Hello Kuligraphy lovers! If you want, you can jump straight to the Beginner’s Guide Blackletter tutorial by clicking the link or the Picture on the top of this page.
If you want to learn more about the different varieties, uses and the history of Blackletter scripts,you should read this post.
What is Blackletter Kuligraphy?
This website is all about the “Kuli” (ballpoint pen), therefore I’ll show you how to learn Blackletter Kuligraphy with a ballpoint pen.
The Blackletter script, also known as “Gothic”, was created during the 12th-century. At this time more and more people learned how to read and write.
The demand on books and written text was increasing so the Blackletter script was invented.
The script characteristics make it possible to fit more letters and words on single page and use less vellum(paper).
There are many variations of Gothic scripts and it is often the favourite script for beginner calligraphers.
The main characteristics of those scripts are straight strokes, the 45°-60°degree angle of the pen and space saving.
Tools for Blackletter Kuligraphy
You don’t need a lot of tools to start with gothic Kuligraphy.
Just grab two ballpoint pens and start practicing.
If you don’t have any pens lying around, I would recommend you to get the following from amazon. I used those pens in the Blackletter Beginner’s Guide.
Ballpoint pen
The best option is a standard Ballpoint pen like the one in the picture below.
The line thickness stays the same independently in which direction you move the pen on the paper or how much pressure you generate.
Pencils
You could also use a standard pencil like the one in the picture below.
The problem with pencils is, that the line thicknesses vary when the pencils become dull.
The line Thickness also depends on the pen pressure which you generate when you use the pen and have to write in different directions.
There are a lot of other tools out there like pointed pens with flat nibs, Pilot parallel pens and different markers with flat nibs. But you don’t need all this tools, especially if you are a beginner.
How to Learn Blackletter Kuligraphy?
Blackletter can be easy if you pay attention to few basics:
- Spacing and line thickness
- straight, vertical strokes
- awareness of negative space
The Gothic scripts are usually written with a flat nib on a pointed pen. But there are other tools and techniques as well.
Standard pencils and ballpoint pens are particularly suitable for beginner’s and for everyone who wants to learn the Blackletter scripts easy.
Why? Because everyone owns at least a couple of pencils. There are cheap, you don’t need ink and you don’t have to pay attention how you and in which direction you move the pens, like you have to with a pointed pen for example.
Let’s learn Gothic Kuligraphy: Beginner’s Guide to Blackletter Kuligraphy
Didi “Loves Blackletter Kuligraphy” Peters
