Career in Calligraphy

The art of calligraphy:

Calligraphy is the art of beautiful or stylized writing. Though an ancient form of art, which many pursued as a hobby, today it has transformed into a unique career option.

In a layman's language, Calligraphy is the art of beautiful writing. The word comes from the Greek word kalos, which means beautiful and graphos which means writing. While this art is not new to many, it is often perceived as 'artistic and intricate writing on paper'. However, little do people know that it translates beyond just writing? The manifestations of this ancient art form are more than many, tracing back to Indian history, where it is found on numerous panels of the Taj Mahal. So for all those who thought it was an exciting hobby with ink and paper, its time you rethink! Looking at a lucrative career, following are a few pointers on how to get there.

Skills or attributes an individual must posses to be a Calligraphist:

"Contrary to the popular belief that one must have a good handwriting to be a calligraphist, anyone can be a calligraphist," "As long as you are a keen learner, and are willing to practice until perfection, you can be a professional," says renowned calligraphist Achyut Palav, with 25 years of experience.

Eligibility:

Any individual with the above mentioned skills can be a calligraphist, age no bar. No specific degree is required to learn calligraphy. A background in a fine art is a bonus.

Types of courses available:

There is no diploma or degree course available in calligraphy alone, though it is taught as a subject in colleges like Sir JJ Institute of Applied Art in Mumbai. One has to learn the art from a private tutor. These courses are light on the pocket, costing you a few thousands only.

A private tutor may conduct a course over a few days; however Achyut believes it takes more than that to master this form. "After your course, it is important to keep practicing on a daily basis with dedication and concentration, if you serious about the profession. There are so many nuances that go into it, be it the distance between two letters, two words, the angle at which the pen must be held, the various strokes and so on. Learning the beauty of letters will only come over a period of time, and that's when you can be a professional.

Job prospects and remuneration:

The field of calligraphy is open to creativeness, allowing you to stroke your pen in whichever way you like. Apart from using your skills on wedding cards, certificates, scrolls, photo albums, the works, you could also look at areas like fashion designing, interior decoration, and artifact decoration to name a few. "You could design T-shirts, mugs, logo's for companies and movies, work on canvasses, the list goes on" says Achyut. "You could even design you own range of clothes."

Be it a part time job or full time career, this art of words has themoolah, depending on the level you would like to take it to. The initial returns may not be as satisfying, but once you're an expert, you can demand a price. "The opportunities and earnings depend on how you market yourself as well,"

Future prospects:

"The prospects are limitless. Many would believe that with the technological era, people would opt to do the same thing on the computer, however, what can be done with the hand, cannot be replaced by a machine. There are people in the market who recognize this and who are willing to pay a price for the same. Initially, you would need to go out there and showcase your work, but slowly, people will begin to come to you" feels Achyut. "The future is bright; however, we would suggest you keep it as a part-time job for you to support yourself until you have mastered the art completely"

One last word for all those budding calligraphists, "Work hard, have patience, and you will succeed if you have the will and passion,"