Southpaw Calligraphy: Tips from Top Lefty Calligraphers
August 13 is International Left Handers Day! In case you weren’t aware, lefties are bad-asses. In world leaders, you’ve got Barack Obama, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Oprah (yes, she is a world leader – don’t @ me). In music, you’ve got Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and David Bowie. In art, the big dogs of art history are almost all lefties, like Michelangelo, Rubens and Leonardo. True story, as a kid I wanted to be left-handed in the WORST way. I read that lefties tend to be more creative than us boring old righties, and desperately wanted to change my handedness. Alas, it could not be done, despite my best efforts.
Many people are quick to say, oh, but Kim, if you were a lefty, you couldn’t do calligraphy. Wrong-o, buddy. Not only can lefties DO calligraphy, but some of the best calligraphers out there are southpaws. And I am SUPER excited to introduce you to three of them today!
Meet the oh-so-fabulous Dana DiLenardi, who specializes in pointed pen calligraphy (@theblondescribe); Lauren Fitzmaurice, who specializes in brush calligraphy (@renmadecalligraphy); and Traci Thompson, who specializes in pointed pen and calligraphy engraving (@tmtcalligraphy). These three crazy talented women have dazzled the ‘gram with their beautiful script, and they are all left-handed. I receive oodles of questions about calligraphy from lefties that I do my best to answer… but there’s nothing quite like hearing from someone who has experienced it first-hand (pun very much intended). I shared these questions with Lauren, Dana and Traci, who were all kind enough to share their expert advice! How they were able to do that with me fangirling all over them is another story entirely. Without any further ado, here are expert tips for lefty calligraphers from 3 of the best in the biz!
Hoopla! Letters (HL): Many lefties who attend my classes say they thought they could never learn to do calligraphy because of their handedness. Did you ever feel that way? If so, how did you push past that belief?
Dana DiLenardi, The Blonde Scribe (TBS): Calligraphy was taught as an art elective at my high school and I signed up… but once in my first class, the teacher told me that since I was left-handed she couldn't teach me and I should probably take a different art class. I decided to stick it out and just learned to adapt my hand to make it work, whether she liked it or not!
I think we lefties in general already work around a lot of right handed things in our daily life, and learning calligraphy wasn't very different from learning how to hold a pair of scissors without it hurting your thumb and fingers or not pressing your hand too hard on the spiral of a notebook during school. We have always had to think outside the box, so calligraphy was just another area to adapt with what would work as a lefty.
Lauren Fitzmaurice, Renmade Calligraphy (RMC): Yes, [I felt that way]. When I started over 5 years ago, calligraphy was very difficult for me and learning, even with a great teacher, was not easy because of being left-handed. I just powered through and practiced a ton. With practice, I improved and was able to turn my being left-handed into a strength.
Traci Thomspon, TMT Calligraphy (TMT): I have certainly felt as though being left-handed has had its challenges, but I have never let that deter me from trying. As cliché as it may sound, “where there’s a will, there’s a way!” is the best motto for lefties. I have taken many classes where the instructor has no idea what to do for a lefty. Instagram was my saving grace. Connecting with other lefties and learning from each other was a tremendous help. Some of the best [hashtags to follow] to find fellow lefties [on Instagram] include #lefthandedcalligraphy #leftycalligraphy and #leftylettering.
HL: Let's talk smearing. How do you avoid smearing wet ink as you move across the page?
TBS: Smearing and smudging are inevitable, and honestly it happens for both right- and left-handed calligraphers. I have [developed] a few tricks over my years of practice that help me avoid wet ink (for the most part). [My first trick] is to angle my pages between 45 and 90 degrees, leaving my hand in a comfortable position for most of my strokes. I also have taught myself to keep my wrist straight and have my hand under the baseline. This frees up most strokes/wet ink from coming into contact with my hand as I write. The only ones that I have to work around are the descending loops, which I normally just use my pinky finger to anchor around instead of resting my whole hand on the paper, thus avoiding contact with the wet ink.
RMC: The biggest difficulty in being left-handed is the dreaded ink smear. I recommend tilting the paper slightly to the right to create an angle where your hand doesn’t go over everything that you are writing. Also, letter in a place where you have a lot of space, like a big table or desk. Let your elbow rest on the table as an anchor, this makes it easier to float your left hand as you write. There are many other tips out there for lefties, but I feel like tilting the paper, anchoring your arm with ample space, and lots of practice are the key to learning the skill of calligraphy. Lefties can – it just takes a little practice and perseverance!
TMT: When I am using pen and ink, I turn my page to a 90° angle and write towards myself... sideways.This avoids almost all possibilities of smearing. When I’m using a felt brush tip, I am a side writer; it’s in the middle of being an overwriter/hook writer and an underwriter. I write a tiny bit slower to allow the marker ink to dry. One of the nicest things about a felt brush marker is how fast it dries!
HL: Are there any pens you recommend specifically for lefties? If so, what makes them a good choice?
TBS: I personally think pens are all about "feel” -- each calligrapher is different in what works for them. I prefer straight pens to oblique pens just because I find them a more comfortable fit. Whenever I have a new calligrapher reach out to me, I normally recommend the Moblique Pen, which is super affordable and can be used as either a straight or oblique pen. You can really use it to figure out what works best for you and your style. It is also lightweight, which is something I really look for in a pen.
I have only come across one type of left-handed oblique pen that I have in my arsenal of tools. It’s from Laura Hooper and absolutely worth trying out if you want something specific for being left-handed.
RMC: I always recommend lefties to start with the Tombow Fudenosuke Hard Tip Brush Pen. The ink dries very quickly and the pen is much easier to control as a beginner.
TMT: For pen and ink work, I use a right-handed Oblique pen. Many lefties do, but probably just as many use a straight holder. For a lefty, it’s really about finding a pen that works well for you depending on what kind of writer you are: underwriter, overwriter or sidewriter. For brush pens, my personal favorite is the Pentel Sign Pens with Brush Tip. They are ideal for small work or practice.
HL: Any specific tips for overwriting lefties?
TBS: There is a book that I read at the beginning of my dive into calligraphy by Vance Studley called Left-Handed Calligraphy. In it, he points out that the fundamental difference between left-handed writers and right-handed writers is that left-handers make the majority of their strokes in a predominantly pushing movement towards the body and right-handers make their strokes primarily away from the body. The best way to achieve calligraphy for a left-hander is to acquire the new habit of writing with your hand below the baseline (underwrite). If this is simply not obtainable for you, or if you just cannot train yourself to move beyond the overwrite, then my best suggestion is to learn to write calligraphy at an extreme angle (or 90-degree angle) or try out an oblique holder. By using an oblique, you can experiment with different nib angles that might work best for you to move around the wet ink from the top of the page rather than the bottom. Spend some time practicing letterforms and the strokes that make them up coming from the top of the page rather than the bottom. You are going to have to figure out what position of the nib and pen allows you to form the letters correctly. But, with practice comes progress and if you invest in the time, you can work around this to become an amazing calligrapher!
RMC: I am an underwriter, but have taught many over writers. The key is to do what is comfortable for you. Don’t change your grip or how you write, just make it work for you. The only way to do this is practice. I know I keep saying that, but it’s absolutely key!
TMT: If you want to use a dip pen, the most natural way to do it is to turn your paper to a 90° angle and learn to write sideways. I print out exemplars and turn them sideways to learn from. It makes it much easier visually.
HL: Any additional tips you would give lefties who are learning calligraphy?
TBS: Start with brush pens. This takes away the wet ink element while allowing you to create the muscle memory of each stroke. Once you feel comfortable with brush pens, make the switch to dip pen calligraphy and allow yourself time to adjust to the new feel. Nibs are different than felt tips of a brush pen, but by understanding that the strokes are the same, you will have an easier transition with already having the push and pull skills under your belt.
Take your time, practice every day and be okay with making mistakes. Learning calligraphy doesn't happen overnight! It takes a lot of practice, especially for left-handers, to figure out what works best for them. Don't be afraid to turn your paper to different angles or try out a bunch of different nibs until you find one that allows you to achieve the best thick and thin strokes that you are after.
Talk to or reach out to calligraphers that have been practicing for a while. I know I am more than happy to talk to anyone who is looking for advice on how to begin. Take a class even if there is a "disclaimer" that says calligraphy is hard for lefties to do. Enjoy your journey and try not to compare yourself to others. I know that is extremely hard to do, but everyone learns at a different pace and every calligrapher often develops their own signature style over time.
RMC: Learning calligraphy as a lefty can be challenging, but it’s definitely possible. Comparison is the thief of joy, so cling to the strengths of your work and constantly look to improve and grow. If a style is difficult, change it. If a letter isn’t working for you, try it a different way. Use your creativity to make your lefty-ness a strength rather than a crutch. Cling to who you are as an artist and your unique style will shine through.
TMT: Do it! It’s a challenge, but us lefties have been facing challenges our whole lives! The is just another one that we can fairly easily overcome. There are adjustments we have to make, but left-handed calligraphy is totally doable! Grab a pen and just write!
A HUGE thank you to Dana, Lauren and Traci for sharing their expertise! Be sure to head over to Instagram to check out their beautiful work. In the meantime, happy scripting!