World Calligraphy Day is celebrated annually on the second Wednesday of August. This year the day will be celebrated on August 14. This holiday is designed to remind everyone of the importance of handwriting, unjustly forgotten today due to a large amount of digital and printed information. The day was founded by the “Manuscript Pen Company.” On this day they wanted to remind us all that handwriting is a skill, an additional opportunity for us to proclaim to the world the uniqueness of each person’s experience, and that every one of us is special and distinct.
History of World Calligraphy Day
In East Asia, the first mention of calligraphy appears in China around 2000 B.C. Here it develops as an important kind of painting — not just for the sake of beautiful writing. With the invention of paper in China, there was rapid development in writing and calligraphy.
The art of beautiful writing is becoming a particular science to which the goals of work and research are devoted. At the same time, the main styles of Chinese writing are being formed. In Europe, the formation of calligraphy was based on ‘Greco-Roman’ writing. The ‘Etruscan Alphabet’ was the first, but Etruscan writing was incomprehensible even to the Romans. Initially, only capital letters were used in this alphabet. Later, the Latin alphabet began to develop in modern Italy.
The art of calligraphy combines ancient traditions that have developed over thousands of years in different cultures. Today there are many varieties of this written art — Western European, Asian, Chinese, Japanese, Islamic, etc. The formation of each of them has a huge impact on the development of calligraphy in general. World Calligraphy Day is a great opportunity to remember this history and make calligraphy your passion!
World Calligraphy Day timeline
The first brush originates from Egypt.
Egyptians burn the roots of the papyrus plant and mixed them with gum derived from acacia or cherry to make ink.
Irish and Scottish monks work on creating illuminated copies of the Gospel — which today are considered works of art of the Middle Ages.
The appearance texts, written in beautiful calligraphy handwriting on special tablets made of bronze — often animal bones are used for writing.
World Calligraphy Day FAQs
Who is the best calligrapher in the world?
The best calligrapher is Maureen Peter, from the U.S.
Who is the father of calligraphy?
Edward Johnston is considered the father of modern calligraphy.
Which is the oldest calligraphy?
The earliest script to emerge from the Dead Sea writing was the Early Sefardic (Sephardic), with examples dating between 600 and 1200 A.D. The Classic Sefardic hand appears between 1100 and 1600 A.D.
World Calligraphy Day Activities
Participate in a quiz or competition
This is a great opportunity to test your knowledge and demonstrate your calligraphy skills. Bring friends to have fun together!
Buy calligraphy supplies
The art of calligraphy requires special tools. After all, it will depend on them what the form of the handwritten text will be. Take your step into modern calligraphy!
Attend calligraphy classes
If you find it difficult on your own, you can always attend art classes, whether in college or through online resources. You can also explore the different styles of art and see what interests you most.
5 Interesting Facts About Calligraphy
Calligraphy has a Greek meaning
It is derived from two Greek words — ‘Kallos’ which means beauty and ‘Graphein’ which means to write.
It came into the English language later
It was not until the 16th Century that the word Calligraphy was used in the English language.
It called for creativity
The early calligraphers of East Asia used a calligraphy brush whose body was made of bamboo and the hairs came from animals and even human hair.
It led to the dip pen
Later calligraphers of the 19th Century created the famous dip pen made of a wooden handle and metal nib.
It gave rise to modern ‘Typeface’
Advertisers in the 19th Century turned to calligraphy and designed typefaces — which later formed the basis for computer fonts — to print their advertisements.
Why We Love World Calligraphy Day
It pursues a spiritual goal
Calligraphy releases emotions and abilities that are hidden in the depths of the individual. Do not miss the chance to activate the power of your soul!
We love calligraphy
Letters and numbers written by your hand on paper are very different from printed text. And a person’s handwriting can tell a lot about your character and even preferences.
It promotes the importance of writing
It has been observed that people are gradually losing their writing skills. However, the printed text can never be compared to neatly hand-drawn and beautifully decorated symbols. So, take a pen and ink, and write your beautiful calligraphic letters!
World Calligraphy Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | August 10 | Wednesday |
| 2023 | August 9 | Wednesday |
| 2024 | August 14 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | August 13 | Wednesday |
| 2026 | August 12 | Wednesday |
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