Blackletter is the tall, spiky script you see on old Bibles, diplomas and newspaper mastheads. It looks hard. It is mostly straight lines. Tamer Ghoneim of Tamer Ghoneim Art breaks the whole style down to a few tools, a set of guide lines and four strokes, then writes an a and a b to show how the strokes fit together. Gothic calligraphy is the same thing under another name.
What you need for blackletter calligraphy
- A broad-edge pen. The Pilot Parallel in 2.4 mm or 3 mm is the easy start.
- Smooth paper that does not bleed, like a marker paper pad
- A pencil and a ruler, or a parallel line ruler
- Printed guide sheets and a lightbox (optional, but they save a lot of ruling)
No pen yet? Tape two sharp pencils together side by side. The two points act like the two corners of a broad nib, and you get the thick and thin shapes for free.
Why the guide lines matter so much
Blackletter is a rhythm script. Every stem is the same height and the same distance apart, so a crooked line shows at once. Guide lines keep the height steady. The beginner ratio in the video is 5 nib widths for the body of the letter and 2 above and 2 below. The printed sheets use 3-5-3 for a little more room. Both work. Pick one and stick to it on a page.
Holding the pen at the right angle
The guide sheet in the video is marked 35 degrees. That is the angle of the nib edge to the baseline, and it stays the same for almost every stroke. Hold it steady and the pen makes the thick and thin parts for you. If your verticals come out thin, the nib has turned. Rotate it back.
Blackletter mistakes beginners make
- Letters lean. Turn the paper, not your wrist, so the stems pull straight toward you.
- Gaps between stems wander. Aim for white space inside a letter equal to the space between letters. Blackletter should look like a picket fence.
- Ink feathers into the paper. Printer paper is too soft. Switch to marker paper or a smooth layout pad.
- Corners look blobby. Lift the pen between strokes. Do not drag one stroke into the next.
How to practice without getting bored
Fifteen to thirty minutes a few times a week beats one long session, says Tamer. Write a row of one letter, then try to change it: taller, wider, a flat top, a slanted foot. The video spends a full minute on variations of the letter a, all made from the same four strokes. Once a and b feel easy, the rest of the lowercase alphabet uses the same parts.
Where to use it
Blackletter suits names on certificates, place cards, a family name sign, Halloween party signs and the front of a handmade card. If the pen is new to you, start with how to use a calligraphy pen. For a rounder broad-nib hand, try italic calligraphy. No broad pen at all? Faux calligraphy fakes the thick strokes with any pen, and envelope calligraphy puts your new letters on the mail.
