How to Paint Calligraphy for Wall Hangings

Calligraphy wall hangings can add character to a room.

Calligraphy is the art of writing beautifully and has been practiced by civilizations throughout the world. When working on paper, most calligraphers use pens with metal nibs and wood, plastic or metal handles. The calligrapher holds the pen at a 45-degree angle, which gives the letters their distinctive look. On large paper or cloth for a wall hanging, however, these pens usually cannot make letters that are big enough for the project. Instead, calligraphy brushes, which have a flat edge similar to the flat-edged pen, create calligraphy effects on a larger scale. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

• Board
• Wall-hanging material
• Thumbtacks or painter's tape
• Pencil or charcoal
• Calligraphy brush
• Paint

Instructions

1. Secure the cloth or paper for the wall hanging to a board. You can pin down cloth using thumbtacks or secure the edges of paper with painter's tape.

2. Sketch the guidelines for your piece. Use light pencil for paper and charcoal for fabric.

3. Hold the board in your lap, propped up against a desk or table so that it forms an angled surface on which to work. This allows you to write comfortably without the paint pooling, as it would on a flat surface, or running, as it might on a vertical surface.

4. Dip your brush into the paint. Load the brush with enough paint to complete at least a single stroke without having to refill the brush. Do not overfill. Use fabric paint on cloth and acrylic and gouache on paper. You may need to thin the paint with water to achieve the correct consistency.

5. Hold the brush an inch above the metal ferrule -- the metal piece that holds the bristles in place -- and allow the flat edge of the brush to form a 45-degree angle from the guidelines you've drawn. Sit comfortably but upright, and rest your wrist on the board. Pull the brush downward when painting the thicker parts of the letters. Applying more pressure increases the thickness of the letters. For narrow and delicate strokes, flick the brush upward or lightly downward.

6. Clean your brush with soap and water and reshape the brush with your fingers.

7. Allow the piece to dry before removing it from the board.

Tips & Warnings

• Cover any parts of the work where your hand will rest while painting to prevent leaving smudges and oily marks on the piece.

• Practice before committing your design to final form. Calligraphy is as much about the white spaces between the letters, words and lines as it is about the shape of the letters themselves. Incorrect spacing can make calligraphy look awkward, even if you've shaped the letters perfectly. Practice individual letters used in your piece, and then paint a draft of the whole piece, paying special attention to the spacing. Calligraphy has been used around the world by different cultures, and their unique lettering styles -- called scripts -- are immediately recognizable to many people. For example, Chinese calligraphy, Roman block letters and Celtic majuscule are all unique. Different scripts require holding the pen at varying angles, shaping the letters differently and adding details such as serifs and embellishments. Choosing and mastering the right script for your project will help you convey the mood and ideas you want to express in your piece.

References

• "The Calligrapher's Studio"; Claire Secrett; 2000
• "Calligraphy Made Easy"; Will Norman; 2005
• Art Window: Brush Calligraphy -- The Joy of Painted Words
• "Medieval Calligraphy: Its History and Technique"; Marc Drogin; 1980