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Divia Harilela

Contributing writer for Style by SCMP, specialising in fashion, beauty and lifestyle


Calligraphy is having a moment in the spotlight – and you can thank the internet for it. Over the past few years social media feeds have been dominated by influencers showing off their latest brushstroke techniques on Reels, while online courses have brought traditional forms of decorative writing to a new audience looking to express themselves creatively.
“I was initially attracted to calligraphy because it looked so beautiful. I ended up learning everything online and am completely self-taught,” says Samantha Cheung, a mural artist and calligrapher whose clients include luxury brands like Piaget and Cartier.
“For me, calligraphy is not like cursive writing. It’s slow and focused, making it much harder to master. It’s an art,” she says.

Calligraphy – which literally translates as “beautiful writing” in Greek – has deep roots in Asia, where it is revered as an art form in countries like China, Japan and Korea. Due to its cultural significance, Chinese calligraphy has thrived and dominated in the region for centuries, but now its Western counterpart is catching up, thanks to interest from a new generation of letter lovers.
“Western and Chinese calligraphy are very similar – in terms of techniques there’s a flow and rhythm in the strokes and how you frame the words. Both are also very meditative,” says calligrapher Kalo Chu.

Chu grew up watching her father paint Chinese calligraphy, which inspired her initial interest in penmanship. As a wedding invitation designer, she struggled to find a calligraphy teacher in Hong Kong, and eventually had to learn on her own through books and other resources. This experience inspired her to open a studio called Kalo Make Art in 2015, offering the local community lessons in Western-style calligraphy.

“Many people still value the art of handmade creations instead of AI and computers. Writing for young people has great benefits – it improves motor skills and spelling. I worry this art will die, which is why I want to teach as much as I can,” she says.
Former fashion events executive Kaye Shu also dabbled with lettering from a young age. After mastering her penmanship classes at Maryknoll College, she picked up calligraphy while studying at university in Boston. Upon her return to Hong Kong, she continued to learn by correspondence with a calligrapher in the United Kingdom while also working full time.

It was only when she started to do small writing jobs in-house that she realised she could turn her passion into a business. In addition to offering calligraphy services to brands and corporations, she also teaches students.
“Calligraphy is a happy thing! You can have fun with just one pen, one piece of paper and patience. And once you start, a whole new world opens because it really motivates you to experiment and unleash your creativity. The possibilities are endless in terms of styles and fonts you can develop. It even inspired me to transition from being a calligrapher to a painter,” says Shu, who has been teaching full time for about eight years.

While practising calligraphy comes with a multitude of benefits, be they emotional or artistic, deciding where to start can be confusing. There are hundreds of fonts available in myriad styles, ranging from the more traditional scripts to what experts call “modern” calligraphy.
“What you tend to see online these days is what we call modern calligraphy, which is more about styling. The writing appears to be based on traditional fonts, but people have added obvious changes such as flourishes, curves, angles and positioning,” Chu says.
“This looks great but it’s hard to do without a basic foundation. New styles have been created over time only because people have mastered the basics first,” she says.

For beginners, Shu suggests learning scripts with a rich history such as Copperplate and Ingresso, while Chu highlights Spencerian, a 200-year-old script that is also popular. In terms of equipment, there are three types of calligraphy pens: brush pens, pencils and dip pens. The latter is recommended by experts.
“Dip pens can produce finer lines but require more precise use of fingers and hand, and whole arm movement. You also have plenty of choice when it comes to nibs. Broad tips come in different widths and then you have pointed tips with different flexibility,” says Shu.
Once you have learned the basics, then the fun can really begin.
“It’s a very diverse scene right now with calligraphy purists, and then those who want to develop their own fonts and experiment,” says Cheung. “The more people who learn, the more styles will develop. To be honest, it’s very subjective – the beauty of a font is really in the eye of the beholder.”
Five tips for calligraphy beginners
1. Know the rules before you break them. Learning the fundamentals such as spacing, shapes and line flow will give you a solid foundation.
2. Flourishes are like garnishes. Many people love the idea of flourishing but there are rules to it – it shouldn’t be random.
3. Slow down – practice is essential, and taking your time will allow you to create better strokes.
4. Invest in an oblique dip pen – its slanted design makes it easier to perfect the angles.
5. Go online – IAmPeth (iampeth.com) is a great resource and offers online courses, while Pinterest has plenty of inspiration for those looking to be more creative.


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From traditional scripts to modern styles, this art form offers a creative outlet and a chance to connect with history – here are tips from Hong Kong artists Samantha Cheung, Kalo Chu and Kaye Shu


From traditional scripts to modern styles, this art form offers a creative outlet and a chance to connect with history – here are tips from Hong Kong artists Samantha Cheung, Kalo Chu and Kaye Shu.
