As an artistic discipline that’s stood the test of time, calligraphy is slowly but surely catching up with trends. Differing from ordinary handwriting, calligraphy is the process of ornamentally decorating the letters and it’s been quite popular especially since the 16th century. Not even the new and fast process of printing could beat creating true works of art by hand
If you think about it, even today when we’ve reached a new level of book printing with books being available in an electronic form, calligraphy is still standing because there are still those of us who appreciate beauty in a written form. In case you’re in need of a new hobby that keeps you busy and gets the creativity going, here are some reasons to give this type of art a try.
Source: Spectredart
It’s An Affordable Pastime Activity
Unlike other hobbies that require you to spend more money initially, you only need to invest in suitable and affordable calligraphy kits that consist of nibs, pens, ink and paper. Though for start you won’t require anything too professional, you can benefit from getting a quality type of ink like pigmented India ink as it’s known for being lightfast, waterproof, and permanent.
It’s these exact properties that also give you a hint it won’t bleed through the paper. Not to mention, such ink is ideal for various artistic projects, from drawings and sketches to illustration, fashion design and layouts.
If you’d like to experiment with various nibs, it’s advisable to get a universal insert pen. And in case you’re a left-handed person, be sure the design is suitable for you. As for the paper, properties like low absorbency and smoothness are recommended.
Source: Thepinkbride
It Reignites Your Creative Spark
Sometimes, due to certain events, plus the fast-paced lifestyle where we spend too much time on social media, it’s easy for us to lose the creative spark. Before we become aware of it, it seems impossible to get it back. See what I did there? I said “seems” and not “is”. This signals that things can be reversed. So, feel free to buy yourself fun and practical calligraphy sets and explore your artistic talent.
Whether you just want to practice by decorating your own bullet journals, turning them more special, or taking it up a notch and creating works of art that you can later use to decorate your home with – it’s up to you. What’s not to love about the flexibility such a pastime activity provides?
Once you get a hold of it, and gain more confidence with your skills, you’re going to find yourself decorating everything with calligraphy. Spice labels around your kitchen and prints in decorative picture frames hanging in the hallway, bathroom, living room are just some of the decorating ideas I can think of.
It’s really that simple: add colour in your art and you can bet you’d add colour in your life too!
It’s Good for Your Mental Health
We mainly choose hobbies to learn something new and keep ourselves busy which is also the case with calligraphy. What I particularly like about it though is that it’s a kind of form of meditation. It requires you to focus on writing and every stroke you make. And by doing so you forget about the rest of the world for a while, distancing yourself from stressors.
This being said, it’s a great hobby if you want to be more mindful but aren’t fond of trying out yoga for stress relief. It shouldn’t come as surprise even a famous author and Buddhist monk like Thich Nhat Hanh is a fan of it.
The next time you feel overwhelmed and want to shut a door at the surrounding noisy world, get calligraphy kits, find some inspiration online, and start creating art! Besides the amazing handwritten products, you’d also get to reap benefits like improved concentration and breathing, and slower heart rate.
Source: Popsugar
It Gives You the Chance to Make a Living
Same as other creative hobbies, as in the example with knitting and crocheting, you can earn money with calligraphy. Once you’ve had a good practice and you feel confident with your skills, why not put it to good use and sell your beautiful art? You’d be surprised how many people want to buy custom-designed paper goods. From invitations to a party or a wedding, to special handwritten notes for customers, there are plenty of options to keep the money coming.
It Shows People You Care
Can you think of a better way to express your feelings to someone near and dear to you than by handwriting them a note or a letter? I know I can’t! Since it takes a great deal of effort and time to learn the skills of calligraphy, you can be sure you’d put a smile on people by sending them your heartwarming beautiful art.
