Mastering Modern Calligraphy: Beyond the Basics: 2,700+ Pointed Pen Exemplars and Exercises for Developing Your Style

by Molly Suber Thorpe

Overview

Mastering Modern Calligraphy is a comprehensive guide to taking your pointed pen calligraphy skills to the next level and developing your very own modern style. Following up and building on Molly’s popular beginner's guide, Modern Calligraphy, Mastering Modern Calligraphy is the perfect companion for pointed pen and digital calligraphers alike. It is aimed at those with some calligraphy experience, presenting more than 2,700 letterforms and ligatures, targeted exercises, stroke drills, flourishes, and phrases, which emphasize experimentation and fun, rather than rigid uniformity.
This beautiful, in-depth guide to modern calligraphy emphasizes experimentation and fun, rather than rigid uniformity. With targeted exercises and lessons aimed at pushing you out of your calligraphy comfort zone, Mastering Modern Calligraphy will not only help you master tricks of the trade, but develop your very own modern calligraphy style, too.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250206992
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/08/2019
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	392,303
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 9.50(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

MOLLY SUBER THORPE has been heralded as a driving force behind today’s modern calligraphy movement. She has taught pointed pen calligraphy for many years, giving her special insight into the learning tools beginner, intermediate, and professional modern calligraphers really want, and which ones are particularly hard to find. An expert in the field, Molly has worked with major brands such as Google Arts & Culture, Martha Stewart, Michael Kors, and Fendi.

Her work and words have appeared in dozens of publications, including The Wall Street Journal, LA Times, The Guardian, UPPERCASE, and Buzzfeed. Molly is the author of two bestselling books for calligraphers: Modern Calligraphy: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started in Script Calligraphy (2013) and The Calligrapher’s Business Handbook: Pricing and Policies for Lettering Artists (2017).

Editorial Reviews

"Molly Suber Thorpe's newest book, Mastering Modern Calligraphy, helps readers push themselves beyond comfort zones and break down their personal writing style letter-by-letter. From warm-up exercises and letter variations to complete alphabets and multi-line layouts, Thorpe gives readers the tools they need to begin breaking habits and implementing changes that will result in a unique calligraphic style that’s entirely their own."— Paper & Ink Arts

"Mastering Modern Calligraphy is geared toward people who already are “sold” on calligraphy, and is a bit more technical than Molly's first book. It will serve as a solid source of information for calligraphy enthusiasts. The new book echoes the kind and encouraging tone of Molly’s previous two books, and her philosophy on calligraphy is something I completely agree with! For example, she tells us not to be afraid to make ugly calligraphy (yes!!!). In another section, she quotes Robert Bringhurst to encourage us to '…break the rules and break them beautifully, deliberately, and well. That is one of the ends for which they exist.' I think that’s beautifully said."—Lindsey Bugbee, The Postman's Knock

"Mastering Modern Calligraphy is a wonderfully thoughtful, in-depth guide on honing your own calligraphic style and giving it a modern twist. Molly sets you up for success from the get-go as she walks you through the fundamentals of calligraphy—from tools used to warm-up drills to breaking down the letterforms in a clear and easy way. The book has a multitude of exemplars for you to try out on your own and tips for how to mix it up to create your own unique style. It's filled to the brim with so much helpful information that everyone would benefit from adding this to their personal library. I certainly wish I had it when I first started out!"— Joanna Muñoz, author, The Art of Hand Lettering for Beginners: Beautiful Projects and Essential Techniques

PRAISE for Modern Calligraphy:

"A great starting point for those wanting to develop their own style of pointed pen writing. Creative, fresh, and lovely, this is a book you won’t regret adding to your library!" —Paper & Ink Arts

"My final verdict on Modern Calligraphy? I. Love. It. If you want to be inspired, you’ve got to buy this book (it’s the best $25 you’ll spend on your calligraphy skills)." —Lindsay Bugbee, The Postman’s Knock

"My go-to referral for anyone that contacts me and asks, 'Help! Where do I start?' You start with Modern Calligraphy, that’s where!" —Tristan & Michelle, Besotted Blog

From the Publisher