10 Lettering and Calligraphy Books for Beginners

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10 Lettering and Calligraphy Books for Beginners. I went through my “lettering library” and pulled out my favorite books that are ideal for beginners!

10 Lettering and Calligraphy Books for Beginners

Books are my jam. I’ve grown quite the collection of lettering and calligraphy books over the years. I went through my shelves and picked out the ten instructional books I think are best for beginners.

While I’m sure there are a ton of other awesome books out there, in interest of picking the books I think are ideal for newbies, I stuck to books I actually own.

The links offer the option to “Look Inside” on Amazon as well as full details on what you’ll find inside. Plus, the reviews speak volumes and nearly all of these books are extremely high-rated.

Best Books For Learning the Art of Hand Lettering

These books are largely focused on learning the art of drawing letters.

Mastering Hand-Lettering by Mye De Leon – Mye’s instagram account is one of my favorite’s to follow. She knocked it out of the park with this book. It’s a must-have for aspiring and accomplished letterers alike. This is one of my all-time favorite books on lettering. Put it at the top of your list.
The Big Awesome Book of Hand and Chalk Lettering by Dina Rodriguez – Sometimes you can judge a book by it’s cover. The inside of this book is just as fun as the outside and it’s incredibly comprehensive.
Hand Lettering A to Z by Abbey Sy – Abbey is another lettering artist I love to follow on Instagram and I was so excited to see her release a book! Not only do Abbey and some guest lettering artists teach you some awesome skills, this book is serious eye candy.
The Art of Lettering by Stefan Kunz -This no-frills book is heavy on Stefan’s signature lettering style. Many of the exercises have you looking at his example on one page and re-creating it on the opposite page. While the instruction isn’t step-by-step, which bothered some reviewsers, I think this is one of the best ways to push your skills is to learn by looking and drawing. If you’re up for that challenge (and I think you should be!), grab this book and get to work.

Best Book for Brush Calligraphy and Tombow Lettering Ideas

I picked a single book for this category: Lettering with Purpose by Brittany Luiz. Not only does Brittany teach you brush calligraphy, she’s excellent at teaching you how to develop your own style via project-based learning.

Brittany happens to be the social media and content manager for Tombow USA so she really knows her way around the Tombow Brush Pens.

This book contains a ton of step-by-step instruction, styles, tips, prompts, and even a lesson on digitizing your work.

Best Books for Faith Based Lettering

If you love to mix your faith and lettering, there’s a good chance you’re already familiar with my friend Krystal’s fabulous lettering work. She recently released these books and sent copies to me and I am beyond impressed with how well put together they are. (I was under no obligation to share these with you, I truly think they deserve a spot on my list.)

Faith & Lettering by Krystal Whitten – This is the instructional book where you’ll learn how Krystal creates her signature styles with a ton of step-by-step lessons. If you love sermon and bible journaling, this book is for you!
Faith & Lettering Journal by Krystal Whitten – I’d call this a complementary book to the one above. It offers additional instruction, beautiful full color pieces, and plenty of room for you to journal on your own.

These books would make for wonderfully uplifting gifts for friends, and I’ll definitely be buying several copies as gifts!

Best Books for Chalk Lettering

Chalk Art & Lettering 101 by Shannon Roberts and Amanda Arneill – I love that this is spiral bound!
The Complete Book of Chalk Lettering by Valerie McKeehan – This one includes 3 chalkboards built right into the book, which makes it extra awesome for gifting!

These three ladies are among my top favorite lettering artists. You can’t go wrong with either book, but I highly recommend adding both to your collection. Learning from multiple artists is a great way to develop your own style.

Best Books for Calligraphy

Modern Calligraphy by Molly Super Thorpe – This book is perfect for those wanting to dive into working with a dip pen. One of my favorite things about this book is the section of a ton of different ways to draw each lettering in a calligraphic style.
Calligraphy in 24 Hours by Veiko Kespersaks – If you want a comprenshive guide on the more traditional styles of calligraphy, this book is for you! It’s well worth having in your collection.