Print this page Calligraphy for Beginners: Humanist Script

The Humanist Script is one of the most graceful calligraphic hands to emerge from the Renaissance, valued for its clarity, balance and timeless beauty. This beginner-friendly course introduces students to this classic script through hands-on practice and guided instruction.

You will learn how to work confidently with a chisel-shaped nib, developing control through an understanding of pen angles, letter construction and spatial awareness. Step by step, the course builds your skills in forming consistent letter shapes while sharpening your eye for proportion and spacing.

Alongside writing practice, the course explores decorative white vine work—an elegant ornamentation characteristic of the period—and introduces basic principles of layout and design to help you create a finished piece of calligraphy.

No prior experience is required. This course is ideal for anyone curious about calligraphy, historical scripts, or the satisfaction of working slowly and creatively with the hand.

DELIVERY MODE

• Face to face

COURSE OUTLINE 

• Introduction to writing with a chisel-shaped nib and brush by creating strokes that make up the script
• Introduction to the Humanist Script, its style, letter construction and characteristics.
• We will continue to study letter form and spacing and further refine our skills.
• We will study white vine work a decoration of this period
• We will look at various designs and layouts to create a piece of work

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Write with a chisel shaped nib
2. Construct letters of the hands
3. Achieve spatial awareness
4. Achieve analytical skills for letter form and shape
5. Achieve an understanding of design and layout.