In a world and times when technology has taken over much of our lives, texts and typing have been a primary source of communication, and pen and paper are something that has been labeled as old fashion. Yet there are some things that technology cannot totally replace. There are traditions that have stood the test of times, yet it still brings a different definition of beauty that is timeless and remains magical.
Currently, visual art can be easily produced as there are a lot of programs that can create them using modern technology. Yet, there is some art that technology cannot just replace. The class, essence, and that enchanting feeling is something that technology cannot replace. Calligraphy, for instance, is an example of visual art that may have been considered a relic, yet its timeless and enchanting beauty is something that has increasingly made attractive by time and age.
What is Calligraphy?
When we hear the word calligraphy, what comes into mind is very, very nicely done handwriting—very beautiful and prominent handwriting on a piece of paper. Well, calligraphy is more than that. What exactly is calligraphy?
Calligraphy is a visual art that is related to writing. It involves the design and execution of letters or lettering. Calligraphy is done with the aid of a broad tip instrument like a brush or other writing instrument. The traditional calligraphic practice is defined as the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner.
Calligraphy is also defined as a skill of handwriting or beautiful writing. It is a design, artistic, and beautiful execution of lettering using a brush or a broad tip instrument. It is the artistic process of forming beautiful symbols or letters by hand and put them together in a way that can convey messages or thoughts that has integrity, harmony, rhythm, and a classic vibe of ancestry. These factors are essential in calligraphic art. Integrity means it shows admirable proportions and the design of letters and symbols. Harmony shows the pleasing relationship between each word and the characters. Ancestry refers to the preservation and heritage of the materials, letter-shapes, and technique. The rhythm creates the feelings of each pattern and if it is visually appealing within the eyes of the viewer.
A brief history of Calligraphy
The word Calligraphy means beautiful writing. It comes from the Greek καλλιγραφία words Kallos which means beauty and Graphein which means to write. In Greek, calligraphy means beautiful writing, yet calligraphy is more than just writing and creating letters in a beautiful manner.
Calligraphy has been around since ancient times. Writing is one of the earliest forms of communication. Ancient people used symbols to communicate and preserve tradition. For many many years, people used whatever tools they have, especially sharp objects. They use it to scratch, color substances, or dent.
History tells us that Calligraphy with the use of brushes dates back to ancient China during the Shang dynasty and has been more popular during the Han dynasty, where it has been practiced by educated men and women.
Calligraphy has gone a long way. In modern times, calligraphy ranges from hand-lettered inscriptions and also an intricately designed art piece that contains hand-written marks. Today, calligraphy is more than just a piece of art. It is an expression and a way to communicate.
Different Types of Calligraphy
- Western Calligraphy – emerged in the 10th century. It has strict rules and geometric patterns.
- Eastern Asian Calligraphy – this lettering is used in China, Japan, and Korea. It is easily recognizable because it is easy to recognize Eastern symbols. The manuscripts are shorter, and calligraphy is an important part of their heritage.
- South Asian Calligraphy – This style originated from India, Nepal, and Tibet. They are widely used in Buddhist spiritual practices. It is found in the most ancient lettering practices ever discovered.
Here we have come up with the best calligraphy quotes that will give us more ideas on this visual piece of art.
The significance of calligraphy is spiritual harmony and the birth of motion.
Calligraphy is more than just an art. It is a channel if spiritual and emotional communication and expression. It is more than just how the visual idea comes to life. Calligraphy is a way of expression and communication. It is more than just creating a beautiful piece of artwork. Calligraphy in ancient times is used by educated men and women as a form of art. But more than that, it is part of their spiritual rituals and preservation of memories. It is part of civilization and has been passed on from generation to generation. It has been a timeless visual artwork that delivers a message with a sense of classic artistry.
Figures are the most shocking things in the world. The prettiest little squiggles of black looked at in the right light and yet consider the blow they can give you upon the heart.
Calligraphy is a skill. It is an art. It is a statement. A calligrapher writes and scribbles the character with ease and perfection, considering harmony, beauty, and skill. The end product is a work of art that conveys a particular message that is hidden within every stroke and every color. The visual art and the end product is an artistic statement and becomes a way of life.
Just above our terror, the stars painted this story in perfect silver calligraphy. And our souls, too often abused by ignorance, covered our eyes with mercy.
Calligraphy is a means of communication. A means of expression and a means to preserve important moments and memories. It is a means an expression of feelings and emotions. Calligraphy is not just a mere art. Calligrapher scribbles and puts their emotions as an expression on what they feel and how they want to convey their audience. In this quote, the scribbler would want to show that he sees which can soothe a troubled soul.
Man′s beauty is in the beauty of his writing.
Not taking this literally, this quote describes how we communicate by words. There are words that can be expressed by the best letters and papers. This is when the essence of calligraphy comes in. An expression of our emotions and the words of the heart. What we feel and how we show our emotions is how we show ourselves. Man′s beauty is in the beauty of his writing, simply implies communicating the feelings within. Showing emotions and expressing the words of the heart.
Just as writing can become calligraphy when it’s creatively, skillfully, and consciously performed, so can all other activities become an art. In this case, we are reflecting upon life itself as an artistic statement—the art of living.
Yes, calligraphy is an art. When writers scribble and make letters and characters skillfully, this becomes more than just an art. Calligraphy is more than just art for most calligraphers. They consider this as a means of communication. With every stroke and by creating harmony, the artist is expressing his or her feelings and conveying the message of the artwork. It is a channel of communication and an expression of emotions.
Calligraphy may well be simply an artistic version of another form, that is the ideograms which make up the poem, but then not only does it reflect the character and temperament of the artist but . . . also betrays his heart rate, his breathing.
Dai Sijie
For most of us, especially in our modern era, Calligraphy is a mere visual form of art. It is simply another form of art. But for an artist, the scribbler, the one who holds the pen, it not just a form of art. It is an expression. It is a piece of message that comes from their heart and mind. It is how they feel and how they want to convey the emotions and the feelings that are hidden in their hearts and minds. It is kind of communication that when words cannot be uttered, it can be written by the hands that feel the beating of the heart.
Lettering creates readable art that comes to life, displaying a quirky, whimsical nature.
Peggy Dean
Calligraphy can be fun. It is a form of art that requires skill and harmony. It is not just merely writing the letters. It not just random writings and coloring. Calligraphy can create life. Calligraphy is a means of communication. Calligraphy can be a channel of expression. As the writer starts to scribble, he starts to express his emotions and how he feels at the moment. The lettering and the harmony speak of a certain emotion. The art becomes more than an art. The art becomes a language. It speaks of different emotions, happiness, sadness. It comes to life as we see the message and read the language it conveys. Calligraphy is more than just a group of letters.
A written letter is like a bowl filled with certain content. The purer the content, the more delicate strings of the human soul it touches.
L. Pronenko
Letters are just letters if they are written without meaning. They just stay as they are to please our eyes. But with calligraphy, a simple letter holds so much meaning. Perhaps because they are written by the writer with a message to convey. The writer scribbles with emotions that he can hold in his hands as his fingers move to form such letters. The heart, the mind, and the fingers come together to write the letters that express the message and emotions.
Perfection of handwriting needs proper education, regular exercises, and purity of the soul.
Yakut Mustasimi
Calligraphy is both a talent and a skill. It may be driven by passion, but it requires time and practice to hone and perfect the skill. In many cases, calligrapher starts by writing simple artworks. With constant practice, they develop and hone their skills. Calligraphy requires education and constant practice. Calligraphy is considered visual art with beautiful writing, has harmony, ancestry, and rhythm. It is made up of different factors in order to have a visual impact and convey the message that it wants to share.
There are five virtues: accuracy, literacy, a strong hand, industriousness, and the perfect writing utensils.
Mir-Ali Khosravi
As mentioned earlier, Calligraphy is not just a mere scribbling of letters and use them to create visual art. Calligraphy combines talent, skills, and passion. Most of all, the truest element that is contained by a calligraphic art is the emotions and the message that it tries to convey. Calligrapher as art is best appreciated by the audience or the person looking at it because of its beauty, the intricate details of how each letter is made, and the invisible message that it contains. This visual work of art is crafted by the hands and the fingers that express the voice and the emotion of the heart.
These are just some of the many calligraphy quotes that speak about the art and how valuable it is.
You may be interested in calligraphy and would want to try getting into this art, well the good news is that you can learn by attending calligraphy classes. With the help of technology, there are also calligraphy workshops and lessons that you can find online. Here’s one online calligraphy tutorial for beginners that can be helpful to you.
In conclusion, calligraphy is a visual work of art. It is a fine art. It is like painting, drawing or photography. Calligraphy allows us to learn about positive and negative space, proportions, light and depth perception. Calligraphy conveys a message crafted by the calligrapher’s fingers. Calligraphy is about skill, talent, and passion. It is a channel of a message and an expression of emotions. For many calligraphers, a very important ingredient in making a masterpiece is creative fire.
Calligraphy shows an individual stamp that speaks about the calligrapher’s personality and it makes calligraphy different from normal penmanship or a conventional letter. That gives calligraphy its character.
In every calligraphic work of art, it aims to produce a reaction. This visual work of art is aimed to invoke emotion from the viewer. As a channel of communication, it wants to communicate a certain emotion and get a reaction. Calligraphy is special. It is a work of art.
