Calligraphy

Calligraphy literally means “beautiful writing”. It is handwriting that is known to be decorative, beautiful, and ornamental and is considered an art in several cultures. Calligraphy reached its pinnacle as an art form in the 12th to 15th century, but has recently seen a resurgence in popularity.

History of Calligraphy

In the Middle Ages calligraphy, or script, was used to record “the Word of God” on paper, by monks. The monks added their own personal touch to the script, which resulted in “narrow” characters. This narrow script in calligraphy became known as “Gothic” print. Today, Gothic is considered the first form of European calligraphy and just about every word processing program in the world includes the historic Gothic font.

Calligraphers

As the art of calligraphy continued to flourish, the need for calligraphers did as well. Monks were sought out for their calligraphy skills and they were used to create business or social correspondence, as well as elegant invites. Calligraphers used special flat-edged pens to create the unique characters and lines we associate with calligraphy today. By the 19th century however, these flat-edged pens were replaced by round-tipped pens that were unable to duplicate the monk's “elegant” print. The art of calligraphy soon fizzled out for a significant period of time, but was later revived by William Morris, an established artist and poet.

Calligraphy Today

What's so special about calligraphy? Calligraphy is a true “expert art” and those who are talented enough to learn the art are known to truly create script from the heart. In China, calligraphy is one of the most respected art forms of writing for invitations. In the United States, calligraphy is popular for invites that are used for elaborate events such as weddings, galas, baby showers, and anniversaries. Calligraphy today is also a popular choice for poems, logos and, certificates.

Hiring a Calligrapher

If you're looking for a calligrapher, simply contact your local calligrapher's guild or start your search on the Internet. There are literally hundreds of professional calligraphers, hand or otherwise, to choose from across the globe. While calligraphy is popular due to its ability to add elegance and beauty to your printed piece, it is also a popular choice due to economic factors. While calligraphy looks “expensive,” in many cases hiring a calligrapher isn't much more expensive than hiring a printer to do traditional printing work.

By Michelle Burton