Hand calligraphy is nothing new. It is an ancient art form, which started as far back as 600 BC, was kept alive during the dark ages by Monks, and can be found in every culture and country. And like any art form, calligraphy offers a variety of styles and many talented artists who continue to take their craft to the next level.
While I will always love the classic styles of Rook and Copperplate, I’m very excited about the current trend of contemporary calligraphy, from curly and whimsical to illustrative and flourished. There’s something for everyone. Below, a few examples of some recent work that’s caught my eye.
Bernard Maisner , below, is a master of the craft. Below, a spectacular Tree of Life holiday card.
These whimsical escort cards below, are from Regas Studios. Their in-house calligrapher, Mimms, has a style all her own. I’m working with them on my holiday card designs as we speak…..
I recently discovered a new calligrapher, Schin Loong, on Etsy. Her work, below, ranges from simple, vintage, illustrated and flourished (as shown on the next four images).