Calligraphy Myths That Aren’t True

09/27/21 • 22 min

“I actually think of calligraphy not as handwriting, but more as drawing.”

- Shinah

It’s time to bust some calligraphy myths!

I know there are a lot of people out there, right now, who LOVE to follow calligraphers on Instagram and dream about having the skill to create beautiful invitations, greeting cards, or shop signs — but are afraid to pick up a pen themselves because they’ve heard and believed a misleading myth about calligraphy.

I know this, because they reach out to me via email, DMs, and in person to explain that they’re curious to try it, but feel like they’ll be a failure because of [INSERT MYTH HERE].

I’m going to tell you right now: don’t believe what you’ve heard!

These myths have no bearing on how quickly or successfully you’ll pick up the skill.

For example, you definitely do not need to have great handwriting in order to write beautiful calligraphy — they’re two completely different skills! Full disclosure: my handwriting is not great. So please don’t let this myth hold you back from picking up a pointed pen and following your dream.

In this episode, I bust five of the biggest myths that keep people from trying calligraphy. So if you’re curious but have been hesitating... then this episode is for you!

Tune into this episode of The Shinah Show to find out:

Why you shouldn’t be intimidated by calligraphy’s long history and stodgy background
You do NOT have to be right-handed to become a skilled calligrapher!
Why calligraphy is not cursive writing — and how it’s actually closer to illustration!

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:32 Intro

01:39 Good handwriting not required!

04:58 Calligraphy isn’t old-fashioned

07:16 It takes less time than you think!

10:21 Modern Calligraphy 101

11:00 Southpaws welcome!

14:54 Calligraphy is in demand

18:23 Your brain will hold you back

20:17 Believe in yourself

‌

Links:‌ ‌

Modern Calligraphy 101: https://moderncalligraphy101.com

Learn calligraphy with me: www.freecalligraphyworkshop.com

Follow me!

Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

Facebook: facebook.com/crookedcalligraphy

Show notes can be found at theshinahshow.com

Watch these episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVJJZS9jYDmzePAnaGDiFuw

Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, and ring the bell for notifications so you never miss an episode!

FREE WORKSHOP:

“How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop

FOLLOW SHINAH:

Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

SUBSCRIBE:

Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

“I actually think of calligraphy not as handwriting, but more as drawing.”

- Shinah

It’s time to bust some calligraphy myths!

I know this, because they reach out to me via email, DMs, and in person to explain that they’re curious to try it, but feel like they’ll be a failure because of [INSERT MYTH HERE].

I’m going to tell you right now: don’t believe what you’ve heard!

These myths have no bearing on how quickly or successfully you’ll pick up the skill.

In this episode, I bust five of the biggest myths that keep people from trying calligraphy. So if you’re curious but have been hesitating... then this episode is for you!

Tune into this episode of The Shinah Show to find out:

Why you shouldn’t be intimidated by calligraphy’s long history and stodgy background
You do NOT have to be right-handed to become a skilled calligrapher!
Why calligraphy is not cursive writing — and how it’s actually closer to illustration!

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:32 Intro

01:39 Good handwriting not required!

04:58 Calligraphy isn’t old-fashioned

07:16 It takes less time than you think!

10:21 Modern Calligraphy 101

11:00 Southpaws welcome!

14:54 Calligraphy is in demand

18:23 Your brain will hold you back

20:17 Believe in yourself

‌

Links:‌ ‌

Modern Calligraphy 101: https://moderncalligraphy101.com

Learn calligraphy with me: www.freecalligraphyworkshop.com

Follow me!

Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

Facebook: facebook.com/crookedcalligraphy

Show notes can be found at theshinahshow.com

Watch these episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVJJZS9jYDmzePAnaGDiFuw

Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, and ring the bell for notifications so you never miss an episode!

FREE WORKSHOP:

“How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop

FOLLOW SHINAH:

Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

SUBSCRIBE:

Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Previous Episode

I Took a 6-Week Break (here’s what I learned)

“I want to learn how to be happier with exactly what I have.”

- Shinah

I have a bit of an update for you this week. I was hit by a pick-up truck while cycling on vacation recently — yes, I was wearing a helmet. Yes, physically, I’m okay.

This episode isn’t about my physical injuries.

It’s about the emotional impact of major events. (And yes, there are valuable lessons in this episode!)

The years of 2020 and 2021 have been anything but uneventful. And almost 2 years worth of crisis after crisis, ongoing stress, and massive uncertainty... that leaves an emotional mark.

The impact of these years, the passing of my 40th birthday, topped off with the emotional aftermath of my accident... I’m not ashamed to say that it led me to a total emotional meltdown.

I had zero motivation to do anything. Especially not for my business.

I needed to hit pause and process everything.

I stopped showing up on Instagram. I stopped working on building my business. I let my team take the reins and I just let myself take a break. And I’m here to tell you — when you’ve spent your whole life focused on productivity, taking that time off is HARD.

But it’s also SO necessary, sometimes.

Tune into this episode of The Shinah Show to find out:

The 3 most important lessons I learned from allowing myself to just rest
Why you should wait until after you’ve recovered from burnout before making big decisions
Why it’s important to step back occasionally as a leader — and what you (and your team) will gain

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:33 Intro & update

03:10 Impacts of 2020 & 2021

04:19 The meltdown & pause

05:40 The business break

07:55 Learn how to be happier

10:07 Don’t burn it all down!

11:36 Treat yourself better

12:37 Stepping back as a leader

14:10 No one right way

16:24 Recap

‌

Links:‌ ‌

Learn calligraphy with me: www.freecalligraphyworkshop.com

Follow me!

Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

Facebook: facebook.com/crookedcalligraphy

Show notes can be found at theshinahshow.com

Watch these episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVJJZS9jYDmzePAnaGDiFuw

Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, and ring the bell for notifications so you never miss an episode!

FREE WORKSHOP:

“How to Become a Calligraphy Pro” Educational Workshop

FOLLOW SHINAH:

Join our community of creativity-seeking souls over on Instagram: @crookedcalligraphy

SUBSCRIBE:

Love podcasts? Listen to The Shinah Show wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Next Episode

Fighting MS with Calligraphy with Melissa of Chronic Letters

“When you are forced to kind of pause everything in your life... it gave me a lot of time to just reflect on what I was doing with my life and where my priorities were.”

- Mélissa Lehoux

My guest for this episode, Mélissa Lehoux, has one of the most incredible calligraphy stories I’ve ever heard — and her story is proof that calligraphy is for absolutely everyone.

In the summer of 2018, Mélissa was diagnosed with aggressive Multiple Sclerosis, a disease that causes her immune system to attack her central nervous system, leading to nerve damage, numbness, tremors, and loss of motor control.

She picked up her first calligraphy pen in March of 2020... and launched her calligraphy business just 3 months later.

And let me tell you — she is making it WORK. And giving back while she does it.

Through her business, Chronic Letters, Mélissa offers clients her own style of beautiful calligraphy... and every purchase supports the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.

In this interview, Mélissa shares some inspiring insights into the power of calligraphy to spark creativity, how she created business-savvy connections with other creatives in her city, and how discovering her love for calligraphy has helped her with her diagnosis.

Tune into this episode of The Shinah Show to find out:

How to put yourself out there and carve out a space for your own unique calligraphy style
Mélissa’s business tips for new creative entrepreneurs who are ready to take the plunge
How calligraphy can actually be medically beneficial when it comes to certain conditions (yes, really!)

About Mélissa Lehoux: Mélissa is an artist, calligrapher, and mom from Ottawa, Canada, trying to maneuver life’s multiple facets... with a chronic illness tagging along. She was diagnosed with aggressive Multiple Sclerosis in 2018 and her journey to acceptance led her to her passion for calligraphy.

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:33 Intro

02:18 Meet Mélissa from Chronic Letters!

03:32 Her MS diagnosis

05:18 Embracing the shake

06:53 Medical benefits

08:52 The invisible, uncertain disease

10:14 Learning to go for it

12:47 Chronic Letters

15:27 Creative entrepreneur advice

17:46 Putting yourself out there (& distinguishing yourself)

20:00 Is the market too saturated?