Tigon Crafts - Books On Calligraphy

My Books About Calligraphy

lthough not particularly known as an author, I have had the good fortune to be asked by publishers on several occasions to provide descriptions and illustrations for calligraphy books demonstrating the history, variety and techniques of handwriting styles. Consequently I have written or contributed to a number of books in recent years.

The Simple Art of Celtic Calligraphy
by Fiona Graham-Flynn
(publ. September 2008, CICO Books, London). 128 pages (colour throughout).
ISBN 978-1-906094-68-3 (hardback, spiral-bound).
RRP: £16.99

This self-teaching calligraphy book contains 20 varied projects worked in different mediums such as wood, slate, stone, fabric and paper. Each project is shown in a step-by-step process with colour illustrations and text, and all are within the capabilities of a beginner or intermediate student.

The book also explains essential techniques in depth and demonstrates four Celtic scripts - Uncials, Irish Half Uncials and two other drawn letter forms, one known as Square Capitals taken from Ireland's famous Book of Kells and the other a Cursive Capital script from Northumberland's Lindisfarne Gospel. Photographs show how to start by ruling up a stave, how to use double pencils and how to form each individual letter perfectly. Common errors are also illustrated so the student can learn to correct any early mistakes (something especially useful when starting calligraphy).

Book inner page:
"Half-Uncial" script
lettering guide
Book inner page:
"Ex-Libris"
project detail
Book inner page:
"Chinese Proverb"
project detail

Celtic design templates given in an additional 10 page section at the end of the book make it easy to apply alternative designs to each project as well. With its 128 pages in full colour throughout, this very informative publication will surely bring pleasure to all students of Celtic calligraphy.

The Complete Guide To Calligraphy: Master Scripts of the West and East
Professor Ralph Cleminson, General Editor
(publ. December 2006, CICO Books, London). 224 pages (colour throughout).
ISBN 1 904991-42-4 (hardback, spiral-bound).

This is a superb project-based guide book, illustrated in full colour and demonstrating many styles of calligraphy, from the East and the West. I wrote and illustrated (by progress examples) the entire section about Latin scripts and techniques (almost half of the book), detailing the Celtic Uncial and Irish Half Uncial, Carolingian, Black Letter Gothic, Cursive, Italic and 19th century Copperplate handwriting. The rest of the book describes Russian Cyrillic, Hebrew, Arabic, Ancient Greek, Japanese and Chinese scripts, written and illustrated by other professional calligraphers. The whole is a very informative book that explains, in each of 45 interesting projects, the important step-by-step instructions on how to set drawing lines and execute the correct formation of the letters for each script. An attractive guide book, equally useful for beginners, students and professional handwriters interested in perfecting the art of calligraphy and illumination.

Book inner page
Book inner pages
Book inner page

Get Started With Celtic Calligraphy
Calligraphy by Fiona Graham-Flynn
(published April 2006, Gill and MacMillan Ltd., Dublin).
ISBN-13: 978 07171 4045 9
ISBN-10: 978 07171 4045 8

This little book was specially written for children, and published for sale in Ireland. It explains in coloured and illustrated text about the scribes of the 8th and 9th centuries (the monks, the scriptorium, pigments etc.), and shows the alphabets of both the Celtic Uncial and Irish Half Uncial scripts. It also has simple projects for children to try, such as how to draw a Celtic eagle and Celtic knots, and comes with a free pen stored in the spine of the book. A delightful publication to inspire children to try the art of calligraphy.

Book inner pages
Book inner pages
Book inner pages

Celtic Ornament - The Art Of The Scribe
by Courtney Davis
(published 1996, Blandford Press, Dorset).
ISBN 0-7137-2610-5 (hardback)
ISBN 0-7137-25478 (paperback)

Co-written with the Celtic artist and author Courtney Davis. Officially acknowledged for the additional text, I actually wrote about half of the book's chapters and penned several full pages of calligraphy, from the Celtic 8th and 9th century scripts through to Cursive Gothic (a script style of the 15th century). Containing 34 chapters fully illustrated throughout by Courtney Davis's unique Celtic art drawings, the book also includes several traditional Celtic poems and an Irish Blessing.

Book frontispiece
Book inner page
Book inner page

ach of the above books may be purchased from certain bookshops or ordered online via internet websites such as Amazon.co.uk, but if you have difficulty in obtaining any copies contact me and I may be able to assist directly.

Fiona Graham-Flynn (Scribe)