Customer Reviews

Calligraphy school (Learn as You Go)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I just sent out 200 elegant wedding invitations all done in Calligraphy that i learned from "Calligraphy School" in the last two months. i had never picked up a calligraphy pen and could not find any local classes so i bought this book to give it a try but was certain i would probably be hiring someone to do the calligraphy on my wedding invitations.

The book is interesting, easy to follow, has great instructions, modern colored pages, and a great font selection but not too overwhelming. i have the worst handwriting in the world and this book was able to teach me the basics in calligraphy. Worth every Penny and more.

suggestion to beginners - start with the thicker felt tip calligraphy pens till you master the letter flows and than change to the calligraphy cartridge pens (Scheaffer has been the best).

A very detailed introduction to calligraphy aimed at people who have NO prior experience. Pens, paper, ink are all covered in an unintimidating fashion. In tutorial fashion, the authors move from basic letter forms all the way to illuminating with gold leaf. Thorougly illustrated.

"Calligraphy School" is everything I was hoping it would be when I ordered it. Beautifully written, informative, gorgeous lay-out, very inspiring. I brought it to my calligraphy class to show the instructor and the other students, and they were as impressed as I. The book takes the student from Roman Serifs to the Lindesfarne Gospels and carolingian minuscules through to the Renaissance and some of the modern italic hands-- very comprehensive. Besides just the letterforms of virtually all the important alphabets throughout history, the authors also address the basics (and beyond) of applying a watercolor wash, interpreting text though color and design, even working with metallic leaf and illuminated letterforms! Pages and pages featuring the work of the most talented calligraphers. An absolutely beautiful book and very inspiring, as I said before, but it bears repeating.

Quite a good reference guide for beginners. Plenty of examples and step by step guide. Projects are excellent ways for anyone to put their skills to practice. Get your money's worth.

This book is full of outstanding examples of calligraphic artwork, some of them unusual. It's extremely complete regarding pens, such as how to sharpen them. And it even gives you an excellent overview of how to watercolor. I own many calligraphy books and thought I knew a great deal, but I learned much from this book. Worth buying.

Gaynor Goffe has been a most sought after calligraphy teacher in the UK and around the world for decades because of her sensible and complete methods that make the art of calligraphy achievable for any student of any age. Her clear and focused explanations and demonstration lessons eliminate any mystery that may preclude anyone from enjoying this wonderful pastime. This particular book is aimed at newbie beginners and intermediate practitioners but even advanced students will take away some very practical advice. The book is in full color and it is very colorful indeed. Not only are there excellent exemplars of lettering and letter forms, there are many areas of related interest that will be helpful to anyone who has not had an extensive art education such as the color wheel. This book has been a constant reference source for me for many years. My old one became so tattered that I had to recently order a new one from Amazon!
Gordon

From the Table of Contents it would appear to be very similar to other calligraphy books. It's different and superior because it has superb illustrations and pictures, indepth instructions, and the quality of the projects is outstanding. Work from well known international calligraphers are included. This book is a gem.

This book was used in the cyberstudy in 1998 to study the Foundational hand. There is both an overseas version and an American version. This caused a little confusion in the participants. It was an excellent text. However, I also had to use live instruction in some cases to fully understand the given lesson on the web. It will remain a good reference book for this beginner.