Letters and numbers can be art forms when they are expressed through cursive and calligraphy.
What’s Calligraphy?
Calligraphy finds its roots in two Greek words:
Kallos = beauty
Graphein = to write
When you are writing calligraphy, you are writing beautifully.
This artistic, stylized type of writing is usually executed with a pen or ink brush. It has been around for a long time; ancient Chinese calligraphy has been discovered on animal bones and tortoise shells dating back thousands of years. Ancient Roman calligraphy has also been found in etchings on statues and monuments.
Calligraphy takes on different forms in different cultures. It is considered a high art form in Eastern Asia and the Islamic World. There is wide latitude for variations in calligraphy form in these regions, and the style of the calligraphic lettering can even be used to portray meaning.
What’s Cursive?
While not generally as elaborate as calligraphy, cursive is still a beautiful type of writing characterized by its flowing style and loops. In contrast to detached block letters, cursive letters are generally joined together. Because you don’t have to lift your pen between letters, cursive can be a faster way to write than block lettering. But it’s much more than just efficient; cursive can add flair to any communication or project.
Why Cursive and Calligraphy Printables?
Printables open up ways to leverage these beautiful writing styles for multiple purposes. Here are a few ways that printables can help you:
Learn to Write Calligraphy
Want to get in on this art form? Printable calligraphy practice sheets can help you form calligraphic letters like a pro. As you practice, you’ll gain increasing expertise in forming calligraphy letters in various styles.
This skill will come in handy in so many ways. You can address letters and invitations in a beautiful script. You can create stunning cards and elevate your scrapbooks. You can make stylized signs, banners, and wall hangings.
You can master not just one type of calligraphy but multiple. Did you know that there are many stylistic variations of this type of writing? There’s modern, Old English, and Gothic, to name a few. There’s even a cursive calligraphy with joined letters.
Using printable calligraphy stencils can be as effective as taking a calligraphy course. Simply print your tutorials and hone your skills until you become a calligraphy master. And once you’ve learned one type of calligraphy, you can diversify into different types of this artistic writing. And you don’t need to stop with letters. You can easily master calligraphy numbers in each of these styles.
Teach Kids Cursive
For young students, cursive printables can shore up writing skills. If your student hasn’t learned cursive yet but wants to get a jump start, or if they’ve learned cursive in the past but need extra practice, these printables will provide the enrichment they need.
If you’re a teacher instructing your students in cursive, these printables are essential.
Freebie Finding Mom provides printable cursive alphabets, individual letter printables, and printable cursive alphabet practice sheets. These printables cover both upper and lower case letters. The work is done for you; teaching cursive with these cursive letter printables is a breeze.
Broaden Your Cursive Writing Horizons
You probably learned to write cursive back in elementary school, and chances are, you’ve stuck with the same style ever since. But there are different types of cursive, such as the calligraphy cursive we mentioned above. There’s bubble letter cursive and royal fancy cursive, to name a couple more. Downloadable printable cursive letter stencils can set you up for success as you up your cursive game with new flair.
Create Greeting-card Worthy Cursive Art
You know those eye-catching cards or signs with a splash of chic cursive writing? You can create them yourself with printable cursive phrases like “Happy,” “Thank You,” “Loved,” or “Family” with art embellishments.
You can print them onto homemade greeting cards or use them as a tutorial so that you can freehand them on cards, banners, scrapbook pages, gift tags, wall art, or invitations. You won’t believe all the fabulous-ness you can create.
Make Bunting for Holidays and Party
If you’re not familiar with the term “bunting,” you’re probably familiar with the look of it. Think of those darling decorative banner-type decorations that you see strung up on the wall or from one side of a fireplace mantel to the other. You may have seen them at baby showers or birthday parties.
Bunting banners have pennants attached to a string—usually with eye-catching colors and sometimes with letters that express a sentiment (“Welcome Baby Boy” or “Happy Birthday”). They look like a million and are surprisingly easy to make at home.
Cursive and calligraphy printables are your ticket to creating bold and beautiful bunting banners. You can print the individual letters you need—in whatever quantity you need—on bunting flags. Or, you can freehand them with the skills you have learned with our cursive and calligraphy practice sheet printables.
Writing Cursive and Calligraphy: What’s All the Fuss About?
So why are people hopping on the decorative writing bandwagon? Especially in this digital world?
Refreshingly Old School
Think about the last time you got an email. Did it feel exceptionally special or meaningful? Now think about the last time you got a handwritten letter. Totally different experience, right?
As we all get swept up in the Digital Age, there’s something refreshing about grounding ourselves in things we can touch and feel—like a calligraphy pen creating letters on the page.
Relaxing
Remember when the adult coloring craze struck several years back? People found that the repetitive motion of coloring was downright therapeutic. So were the clear borders of coloring pages in this world with a lot of confusion and fuzzy gray areas.
Writing fancy cursive or calligraphy can have a similar calming effect. Your brain can relax while your body engages with lines, loops, and curves. It’s structured but not suffocating, challenging but not stressful. It’s a great way to unwind.
Consider organizing a cursive or calligraphy group or party while you sharpen your skills and catch up with friends.
Pride in Creating
There’s something so satisfying about creating something. Calligraphy and cursive are art forms. Your work with your pen is rewarded with the little masterpiece you just created. As you get confident, you can add your own little flourishes to make your writing style your own.
Useful
Big emphasis on this one! Your skills with beautiful lettering will be in high demand. Use them to address party invitations, create a poster, make hand-crafted thank you or birthday cards, record memories on your scrapbook pages, and more.
Calligraphy and Cursive for the Classroom
If you’re a teacher, being able to freehand beautiful letters is a big help. Everything from chalkboard writing to bulletin boards to posters to notes is elevated by artful handwriting. You’ll save time and money if you can freehand the letters instead of having to purchase things like pre-printed letters for bulletin boards.
Calligraphy and Cursive for Care Settings
If you work providing care for older persons, “calligraphy therapy” is real. Studies have shown that calligraphy therapy helped improve cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. This same study recommended that calligraphy therapy be offered in community and residential care facilities.
Why Choose Freebie Finding Mom for the Best Calligraphy and Cursive Alphabet Printables?
Freebie Finding Mom has hundreds of beautiful, useful, and user-friendly printables. And most of them are completely free. You can sign up simply by providing your first name and email address. And thanks to our security protocols, you can rest assured that your information will be transmitted securely and won’t be shared with anyone else.
Our website is easy to search, and when it comes to calligraphy and cursive, we have everything you could want from downloadable printable cursive letter stencils to printable calligraphy practice sheets. You can drop our letter and phrase designs into digital documents, print them out to enhance any aesthetic or use them to master cursive or calligraphy writing skills.
Our website is easy to use—well indexed to help you find what you need in a hurry. And it’s a one-stop-shop for all of your printable needs. Choose from chore charts, budget trackers, greeting card printables, thank you card printables, holiday games and décor, and so much more.