Best Books for Learning Hand Lettering & Modern Calligraphy
Like us, you have a love for the beauty of calligraphy and hand lettering. When you are ready to get into the craft and don’t know where to start it is important to have guidance from the pros. With the number of books out there about hand lettering and calligraphy, we decided to share with you the best calligraphy and hand lettering books on the market!
Best Modern Calligraphy Practice Books for Beginners
Hand Lettering 101: An Introduction to the Art of Creative Lettering (Modern Calligraphy Series)
This gem from Chaulk Full of Love has all the lessons of the Hand Lettering 101 Workshop packed in between its spiral-bound pages. From the mind and heart of Sarah, owner of the hand-lettered goods shop Chaulk Full of Love, the course teaches her faux-calligraphy hand-lettering. The book teaches the strokes needed to letter lower- and upper-case letters and letters. You also learn how to connect the letters, work with fonts, and add flourishes.
Inside the attractive hardcover book, you’ll find nine hand-lettered projects with step-by-step instructions on premium calligraphy grade paper. Trimmed in gold, with a cover filled with polka dots, you can take it with you everywhere as it fits in most purses.
Creative Lettering and Beyond: Inspiring tips, techniques, and ideas for hand lettering your way to beautiful works of art
Four hand letterers and calligraphers teamed up to create this interactive learning tool. The book starts with an overview of the tools and materials you will need to master this craft. It then leads into step-by-step projects and exercises intended to help you learn all the basics you will need when you are just starting.
Included are lessons on handling the pen, making basic shapes, cursive script, spacing, and alignment. You will also learn how to put your talent to work on digitally enhanced note cards, linen, coffee mugs, and more. Practice pages are available along with prompts to get you started while you come up with your own artistic treasures.
The book covers calligraphy, illustration, chalk lettering, and more.
The Ultimate Guide to Modern Calligraphy & Hand Lettering for Beginners: Learn to Letter: A Hand Lettering Workbook with Tips, Techniques, Practice Pages, and Projects
June & Lucy creator, Kristin, provides a clear-cut and easily understandable lesson in hand lettering. Made with high-quality 60 lb. paper, includes drill worksheets to help you master your strokes with the option of receiving more worksheets by email when you request them. See the introductory page for more information. Kristin includes lessons in the book to help you set up your workspace, hold your writing tool, and quickly gets right into the lettering lessons.
Modern Calligraphy: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started in Script Calligraphy
Molly Suber Thorpe, the award-winning wedding invitation designer and calligrapher penned this manual that teaches modern lettering. She starts with the list of supplies you’ll need and continues to teach you to form letters, words, and phrases. Spacing, working with lightboxes and rulers, and digitizing your work are also covered.
Each lesson is detailed, step by step to practice on the included templates. The bold copperplate style Molly teaches has a refined look. Also included is a lesson in watercolor and gouache.
The book is comprised of 20 projects grouped into sections with styles ranging from whimsical to sophisticated. The last section of Modern Calligraphy offers strategies for large-batch projects and help for lefties.
Molly Thorpe has provided her art for Martha Stewart Weddings, Michael Kors, Fendi. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Country Living, and more. She also heads up workshops, teaches on the Skillshare.com platform.
Pretty Simple Lettering: Modern Calligraphy & Hand Lettering for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide to Beautiful Hand Lettering & Brush Pen Calligraphy Design
Pretty and floral covered, this Whitney Farnsworth workbook teaches the basics of alphabets in different styles. The first lesson helps you get your tools together, your posture in order, hold the pen correctly, and how to angle your paper. She then shows you how to create the upper- and lower-case versions of these letters, helps you to create words with them, and make art out of them. The last few sections include step-by-step tutorials and project pages to work on.
Learn Hand Lettering from Books
All these options provide step-by-step instructions and inspiration for you to get started. Read each review and get a feel for the best way you learn, and maybe which author would be the most interesting to learn from. If you like their style, you’ll most likely like what their book has to offer.
Get started and have fun creating your own hand lettering and calligraphy masterpieces!
