Calligraphy is not only the art of beautiful inscriptions, but also a means of self-expression and meditation. Now more and more people are getting involved in this process: for some it is a hobby, and for the others it is a source of income. There are many options for applying this skill: from hand-made wedding invitations to logos for large companies and brands.

Moreover, calligraphy is also a powerful tool that trains the brain: it is able to put the nervous system in order and develop discipline. 

The world of calligraphy is so wide that it is often very difficult for a beginner to decide which basic tools are needed for the first steps. So, let's discuss it in this article.

Quills for the calligraphy

The quills are one of the main tools for calligraphy, and they differ in the degree of flexibility and form. Stiff quills are intended, first of all, for working with posters, where pressure should not affect the thickness of the line.

As for the flexibility of the quills, here they also differ. They are super flexible, flexible and medium flexible - the more the thickness of the line varies in the font, the more flexible the pen is needed for writing. So, each type corresponds to its own tasks and fonts.

The important part of the quill also plays its tip, which affects the thickness of the line, so there are  pointed quills and wide-edged ones. Universal ones also exist, and  they are recommended for beginners. However, they also differ in types:

• A sharp universal pen is intended for cursive fonts and ornaments. Here you can find a great combination of flexibility and ease of control while pressing.
• The pointed quill has an ultra-soft tip. It will allow you to create an elegant handwritten font in the style of English italics - Copperplate and Spencerian. By the way, it is ideal for writing small inscriptions.
• A pen with a line thickness of 0.5 mm - for cursive and basic fonts. It has a medium degree of flexibility, but excellent control of the pressure.
• A wide-edged flexible quill with a line thickness of 2.05 mm - for decorative writing and ornaments. The recommended height of the letters in this case is not more than 1 cm.
• The quill for the posters that can create a large font. A wide flat tip with an smooth cut will allow you to draw large clear lines, and
• the number corresponds to the thickness of the line in mm. Be sure that the writing will be even, because this quill does not have flexibility, so if you press a little harder, the line width will not change.

By the way, don't forget about the holder of the quill. The most widespread holders are straight, and especially with them we recommend starting your hobby. Another plus of them is that they reduce the strain of the hand while writing cursive fonts.

Calligraphy pens

Pens were invented specifically for writing - they are more usual for work and for studying something new. Plus, they allow you to train any beginner to correctly position the pen in relation to the surface. Even if the tip of the pen is not pressed against the paper and is not parallel to it, then the pen will give a continuous letter.

Calligraphy pens differ in the types of tips — pointed and wide-pointed, and the numbers with which they are marked match to the width of the line. The widest pen in the series can reach up to 6 mm. Pointed fountain pens can also vary in thickness, and at the same time, they are marked with the letters:

• EF (Extra Fine) - super-thin pen ( 0,5 0.5 mm);
• F (Fine) - thin pen (≈ 0.6 mm);
• M (Medium) - medium pen (≈ 0.75 mm);
• LH (Left-Handed) - left-handed pen (≈ 0.75 mm).

Almost every pen is reusable nowadays: for them you can choose, both separate refilled replacement cartridges and converters with ink in jars.

Calligraphy paper

Calligraphy is a kind of art where rice paper has been used traditionally.  At the same time, "rice" was once called any handmade paper made both in China and abroad. Many professionals, who often work with traditional Chinese drawing too, prefer to use it for their work. It will not be easy for the first time to work on rice paper, and we recommend using simpler paper for the start. So, it will be better if it will be smooth, as you will see your success and progress. However, for this hobby we advise using specialized paper for calligraphy with a density of 90 g / sq.m, as it is more convenient for writing.

We hope that the article was helpful for you! Have a good inspiration!