Things You'll Need:
- Calligraphic symbols (in this case the Greek alphabet)
- Three bamboo art brushes
- Cup of water
- Brush-up paper
- Absorbent paper towel
- Ink
- Calligraphy paper
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Step 1
Print out a copy of the Greek alphabet with both lower and upper case letters. There are several websites that offer upper and lower case Greek letters as well as explanations about their corresponding English alphabet letters.
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Step 2
Familiarize yourself with the bamboo paintbrushes. If you bought a set, each brush will have a different width. These different widths will make for distinct brushstrokes. Get a feel for how the brushes lie in your hand and how it feels to turn them.
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Step 3
Upper case deltaPlace a sheet of brush-up paper in front of you. Decide which Greek letter you wish to try first. Since learning to draw calligraphy—as opposed to writing it--will most likely require you to put several symbols together and then supply them with a border, you may want to start with the upper case delta. It looks like a triangle.
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Step 4
Pick out a brush with a width of your choosing and dip the tip into the cup of water. Practice the strokes of the delta on the brush-up paper. Experiment with the different brushes to get a clear understanding of the limitations each brush has.
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Step 5
Upper case xiExperiment with another upper case Greek letter, this time one that requires fine as well as bold lines. The perfect letter for this is xi. Repeat Step 4, but instead of delta, use xi.
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Step 6
Lower case xiPractice the uninterrupted strokes of the lower case xi next. When you work with this letter on the brush-up paper you will have good practice at swirls and uninterrupted curving.
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Step 7
Dry your paintbrushes carefully with the absorbent paper towel. You are now ready to move on to the calligraphy paper and the ink! For your first attempt at learning to draw calligraphy you could use the Greek symbols for the word “draw.” Refer to your Greek alphabet printout for the formation of the letters; they are delta, rho, alpha, and omega.
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Step 8
Practice drawing this word in Greek calligraphy symbols on your paper. Try upper and lower case versions and even combine them for a stunning visual effect. When you are finished, take pride in the fact that you just completed your first visual masterpiece of drawing calligraphy!
