Classic Calligraphy for Beginners is a well written tutorial guide for Spencerian and copperplate calligraphy by Younghae Chung. Due out 12th July 2022 from Quarto on their Quarry imprint, it's 144 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats (ebook currently available).
I love calligraphy books. There is something very relaxing and meditative about sitting quietly and finding a thoughtful zone and seeing a piece come together on the paper. Even (maybe even especially?) the practice that goes before getting comfortable with a new technique is a meditative process and valuable for the quiet time and sense of mastery it provides.
This is a well and logically formatted book which is beginner friendly and not intimidating at all, but which will also provide challenges and learning opportunities for more advanced beginner and intermediate calligraphers. The book is accessible. The introduction covers tools and supplies and is followed by the two main tutorial chapters covering copperplate and Spencerian script. The chapters are built up in practice lessons from introduction and overview through basic strokes, lower and uppercase letters, connections, and negative spaces/spacing.
The final half of the book contains specific tutorials for projects using nib, brush, and pen work. The projects are appealing and beautiful. The book includes a number of reproducible/copyable guide sheets with a link to her website for more practice sheets, a short links and resource guide, and an abbreviated index.
Five stars. This would make a good choice for public or school library acquisitions, makers' space studio library, and for the artist's home reference shelf.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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