lovely post,
esspecially the Arabic calligraphy part.
such an unrecognized but just dope style.

Calligraphy is nice to look at, but for any other purpose I always feel it is too hard to distinguish. It is generally too hard to read at a quick glimpse.

like all the others - a great, fantastic post. thanks (i like the first one)

bloody good!

Some great stuff. On of my favorite typographers is Link [www.johnlangdon.net] with his ambigrams. Really amazing work.

Sorry for being the stick in the mud, but your RSS feed generally has some html problem in it. This time it’s an “Irreparable invalid markup (’‘) in entry.” You can see the problem yourself at: Link [syndicated.livejournal.com]

PS: Nice post, as usual. :)
PPS: I don’t know how else to draw your attention to this without posting it in a comment. I hope you delete this after reading it.

Dope post.

Really refreshing inspiration source.

You guys post some great stuff, but how about splitting up your articles or editing some things out? A lot of your posts are just overwhelming. Too much to take in all at once.

Great post, for anyone thinking of improving their day-to-day penmanship, I found this site - full of resources: Link [www.iampeth.com]Link [www.iampeth.com]

Arabic calligraphy looks great. Anyone got any tips on how to recreate something like it?

BORING! we want posts about webdesign, tutorials and showcases of great websites. this doesnt get me anywhere…

Just wanted to say that your posts, including this one are just amazing. A great source of inspiration. As a matter of fact I consider smashing magazine the best source of webdesign resources!

To the rest of you guys, have any of you any idea what kind of font is used on Hostpattern (www.hostpattern.com) logo? I am searching for few hours now without any success.

Great post

@ Hannes

Your comment is boring! Ever thought about that you might draw a little inspiration out of posts like that which you could use in your webprojects? And dont say “we want” because its “you want”

Absolutely stunning collection.. thanks for this.

I wrote my handwriting out, scanned it, sent it to my brother on the other side of the planet and he sent it back as a ttf.

Fake my handwriting, if you like:

Link [jamesspratt.org]

No mention of Sadhu?
Link [www.dailymotion.com]

Posts like this are why I love this site.

What about web design? I thought this site was about that.

I don’t usually comment on here, but I want to balance out the discussion away from the naysayers. Typography is an essential part of good design. No true designer would bash typography the way some people here have today. Many thanks to Smashing Magazine for covering all aspects of aesthetically pleasing design, even the ones amateurs might scoff at and find boring. It was a great post, and very inspiring to me. Please post more content like this from time to time!

@ mikemike: This is inspiration, which falls squarely in the realm of design. I for one would like to see even more inspirational posts. :)

What a surprise it was to see a page of my sketchbook on an RSS feed I read!
Thanks. :)
If it matters–my doodles are no longer from Austin, TX, as I live in NYC now.

Johanna

PS-
Link [www.teplin.com] is pretty interesting

@ mikemike: you obviously do not frequent this site often enough to assume Smashing is only about webdesign.

this post is wonderful! how the hell am i supposed to get anything done today now?

Fun post! Thanks.

why does it tell me that the videos no longer exist?

Beutiful post, great smashingmagazine…

Very nice post - some stunning examples of calligraphy.

Thanks :)

very nice.. gr8 effort…

I’m dismayed that a Smashing Design would put together a list like this, yet have no mention of graphic design legend Tim Girvin (www.girvin.com). He was one to champion translation of calligraphic design and storytelling to the brand/interactive/online space while most of us were still in grade school. Unforgivable.

Joei Lau is the creator of the Scriptina Font?

Epic. Thanks.

Very inspirational. Yesterday I saw Link [iamintricate.com] doodled type that I thought was pretty hot too. All such great pieces, thanks for sharing.

Very inspirational post!

Alex Trochut spoke at Sydney’s SP08 last weekend. His work has definitely inspired me to create my own typefaces, where possible.

I was disappointed that any examples from the Book of Kells were omitted. Kept at Trinity College in Dublin, the Book of Kells has numerous examples of European Biblical calligraphy at it finest.

great post! thanks SM!

The goobers unable to appreciate the value of an art form as richly textured and various as those shown here actually give goobers a bad name. I hope for their sakes that they’ve become capable of eptitude, for they seem certainly shielded from becoming educated.

If incapable of appreciating what’s been gathered with so much obvious care and affection, go collect your own magazine, gather an audience, then hear how well we like what you’ve done. Therein lies the rub. That would take an educated person witih a various background to pull off.

I have new appreciation for the depths of your shallowness.

Have you checked the work of Claude Dieterich? He thaught me Calligraphy a few years ago, and is magnificent!
Link [www.claudedieterich.com]
He is a French Calligraphist that lives in San Francisco.

Thank´s Smashing Magazine!

Some of these examples are not credited to the artists who created them. For instance, the yellow/black “Clarenden Press Flower” is the work of Sheila Waters, world renowned calligrapher, teacher and author of the book “Foundations of Calligraphy.” Link [waterslettering.com]

Clare(n)don Press Flower
This is my artwork, executed in 1987 and was published in the book “Florilege” by Alain Mazeran, in two facing pages (74 and 75) of a diptych of winter and summer, the two using the whole poem of “The Idle Flowers” by Robert Bridges, the image above being the second side, representing “summer” the first half representing “winter”. It was never a cover. I was one of the two judges of the calligraphic artwork submitted for inclusion in “Florilege” (see page 154). I have not been credited here, nor on the 4 images gallery website, presumably being your source. In “Florilege” this work was noted as being copyrighted by The Clarendon Press (note spelling), Oxford, GB. I have no idea how Clarendon Press got hold of it, as publication in “Florilege” was the first, and only, publication of the diptych to my knowledge.
I still own the original artwork and it is my copyright, no-one else’s. Please rectify omission of a credit to me as the artist and notify any publication source that has obtained it from you or that you send it to. Thank you.
Sheila Waters
April 8, 2008

An excellent post (again)

Alex Trochut’s work is stunning. Maybe you should mention his personal site:

Link [www.alextrochut.com]

If you don’t see how this post relates to web design and design in general then maybe you should get a new hobby.

ps: That “10 ways to get a job” piece is amazing!

Wonderful article! Very inspiring.

Yeah man…. Alex Trochut rocks! again…..

Right, three examples, but only one really credited to him. The one titled “Typography” and the Rolling Stone’s (Rolled Gold) cover are his as well.

Super talented artists - excellent collection of type.

That hand writing is wicked, we have seemed to lost our way in writing, maybe we have to much technology at our finger tips.

-Britec- Link [www.pcrepairhertfordshire.co.uk]
Link [www.britec.org.uk]

This is sooooo nice…

They are amazing works.
i am very much inspired by this

nice , impressive . . . . hoping to see more

the Arabic prototype is very bad , , , while other images are so creative

You should’ve mentioned Link [www.flickr.com]

First time i seen this type of beautiful-handwriting
very nise!
I want to add some example of devnagri scrip (marathi)lettering
pl advice about this

Although I am flattered that my acrylic painting from 2003 entitled, “Digeridoo Festival” was showcased in your article, you failed to request permission to use the image. The image was taken from my Flickr account without my consent or knowledge, despite being clearly marked as copyrighted.

I still own the original artwork and it is my copyright, all rights reserved. Please rectify omission of a credit to me as the artist and notify any publication source that has obtained it from you or that you send it to.
Thank you,
Erin K. Nolan
August 25, 2008

UPDATE: Thank you for changing the link to “Didgeridoo Festival” to read “Erin K. Nolan.” I appriciate you kind follow-through and cooperation!

I have never seen such an exciting and awesome works before in my life. Its looks so good and crazy and these people who have done these calligraphy work, I think they have a very deep creativity. These may be preserved as a memorable work of these guys who made it.

I wish these people to grow furthur in there life on calligraphy.

very nice site

day by day i find more materpieces at this unique site

I love the old manuscripts.

Does anyone know of Photoshop tutorials to help clean up calligraphy for digital printing? I don’t know the program terribly well and most of the tutorials aren’t focused on hand lettering. When I need to scan lettering, I spend more time cleaning smudges and smoothing lines than creating the original work! I would appreciate any help.

Incredible!
I cannot believe how wonderful these are!
The “R” one is super cool.
Great Web page, it really inspired me!

i dont know white handwriting is the best

Hi from Estonia :) .. wow, super! :) very beautiful pics! … it’s also hard work to do smth like this. Väga kaunid pildid! :)

Gee, I read the whole thing. I started hand composing for letterpress sixty years ago and stopped when I found how difficult it was to have fonts designed and cut for what I really wanted to print. The love of typography is still there, and I guess I waited long enough to do it digitally!! Is there a senior’s discount for typography classes on line?

I love calligraphy , i u too love it