It is sometimes so exciting when starting a new hobby. I’ve recently started with hand-lettering and calligraphy (please note that these two are not the same…more about that later) and I cannot tell you how I love it. I love the way the words just flow out of the pen, and I even love it more when I know I can do this. After all, practice makes perfect….my mother use to say.  I love the feeling I get in my brain, it’s almost as if the serotonin just flows freely and accumulate with each and every letter I make. The reason for all of this is that you actually use a different part of the magical grey matter, called your brain (something else that really fascinates me). According to The Wall Street Journal forming letters is a key component to learning, memory and ideas.

After starting with my very satisfying hobby, the researcher in me also got curious, and I started reading up on calligraphy and hand-lettering and where it actually comes from.

According to our online encyclopedia Wikipedia it is the “art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious, and skillful manner.” – Wikipedia

Or, as per the Chinese, the art of writing. In traditional China this visual art form was prized above all others.

So, after all the facts I read I realized I’m even more drawn to it, and cannot wait to start with my next worksheet to even train my brain further.

If you ask me “How do you start”, I will answer the following:

• Pick up a pen, any pen
• Print out a worksheet (there’s thousands available online, but the best you will find at The Postman’s Knock)
• Start writing

It is not an expensive hobby and anybody can do it at any age. I started with a normal ball point pen. Once I have it completely mastered I will move on to all the different nibs and ink.

Through writing I’ve discovered a whole new part of me….and I’m loving it.

Please note that all art work displayed in this post are not yet mine, as I’m still a student learning the art. So, a big, fat thank you to all the artist, and Pinterest, for providing the inspiration.