For the Beginner/Broke Calligraphy & Lettering Artist
A Collection of Freebie Resources for Learning Calligraphy & Lettering 🥰
Raise your hand if you’re currently in love with calligraphy or hand lettering but don’t know where to start or how much to invest in this new hobby. I know this feeling all too well because I found calligraphy & lettering when I was still a student and couldn’t afford a new expensive hobby.
I was hungry for information so I turned to the internet. I looked for free courses, free PDFs, free resources, signed up for all the newsletters, looked at preview courses, watched countless YouTube videos, and numerous more Skillshare classes. The hunt wasn’t easy, but it was definitely worth it.
If you’re a beginner, like I was, and don’t want to invest a lot, here is an extensive list of resources I have collected over the years that you can also use to learn. It includes people who inspire me, teachers I admire, and tons of resources that helped me.
Enjoy!
(Please note that this is a growing list so you can check back frequently for changes).
AWESOME WEBSITES/BLOG SUBSCRIPTIONS:
Calligraphy
The Postman’s Knock (She also has a YouTube channel)
Molly Suber Thorpe (She also has a YouTube channel)
Calligrafile (Really awesome resource from Molly Suber Thorpe)
Lettering Daily (Cool blog to also learn lettering and calligraphy. There are also tutorials, interviews, and more)
Lettering
Martina Flor (Aside from her academy where you can learn lots of amazing things, she also offers free workshops from time to time. Make sure you join her newsletter so you don’t miss out).
Liz Kohler Brown ( She also has tons of free resources, which go beyond lettering, on her website that you can check out)
OTHER RESOURCEFUL YOUTUBE CHANNEL SUBSCRIPTIONS:
Stefan Kunz (Lettering)
Ian Barnard (Lettering)
The Happy Ever Crafter (Becca Courtice) (Calligraphy)
Nico Ng (Lettering)
How to Hand Letter (Lettering with a calligraphy mix)
RECOMMENDED SKILLSHARE CLASSES:
Even though Skillshare isn’t free, you can get about two months for free when you first sign up. You can use this link here (and NO! This is not sponsored. You always get a link to share with friends whenever you sign up :D). Here are a few Skillshare classes that I swear by and still rewatch from time to time.
Hand Lettering Essentials for Beginners by Mary Kate McDevitt (Even though this class is a bit old, it still covers the basics of lettering and in a fun way).
Strong Lines: Getting Comfortable with the Pilot Parallel Calligraphy Pen by Alice Young (This class focuses on gothic calligraphy and is the first of a series but you should start with this).
Calligraphy for Beginners 1 – The Foundational Styles of Calligraphy by Jackson Alves (Another awesome series of calligraphy classes. Here he starts with the basics of foundational calligraphy. Check out his other classes too).
Calligraphy Essentials: From First Script to Final Flourish by Seb Lester ( A class from one of the most awesome people in calligraphy. I really hope he does more! However, he only covers Italic calligraphy in this class).
The Golden Secrets of Hand-Lettering: Create the Perfect Postcard by Martina Flor (A simple class where you learn the basics of lettering and create a project that you can send to friends or family!)
Lettering for Designers: One Drop Cap Letterform at a Time by Jessica Hische (Here, you get to learn from another icon in the lettering community one drop cap at a time!)
Today, there are a lot of ways to teach yourself a new passion and above are a few resources that I have used in the past. You don’t have to invest so much until you’re sure this is what you want to move forward with. So, save your money and check out these resources first before buying an expensive course that you will never use.
This is in no way an exhaustive list because there are lots of great people that offer free or affordable ways to learn; especially if you’re a beginner. This list is just of people who I came across and learned from on my own. However, as time went on, I invested in a few courses and resources but I will share that in another post. Do you know anyone else or any other resources? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Till next time…go forth and create something awesome; even if it sucks!