Product Description

The best tools in traditional calligraphy can be expensive and even messy with tasks such as replacing ink cartridges and cleaning pen nibs. A home computer equipped with Photoshop can prove to be a more economical set of tools for calligraphers of all levels, not to mention all of the additional things users can do with digital technology. This book focuses solely on tools and techniques in Photoshop that can be used to create digital calligraphy, including varying stroke weights, flourishes, and effects that can only be created electronically, such as gradients within letters, shadow backgrounds, and so on. Readers are guided through their chosen direction, be it design, typography, fine art, or website development. Presenting an array of examples from the seemingly traditional to the outwardly digital, this book offers the necessary steps to creating and manipulating calligraphy. Readers, from novices to expert calligraphers, will find the layout and content accessible and informative.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1389806 in Books
• Published on: 2004-12-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

About the Author
George Thomson is Senior Research Fellow at Cumbria Institute of the Arts and holds Fellowships of the Society of Scribes and Illuminators and the Society of Antiquaries in Scotland. He has published several books, including Digital Calligraphy, and has exhibited all over the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

Customer Reviews

Digital Calligraphy at its best
Finally, I found the key to unlocking all of the secret capabilities of Photoshop to enhance and improve my calligraphic work! This is a wonderful book! I also purchased George Thomson's other book, Digital Calligraphy/How to Create Perfect Lettering from Your Desktop. I like both books, but this one is my favorite because I have Photoshop and want to know how to use it specifically with my calligraphy. I am especially impressed with the clear directions and great examples that he gives to help one understand where to click and what to do next.

for some calligraphers
Until I read this book, I wasn't aware that you could emulate calligraphy to any worthwhile extent on a computer. But Thomson shows that indeed Photoshop's virtues extend to this sphere. It will probably surprise a few of you as well.

I should say straight off that Thomson will not convince every calligrapher. In such a traditional field, the ambience of holding a fine fountain pen, the aroma of the wet ink on the page, and the tactile feedback of writing your mark on the page will dissuade many from Photoshop's offering.

But there are others who might be interested. Calligraphy is, or it can be, a form of art. And by now, Photoshop has ensconced itself in the palettes of many artists. Likewise Thomson shows that if you focus on the pure imagery of the calligrapher, then Photoshop can take you there.

Excellent addition to a designer's bookshelf
This book presupposes that a) you have a good grasp of working with a computer and b) that you are comfortable with Photoshop. Also, having a graphics tablet is an absolute *must* to get the most of this book. If you fit these categories, then you can be off and running with this book. I've been working with computers for years, so much so that I'm more comfortable with a stylus, mouse and keyboard than I am with a normal pencil or pen; my "normal" handwriting is admittedly unreadable and standard calligraphy tools have always been difficult for me to master. However, this book's guide to refining one's digital brushstrokes and the inspirational ideas presented within it make calligraphy a promising venue even for me, and I've been having a grand time practicing some of the techniques set forth in its pages. For those who love typography in ALL its forms and who happen to be decent with a computer at the same time, this book is a worthwhile addition to your book collection.