Chelyabinsk is reviving the forgotten art of calligraphy

By day they work at offices and plants and in the evening practice written medieval fonts. To master the art of beautiful handwriting citizens of Chelyabinsk sign up for special courses. For some of them calligraphy is a new step in their occupation, for others a way of meditation.

The unusual craft of writing with pen and ink was once learned be every Soviet pupil but now this skill is deemed to be a rare art. Adhering to every rule goes beyond merely writing in a nice font, it also involves the correct posture and a certain angle of a pen-holder. Kira is a graphic designer and the calligraphy course will allow her to discover new fonts and create her own ones.

Kira Rodina, graphic designer: “In ordinary life writing is a common matter. We write something down skittishly, in any handwriting, on any piece of paper, in any position, be it an awkward crooked posture in a minibus. Calligraphy is so focused a process. You are completely absorbed by what you are doing and your thoughts most likely fly away. It is similar to yoga, for example”.

Lev Liberman became familiar with gothic fonts and Romanesque italics while still a student. Later on he really got keen on it taking up teaching and simultaneously mastering new techniques. Cyrillic fonts were the most troublesome.

Lev Liberman, teacher of calligraphy: “The first reason lies in the fact that it has not been developing for one and a half thousand years. Then it is a somewhat artificially created system and unlike a naturally born Latin alphabet it has its own certain authors”.

Taking up calligraphy only requires pens and pen-holders, ink and a stack of paper. To begin with even a common ruled paper will fit. The rest depends on diligence and commitment.

Chelyabinsk is reviving the forgotten art of calligraphy

Source: 31tv.ru