4 Reasons Why Calligraphy Is A Good Hobby

Meta-description: Practiced in many cultures, calligraphy is the art of decorative handwriting. What makes this strict and tedious craft a good hobby? Click through to know more!

Calligraphy is a fine art practiced in many religions and cultures, often used to preserve literature and traditions that have been around for ages. The art and practice of calligraphy has since evolved – decorative handwriting is no longer used for religious or cultural reasons. In fact, many calligraphers simply do it because it is a hobby they enjoy. 

People often gravitate to calligraphy because it is easy to learn and materials are widely available. Plus, it’s a good way to expand your skill set. What makes calligraphy a good hobby? Keep reading to find out!

What Is Calligraphy?

Calligraphy is the art of manual decorative handwriting. It is often done with a calligraphy brush and ink, although calligraphy pens are now widely available on the market. This is in contrast to typography, which is also a kind of lettering art but is computer-generated versus manually drawn.

Calligraphy came from the Greek word kalligraphia, from kallos (a Greek word that means “beautiful”) and graphein, which means “to write”. The word “calligraphy” first appeared in the 1600s when decorative handwriting and ordinary handwriting became distinct from one another. 

But even before the word “calligraphy” was coined, numerous countries in East Asia and the Middle East considered calligraphy a tradition and art discipline equal to painting and sculpting. In Western countries from the same period, calligraphy was often used to document and preserve history and heritage. 

What Makes Calligraphy A Good Hobby?

Calligraphy Promotes Meditation And Relaxation

Some people learn calligraphy because of how relaxing it is as a hobby. Calligraphy requires a calm and relaxing environment free from disturbances and distractions. Calligraphy is a lot like meditation – after all, you need to be fully focused and in the present moment to perfect your pen and brush strokes. The repetitive practice promotes mindfulness, peace, and calm.

Calligraphy Teaches You History And Culture

Some people study calligraphy to learn more about their culture, especially if they are from the East Asian region. After all, calligraphy is more than just decorative writing – it tells you a lot about culture, heritage, and tradition. 

Below is a breakdown of a few calligraphy styles from different regions and how they used calligraphy in their cultures:

East Asian

Some countries in the East Asian region (such as China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan) practice brush calligraphy. This calligraphy style developed in China and later branched out. 

East Asian brush calligraphy was often used in symbology, literature, art, and communication. The techniques and tools applied thousands of years ago are still in use today. 

Arabic/Islamic

Arabic calligraphy is considered the highest form of Islamic art. The distinction of this calligraphy style from the others is that every character of the Arabic alphabet can be transformed into any shape and stylized to form a word. Traditionally, bamboo stems were used as a writing instrument, while a concoction of saffron, honey, and black soot was used as ink.

Western

Western calligraphy emerged from ancient Latin script, which first appeared in Rome around 600 BC. They used calligraphy to transcribe the Bible, but mass production of Biblical manuscripts quickly killed the craft. Calligraphy saw a revival in the west in the 19th century thanks to a craftsman named Edward Johnston, who taught it to students in London.

Calligraphy Teaches Patience

One of the most important things to understand about calligraphy is that it has to be done slowly and carefully. Practicing calligraphy requires quite a bit of time, effort, and patience to master. You can’t learn how to create beautiful scripts overnight – to hone your skill, you have to do it over and over again, often making mistakes along the way. This teaches you to be patient, have a beginner’s mindset, and push through challenges.

Calligraphy Encourages Creative Expression

Although some calligraphers believe that there is a “traditional” way to do calligraphy, it’s ultimately an art form that allows you to express your emotions and experiences through beautiful handwriting. Today, it’s not as strict when it comes to materials, styles, and uses – some people even do “digital calligraphy” using a calligraphy brush on Procreate or other design apps. 

Conclusion

Calligraphy is a good hobby because it promotes relaxation and meditation, teaches you about culture and history, instills patience and discipline, and encourages creative expression. There are many new ways to practice calligraphy, and many new things to learn with this fun hobby!