Arts & Crafts

Modern Calligraphy Basics

Meets Thursdays · 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM · on Zoom Fall 2026 · registration open Free to audit

This class runs in the Fall 2026 session. Registration is open now; lessons, materials, and the class discussion board are posted before it begins.

This is a hands-on class for adults who want neater handwriting or a small hobby that fits in a bag. We start with a cheap brush pen and get you making strokes in the first few minutes, because you learn calligraphy by doing it, not by watching me talk.

The whole thing really comes down to pressure. Thick on the downstroke, thin on the up. Everything else is just practice. We'll work through basic strokes, then build a simple lowercase alphabet you can actually read, and by the end you'll be able to letter a card or a little sign.

No experience needed. Bring a pen, some patience, and a willingness to slow down. That's kind of the whole trick.

What you'll learn

Choose the right pen and paper
Control pressure for thick and thin strokes
Form lowercase letters with correct stroke order
Connect letters smoothly with even spacing
Lay out a simple card or sign

Lessons

Getting Set Up (Without Spending Much)
What to buy, what to skip, and how to hold the pen so you don't wreck it in the first week.
Pressure Is the Whole Thing
Thick down, thin up, and getting your hand to actually do it on command.
The Basic Strokes
The seven or so shapes that every letter is secretly made of.
- Upstrokes and downstrokes as their own thing20 min
- The overturn and underturn22 min
- The compound curve20 min
- The oval, which is harder than it looks25 min
- The ascending and descending loops20 min
Building the Lowercase Alphabet
Putting the strokes together into letters you can actually read.
- The oval letters: a, c, d, g, o, q25 min
- The looped letters: b, e, h, k, l22 min
- The tricky middle: i, j, m, n, r, t, u25 min
- The rest, including that stubborn s22 min
Making Words
Connecting letters, keeping your slant, and letting the ink dry before you touch it.
Cards, Signs, and Where to Go Next
Putting your alphabet to work on something real and figuring out what to practice after class.
- Laying out a simple card22 min
- Lettering a short sign25 min
- When to keep it plain instead of fake-fancy15 min
- What to practice next, and honest gaps of mine15 min

Class discussion

The class discussion board opens when the class begins this fall. Auditors and enrolled students ask questions and share work here once the session starts.