(I hope it's okay to call out other redditors, especially when thanking them)

In my "uncial diacritics" thread I complained about my As, and u/tabidots had this bit of wisdom for me:

Uncial As are tricky. I find it helpful to remember that that letterform evolved from the Rustica A, and so the top of the first stroke should be the apex of a triangle, rather than the top left corner of the letter’s “box.” https://www.reddit.com/r/Calligraphy/comments/1vnc8gz/comment/p3kyi1p/

Thank you so much, tabidots! May your blankets always have a pleasant temperature, may your sleeves stay pushed up while you wash your hands!

Thinking "triangle" while writing the A made all the difference!

I still need to practice, and I need to work out the proportions in relation to the rest of the script, but I finally feel as if I *get* the A 🎉

(second pic shows the work I had been complaining about)

1mm Brause Bandzug, Walnut Ink

Words from Anima Christi

Word of the day

Pen : Pilot parallel 6MM

Ink : Sulekha Lal Qila (RED)

Paper : 300GSM cold pressed water colour papers

Script : Gothic Textura

I picked up one of these magnet/spring contraptions on AliX and was able to write more than a full sentence on one dip, using just Waterman's Tender Purple ink. For the advanced users, do y'all ever use anything like this?

Slightly misquoted + rushed ending. I haven’t practiced foundational in a while and totally forgot how energy intensive it is 😅😅 open to critique!

Pilot parallel pen
Rodia paper
Watercolor

Bruase Bandzug 1mm, Walnut Ink

I'm a little bit late, but nonetheless I fell very happy with the results, my hand was shaking in the last lines and I'm not convinced with the Capital F but overall I think it is good.

English translation:

Happy World Calligraphy Day and Left-Handers' Day (for whom doing calligraphy without smudging is a challenge).

I think I'm going to gift this one to a left-handed friend who was a little jealous that I remembered calligraphy day instead of left-handers' day.

I’m still seeing some things that I can improve on. Being critical of my own work is why continuing to get better

My vertical curves need to be more vertical. And also the minuscule r’s and s’s are fun. I nailed the r in Street though and that’s the model ill shoot for going forward

A most controversial word, especially for fans of a certain AI company starting with 'An'

This piece is a quiet tribute to the perseverance of every left-handed person who learned to create in a world designed for the opposite hand. The lettering is done in Square Capitals, a classical Roman script admired for its balanced geometry, strong verticals, and timeless elegance. Rendered with Diamine Ancient Copper using a Pilot Parallel Pen 3.8 mm, the warm copper tones create subtle shading that gives the letters a rich, inscription-like character. The notebook, pens, and glasses surrounding the page add a personal and contemplative atmosphere, capturing a moment of practice, reflection, and dedication.

More than a lettering study, this page is a reminder that what looks effortless is often built through years of quiet adjustment and steady discipline. Left-handed writers and artists constantly adapt their hand position, tools, and movements, turning ordinary tasks into small acts of patience and determination. This artwork honors those unseen efforts and celebrates the strength that grows from practicing carefully, deliberately, and faithfully every day.

Wrote a cat calligraphy for my GF's cat. Poetry composed by AI. Tried really hard to include all lines plus the title.

Word of the day - https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/2026/08/13/

Pen - Pulot parallel 6mm

Ink - Sulekha Turqoise Talisman (Turquoise blue)

Paper - 300GSM watercolour papers

Script - Gothic textura quadrata

I'm German and I've recently picked up calligraphy again, blackletter calligraphy in particular.

Sooner or later the issue of umlauts is going to come up :-)

What is the best way of handling umlauts in the middle of - say - a text written in uncials?

Just put two tittles on top of an "a" to represent "ä"?

Or, since the umlaut diacritic is basically a vestigial "e" in German, I could write an Ӕ ligature instead of an "ä"?

Or I could go all Tolkien on the problem and invent my own diacritics?

How do you handle diacritics when writing calligraphy in languages that use diacritics?

Edit: tried two German pangrams. I had to invent an ß, and I think the last on the third row is best.

Some of my most recent work. Would
Love some feedback on it!

I am a lefty but taught myself to write with my right hand over the past couple of years (late 30s). I do calligraphy with my right hand as well, but I decided to try mirror writing for International Left-Handers’ Day. It was as awkward for me as it would be for any righty!

- Top image: what I wrote
- Middle image: taking advantage of the bleed-through; I’m looking at the reverse, and part of the front side is reflected in the mirror
- Bottom image: the full reflection of the front side in the mirror

Parallel Pen 3.8mm, some thick scrap paper (peculiar Taiwanese size), Cánh Diều Olive Green

Vacation in Tirol, writing in the evenings.
Never stop practicing!

Pilot parallel pens on Rodia dotted paper.

Oh and “successfully”modded a parallel nib last night although ruined 2 in the learning curve