Go Deep or Go Wide?

What does your calligraphy study look like?

Do you focus on perfecting one script i.e. depth?

Or do you learn several scripts i.e. breadth?

There’s no clear right or wrong.

But I’d like to make a case for the latter.

Breadth in learning sometimes brings up the much-quoted saying:

“Jack of all trades, master of none.”

And I used to be rather embarrassed, even ashamed.

Because my calligraphy study looks something like this.

I am committed to improving my Copperplate in the long run.

I’ve also learnt many scripts along the way: Spencerian, Italic, Gothicized Italic, Textura, Fraktur, Cursive, Uncial, Open Shaded Script, Mid Century Pen Moves, Neuland. (And many more than I want to learn!)

And I’m not great at any of these.

I can’t remember how to write Fraktur properly without looking at my notes.

But I’ve made peace with the fact that I don’t have to be good at everything I try.

At the very core of it, I’m simply fascinated to learn how a script is written.

What angle is the nib at for Italic to have both thin and thick lines?

How do you create the serifs in Roman Capitals?

How do you write with a ruling pen?

I’m satisfied to just learn how. Frankly, I’m not too concerned about practising and improving every single script.

Because I’ve accepted that I’ll never have enough time to do everything! Plus the other hobbies and topics of interest outside of calligraphy.

Still, I have to reassure myself sometimes: it’s perfectly okay.

So if you’ve been feeling a similar sort of guilt or shame: it’s perfectly okay.

Because did you know? The full quote is actually:

“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”

This was first published in my email newsletter, 💌 Curious Letters, where I share tips and stories about calligraphy.

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