibs to give great results. Using Brush Pens Brush pens give greater line variations (thick and thins) and allow you to create larger lettering than you can with a calligraphy nib. One of the best things about brush pens is that you can take them anywhere and there’s no ink or mess! The difference between brush pens and felt tip marker pens is that brush pens have a brush like, flexible tip that behaves in a similar way to a paint brush. When you apply pressure to the paper with a brush pen, you can either get a thick or thin line. This is the difference between calligraphy and handwriting. There are two main types to choose from - felt tip brush pens or fibre tip (or sometimes called bristle tip) brush pens. Brush lettering involves the pressure and release of the brush so that you get thick and thin lines; think of it more as drawing than handwriting. You can lift your brush or brush pen off the page whenever you feel you need to and assess what you are doing, consider the shape of the letter form and ponder what to do next. In this picture there is a selection of brush pens, each pen's name is written above, using that pen. The pens to the left are felt brush pens, the pens to the right and fibre. You can see the different results, and that with the fibre pens you get a rougher finish. Paint brushes and water brushes fall into the fibre camp. If you would like to see all of this in action, watch our video tutorials. Once you are hooked on hand lettering, there are so many tools you can experiment with. A ruling pen, automatic pen or make your own cola pen using the metal from a can! All our books are available on Amazon for more info and inspiration in modern calligraphy.

Welcome to our Blog Hop in association with Simply Lettering Magazine, a brand new lettering magazine that celebrates modern calligraphy, perfect for beginners and experts alike! Each issue contains at least 15 step by step projects as well as pens and project kits, so you can start creating right away. Jam packed with hints and tips as well as interviews with leading calligraphers such as our very own Kirsten Burke, founder of The Modern Calligraphy Company. She is honoured to be on the front cover of the magazine’s FIRST issue which went on sale on July 18th! To mark the launch of the first issue of Simply Lettering, there was a whole week of blog posts from talented calligraphy experts as well as a brilliant competition with a vast array of prizes to be won. I am sure you have already hopped over to other blogs so far celebrating all things lettering, if not click here to check them out! Now it’s our turn to show you a great little project for you to get stuck into this week and we cannot wait to get started. Have you always wanted to add a personal flair to favourite items, such as a diary or notebook or perhaps you want to personalise a gift? If so- this next project is for you! Adding your own monogram is the perfect way to achieve this. I am sure you want to dive straight in to creating your monogram, we get it! But let’s take ten minutes to do some groundwork. Getting to grips with the ebb and flow of the lettering really helps when it comes to calligraphy. Warm up with some drills. Simply put, drills are exercises in which you repeat the thin upstrokes and thick downstrokes that form the basis of all calligraphy, but fear not! Think less school blackboard drills for naughty pupils and more free flowing movements that allow you to forget about everything as you focus on what you are doing. Loops, turns, flourishes and doodles, just go where ever you pen is leading you - just remember the change in pressure; thick and thins. By doing drills, you are building up muscle memory. Once you change the pressure automatically, without really having to think about it, you will be ready to move onto the next step, of working freehand. This is just the beginning of your lettering journey, and very soon you’ll be able to write beautiful calligraphy completely unaided. Most calligraphers work out where their lettering is going in pencil first, so what you are doing by following fonts that you like is a similar process. Get creative! Embellish your initials with a flower, heart and other flourishes that really make them your own. There is no right or wrong, this is your chance to add that personal touch. We would love to see your results, tag us in your social media posts! #themoderncalligraphyco