Learn American Calligraphy

Book excerpt: Take a visual trip around the United States, with stop-offs in many locations and insights on every page, and illuminate the past and future of American calligraphy. For centuries, American calligraphers have accepted the legacy of the classic Roman, Gothic, and Italic calligraphy they inherited from Europe without realizing that there are more alphabet treasures to be found in a larger pool of uniquely American alphabet designs. Wild West, New Deal, Prairie—all were made in America, and they express ideas that reveal national character. These styles come from here and nowhere else. Much like American music, language, fashion, and philosophy, calligraphy has matured, moved on from its origins, and become, in the words of the man who created Spencerian handwriting, “even more American.” Learn American Calligraphy is the latest book from Margaret Shepherd, author of one of the all-time bestselling books on calligraphy, Learn Calligraphy. This new book focuses on American calligraphy, which has its own identity, distinct from the alphabets inherited from Europe. As a lifelong calligrapher, Shepherd surveys the landscape of unique styles and describes how two dozen alphabets originated and what shaped them. Simple diagrams and exercises help you try out the styles for yourself. Some letters represent a region or a major era of art; some bear witness to social upheaval or culture change; many are accessible to beginners; and a few contradict the established view of American history.