Learn World Calligraphy: Discover African, Arabic, Chinese, Ethiopic, Greek, Hebrew, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Russian, Thai, Tibetan Calligraphy, and Beyond - Softcover

Shepherd, Margaret

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0823033465 ISBN 13: 9780823033461

Publisher: Watson-Guptill, 2011

Synopsis

Learn World Calligraphy has something for everyone. Whether you want scholarly insight, artistic inspiration, classroom projects, or a theme for your next party, this comprehensive, unparalleled full-color book will guide you on a virtual trip around the globe. Covering nearly all of the world’s writing systems—from African to Arabic, Chinese to Greek, Hebrew to Russian, and beyond—Learn World Calligraphy offers a unique glimpse of scripts worldwide and the calligraphers who write them.

Lushly illustrated with gorgeous examples of both historical and modern calligraphic designs, this book is filled with practical instruction for how key aspects of each exotic script can be applied to the English alphabet, generating calligraphic hybrids with a distinctly foreign flair. Like a new cuisine that you can’t wait to cook at home, the scripts you meet in this book are sure to infuse your own calligraphy with the flavor of abroad. Bon voyage!

About this title

About the Author

MARGARET SHEPHERD is a renowned calligrapher, prolific author, and popular lecturer. For more than three decades, starting with the classic Learn Calligraphy: The Complete Book of Lettering and Design, Ms. Shepherd has penned numerous instructional books that have helped legions of aspiring calligraphers discover their talent. She resides in Boston, Massachusetts.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Mahayana Buddhists in Tibet believe that eery spoken or written repetition of the prayer "Om mani padme hum" brings enlightenment one step closer. Copies of the mantra are rolled up inside handheld wheels like the one at left, which people whirl while praying. Rows of large wheels outside monasteries, like those shown on page 141, are given a spin by anyone passing by. 
Tibetan top strokes are written first, not last, and they do not extend beyond the leyyers. Pen angles vary from 60 to 120 degrees. A flexible brush, held upright, may be used instead of a rigid pen. Review basic Chinese brush technique on pages 66-69. Squared off on top, many letters descend to a sharp point. Consonant-vowel combinations do not merge side to side but stack up vertically.

Edition details

• Publisher: Watson-Guptill
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0823033465
• ISBN 13: 9780823033461
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192