Calligraphy

My 7th and 8th grade students studied what calligraphy is - basically the art of writing. They also looked at how calligraphy from different cultures look and were used in that society. We mainly looked at examples from China, Japan, Islamic art, and European countries (like the Book of Kells).

Students first practiced how to use the calligraphy tools on lined paper. They thought it was funny how the old-fashioned pens look different. The ink wasn't in the pen, and they had to keep dipping the pen into their Sumi ink. After they felt comfortable using the ink, students wrote out their names on large paper and wrote a quote using the "calligraphy" style of writing.