In what little free time I can find in my life, I like to write. Sometimes, I write stories or poetry, but other times I just write words in the prettiest way possible. Calligraphy, modern calligraphy, hand lettering, whatever you want to call it. That’s my biggest hobby right now besides homework. (Does homework count as a hobby?) When I first started, I didn’t really see it going anywhere. I just wanted to try it to see how I like it, and I didn’t really know what I was doing. But I’ve learned a lot and improved a lot. Since I’ve started, I’ve had several people express interest in trying calligraphy themselves, so I figured I would just write an article with some tips for anyone who wants to try their hand at it. Also, I’ll give you some examples of my own work.

TIP 1: Don’t buy a big beginner’s kit.

On my first day, I stood in Hobby Lobby holding three beginner’s kits wondering which one I should get. I wish I could go back and tell myself, “NONE OF THEM!” That little teaching manual isn’t worth the extra money when Pinterest will teach you plenty for free. Just buy a couple types of calligraphy pens and some calligraphy paper.

TIP 2: Sometimes you don’t suck; it’s just your paper.

One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that getting the right paper and pen combination is crucial. Certain pens just won’t glide well across certain types of paper, and that can make your letters look AWFUL. On the plus side, if you just can’t get the hang of calligraphy, you can just blame your paper!

TIP 3: DO IT ANYWAY

Sometimes you may feel as though you aren’t good enough to do a certain design you want, so you won’t want to try in fear of failing. I’m here to tell you to do it anyway. Best case scenario, you’ll surprise yourself by how well you did. Worst case scenario, you’ll learn how to do it better next time, and that’s a success.

TIP 4: Use the pen that works for you and what you want to design.

Fountain pens, dip pens, brush pens, watercolor brush pens, calligraphy markers, calligraphy paint markers, the list goes on. When you’re new, picking a pen can be a little overwhelming. You just have to find what works for you. I’m currently obsessed with brush pens, but I know people who just can’t figure those out. I suggest starting out with a calligraphy fountain pen (NOT the regular stationary kind. You want one specifically for calligraphy) and/or calligraphy markers. Do some research if you need. Google and Pinterest really help.

TIP 5: Don’t compare yourself to anyone besides who you were yesterday.

There will always, always, always be someone better than you. That doesn’t matter. Focus on you. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with looking at professional calligraphy designs, but don’t get discouraged because you can’t do that yet. Learning any skill takes time, and if you just focus on be a better calligrapher than you were yesterday, you can really surprise yourself with how well you can write.

Remember, if you don’t know something, ask someone or ask Google. Calligraphy is so much fun, and you can do it if you really try. Good luck!