Time Lapse Calligraphy Flourishing: The First Amendment

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Feb 12

I recently received a message asking me how much sketching and planning I really do for my own calligraphy designs—not when I’m teaching, but when I’m writing by myself. In this video, you can watch an uncut time lapse of a start-to-finish, flourished layout design. So you know, this detailed pencil sketching process is the same one I use for ink on paper layouts, it’s just that on the iPad I can tap undo rather than having to pick up my eraser!

Some of you may be surprised to see how many versions I sketch in pencil first, how much I undo and redo letters, and how meticulously I refine my inked strokes. I hope this helps anyone out there who is feeling discouraged looking at the work of professional calligraphers, thinking that because so many of us may make it look easy, it must be easy.

Watch the time lapse video of my calligraphy layout:

Here’s the finished product (click to enlarge):

And here are some snapshots of the process:

Resources

If you found this lesson helpful, consider sharing it with others. That’s the best, free way to support artists you appreciate.

(You could also buy me a coffee.)

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Molly Suber Thorpe

A calligrapher, teacher, and author, Molly’s work spans both modern lettering and historical script. She writes about calligraphy and handwriting as creative disciplines—shaped by tools, technique, habit, and attention—and considers what it means to write by hand in a digital age. In addition to designing custom lettering for clients, she creates books, free resources, and online classes for people who want to develop their calligraphy and handwriting, whether as a creative outlet, a professional skill, or both.

Time Lapse Calligraphy Flourishing: The First Amendment

Watch the time lapse video of my calligraphy layout:

Here’s the finished product (click to enlarge):

And here are some snapshots of the process:

Resources

Brushes used:

iPad tools used:

More calligraphy layout design tutorials:

If you found this lesson helpful, consider sharing it with others. That’s the best, free way to support artists you appreciate.

(You could also buy me a coffee.)

Learn

Shop

&c.

Time Lapse Calligraphy Flourishing: The First Amendment

Watch the time lapse video of my calligraphy layout:

Here’s the finished product (click to enlarge):

And here are some snapshots of the process:

Resources

Brushes used:

iPad tools used:

More calligraphy layout design tutorials:

If you found this lesson helpful, consider sharing it with others. That’s the best, free way to support artists you appreciate.

(You could also buy me a coffee.)

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&c.