Wednesday, July 30, 2014

How To Commission A Calligrapher

By Annabelle Holman


Calligraphy is an ancient and beautiful art that adds lasting value to any item. You can commission a calligrapher to create anything from a simple place card to a decorated scroll. Awards, certificates, invitations, menus and many other items can be personalized in this way.

You may feel that spending money on calligraphy is unnecessary as you can do your own work by using a calligraphy set or asking printers to use typeset fonts to produce the same effect. Attempting calligraphy unless you have experience will produce amateurish results and you are likely to waste expensive paper. Typeset fonts offer consistency but they do not offer the same artistic flair and personalization.

Calligraphers have to know many different things such as writing techniques, lettering skills, page design and decoration skills like gilding. They have to understand about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations and many other things. They create artistically subtle effects in a way that mechanical methods cannot capture.

If one does not know how to find a calligrapher, it is worth searching online. A surprising number of people are still pursuing this ancient craft and some of them reach great heights. The trick is to find someone who will be able to produce above and beyond what is required at a reasonable price.

The materials used for calligraphy can also affect the final result. Calligraphers learn how to harmonize the use of page, ink and nib to produce the best results. There are many different types of pens, inks and papers that can be used.

Once you have decided on a particular individual, communication needs to take place. The scope of a commission is one of these factors. Sometimes you will want just a simple invitation but you may also need the person to handle all the material for an event like a wedding or a birthday party such as envelopes, invitations, place cards and even thank you cards. You will also need to decide on other factors such as whether the style is formal, informal, traditional or modern, color preferences and deadlines.

Once all the details have been agreed upon, an estimate is given, usually without any obligation. If it is accepted, a contract is signed by both parties. Some calligraphers charge per word and others charge by the hour when determining the cost of a project. They usually require a deposit up front which may be up to 50 percent of the total amount and the balance is paid on completion.

When choosing to use calligraphers offering their services online, email is often used as a means of communication. Once designs have been worked out, a full size working layout showing the color scheme may be emailed to you for approval. The finished work will only begin once this layout has been approved. A scan of the finished work may also be emailed for approval and only then is the finished work delivered. You are likely to be very impressed with the finished product if you have chosen someone with expertize and artistic skill.




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