100 Days of Calligraphy: Day 5

Day 5 of my 100 Days of Calligraphy Challenge had me laboring over the o-form.  Now, it's my first so-called complete figure that had me writing the entire form in one stroke.  The challenge was to perfectly time when I had to exert pressure on my nib and when to release while making certain that my o's were a series of equal widths.

Not so bad, if I may say so myself.

100 Days of Calligraphy: Day 4

On Day 4 of my #100DaysofCalligraphy, I worked on the second variation of the pressure-and-release stroke.  It is actually a combination of the two previous strokes but it still can be tricky because of all the curving around needed and knowing when to put pressure and when to release.  Not to mention that the spaces between the three parallel lines need to be of the same amount.

I decided to practice the previous strokes prior to doing the new one as seen in the photos.  Doing so made the new stroke easier to do.

If you're new to this series, I'm challenging myself to master calligraphy.  Being a leftie has made this fine art seem difficult, frustrating, and overwhelming (although numerous sources in the internet say otherwise with some even declaring that lefties have all the advantage!) so I have decided to devote 100 days (probably even more) to practice, practice, practice until I attain proficiency.

If you'd like to take part in the challenge (open to non-lefties as well), here are links to previous drills:

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

On IG, use the hashtag #100daysofcalligraphy so I can see who's with me on this creative journey!

100 Days of Calligraphy: Day 3

Day 3 of what I intend to be more diligent and intentional about this new year! :)  It's the first variation of the pressure-and-release stroke.  I began practicing the smaller version of the stroke.  After that, I worked on the upside-down variation which I found to be easier to do.

I think I'm getting better with the control I have over my calligraphy pen (read: no more splattered ink due to intense nib pressure) as seen on the thin and practically uniform downstrokes.  I still have a long way to go, though.  This year, I swear I will be more disciplined and committed to getting better at this. :)

100 Days of Calligraphy: Day 2

Day 2 had me doing the pressure-and-release stroke.  Quite difficult because I had to reduce the pressure on the nib just as I was about to reach the base line.  The upstroke should also be parallel to the downstroke but as you can see in some of the strokes, some upstrokes were either too wide or narrow.