First Steps Calligraphy (First Step Series) [Paperback]

Don Marsh (Author)

Book Description

Series: First Step Series | Publication Date: March 15, 1996

Make your first steps in calligraphy fun and rewarding!

You'll be delighted at how easy this guide makes it to address invitations with a touch of class, send unforgettable greeting cards, and craft unique and meaningful gifts.

With Don Marsh's simple and straightforward instruction, you'll be creating graceful handwritten expressions in no time! By learning a few key strokes (most of them found in the letters "a" and "n") you'll be able to form all the letters of the alphabet.

In this book, you'll find everything you need to begin - including:

• 
  
  Which tools and materials to buy to get off to a good, affordable start
• 
  
  Easy-to-follow instructions for the most practical and popular lettering styles - simple italic minuscules, simple roman capitals, simple italic capitals and swash caps
• 
  
  Easy (but effective) exercises that make learning fun
• 
  
  How to create numerals and decorative flourishes
• 
  
  Copy-and-use practice sheets
• 
  
  Inspiring examples of the art of calligraphy

More than a dozen projects - complete with stroke-by-stroke instruction - show you different ways to apply your new skills. You'll find practical and imaginative ideas for greeting cards, invitations, romantic verse and much more. And with Don's help, you can get started right away

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

With over 200 books in print on calligraphy, the popularity of this sophisticated art is unquestionable. Most calligraphy books can be pretty daunting for the beginner, hence Marsh's book. Part of North Light Books' "First Step" series, it is aimed at the "absolute beginner." Excellent for secondary school age and above, it features projects on greeting cards, invitations, and romantic verse. If a more advanced treatment is needed, see David Harris's The Art of Calligraphy: A Practical Guide to the Skills and Techniques (DK, 1995).
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books (March 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 089134666X
• ISBN-13: 978-0891346661
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #519,823 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Beginner Book, March 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: First Steps Calligraphy (First Step Series) (Paperback)

This book would be good for someone who has never tried Calligraphy. I am a beginner that just finished my first class and I found the book to be a little too basic. On the positive side, there are a few good pro/con lists that explain the advantages and disadvantages of some tools, nibs, inks and erasers.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Beginner's Manual!, January 15, 2009

By 

Anah "mtnlady" (WV USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: First Steps Calligraphy (First Step Series) (Paperback)

I'm a brand-new calligrapher, and Don Marsh's <u>First Steps Calligraphy</u> is just right for me. With his or her prior knowledge, I can see why the previous reviewer did not find this beginner's book very helpful. For someone who has never attempted calligraphy (like me!), this is a great selection.

I just started practicing under the guidance of this book last night, and I'm already grasping the basics! Marsh offers some tips on choosing tools. It was published in 1996, and now in 2009 I'm finding quite a few of the same products are available on the market.

Beyond the lowest basics, I see some instructions on flourishes toward the back. Can't wait to get to those!

Bottom line: Just right for newbies, too basic for anyone with prior knowledge.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Calligraphy book out there, May 10, 2009

By 

Randall (Newport, KY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Steps Calligraphy (First Step Series) (Paperback)

First bought this book 10 years ago, and have been doing calligraphy for a long time, but keep coming back to the manual that showed me how to do it right in the first place. I'd tried dozens of times to "get" calligraphy, but this is book that really showed me everything I needed to make it work right. It is so clear that you won't miss any of the details that take calligraphy from pretty handwriting to real art. Illustrations and instructions abound. There are great examples of many different types of lettering. As someone who wants to know "why" as much as "how", I really appreciated how Marsh gave context to the different styles of lettering.