Calligraphy is beautiful handwriting, and it is used in countless ways. There are many calligraphy styles and here are the most common ones used.

Cursive Calligraphy

Here is an example of cursive calligraphy, which is fancy handwriting. It is commonly used for invitations, for example weddings or events.

Gothic, Old English or Black letter Calligraphy

This very ornate style is characterised by long, tall strokes of the calligraphy pen and broad, black widths. They can be found in medieval scripts and today is commonly used with tattoo styles.

Uncial Calligraphy

This simple, but effective rounded style has broad letters and is easy to read. It is commonly used for writing posters and flyers.

Round Hand or Foundation Hand Calligraphy

The Roundhead or Foundation Hand is great for brushing up on your handwriting. This style is usually used for calligraphy beginners.

Italic Calligraphy Style

Italic style is characterised by long and thin letters. Occasionally, the letters lean to the left, as shown below.

Choosing Calligraphy Styles

When choosing a style, try to think which style fits the occasion. Small calligraphy letters, or thin letters would not be legible for a poster. Equally, large, chunky styles would not be the best style for an elegant invitation, needing fine and ornate styles.

Which Style is Used When Writing Calligraphy

A calligraphy beginner may be unsure which calligraphy style to choose for a project. However, here is a simple guidance to help when choosing a style for an occasion. There is no hard and fast rule, but it should give a rough idea.

Wedding invitations, common styles used would be fancy Cursive Calligraphy or Copperplate styles

Posters and flyers, common styles would be Uncial Letters or Foundation Hand styles

Tattoos, airbrushing techniques or fantasy artwork, Gothic, Old English or Black Letter would commonly be used

Handwritten texts, Foundation Hand or Round Hand would be suitable for this style.

Labels and table names, Copperplate is the usual style used.

Remember to do some research before choosing your style, look at which style fits the occasion.

You can download loads of calligraphy fonts and templates to help you choose the best style, and to practice writing the design of your choice.

Once you have chosen your desired style, grab a calligraphy pen and practice this style until you are happy with your result. You will be able to use this design in the future for other projects.