Fundamentals and Techniques of Calligraphy

Start by getting to know Italian calligrapher Giorgio Gaetani as he talks about his career as an artist so far, and his first encounters with pen and paper. He shares his main references from the calligraphy world as well as from other disciplines like music, which is a huge source of inspiration for him in terms of movement and rhythm.

Next, Giorgio goes into detail about all the instruments you need to get started in copperplate script like paper, dip pens, and inks, followed by a tutorial on posture while writing as well as the correct hand movements. You also learn how to draw guide lines on the page and create letters, always keeping in mind the characteristic italics-style inclination of copperplate lettering.

Now begin to familiarize yourself with the copperplate style. Start with the fundamentals for writing both lowercase and uppercase correctly before exploring numbers and symbols.

Once you've got the hang of the individual letters, Giorgio teaches you to link them together to make words using ligatures and adequate spacing. Then it's on to practising with pangrams: short sentences that contain all the letters of the alphabet.

Bring this journey to an end seeing how to enrich copperplate with special effects to achieve a true work of art. The results of working on dark-colored paper combining a variety of colored inks and adding decoration with a few decorative techniques are truly astounding. Create an envelope with an elegant wax seal for a greetings card or invitation.