When we first offered our starter kit for at-home learning with proper tools and down-to-earth instruction, our goal was to help as many people as possible learn the art of modern pointed-pen calligraphy. Six years later, with the addition of our online courses and shop for high-quality tools, that goal is still at the forefront of our mission at Laura Hooper Calligraphy. As we’ve reached over 15,000 students between our in-person and online courses, we’ve continued to expand our course offerings to grow with those with us since the beginning and to continue to reach new beginners year after year.
Now that we offer multiple online courses, we thought it might be helpful to break down each one, sharing what’s included and what it’s curriculum targets. All of online courses include lifetime access, meaning you can get to them whenever is most convenient for you, again and again, indefinitely into the future.
Beginner Calligraphy Kit: Starter Supplies + Online Course

Our signature starter kit is Step 1 in your calligraphy journey. Whether you’ve never held a calligraphy pen, or you’ve tried out various tools on your own without success (and by success we mean achieving thick and thin lines in a smooth, non-ink-blobbing, non-paper-catching technique), this kit is for you. We’ve curated it with quality tools that we know will work well together, giving you your very best chance at success with this art! This is the same curriculum taught in the in-person workshops and if you can’t attend in-person, our starter kit + video tutorial is absolutely the next best thing.
The starter kit includes

• A detailed, physical instructional manual that covers the tools & how they work plus pages for your practice strokes and warm-up on calligraphy quality paper
• A full beginner alphabet, upper & lower case, plus two additional alphabet exemplars for when you’re ready to try a new style
• Oblique calligraphy pen holder (you choose left or right handed)
• Three nib options with recommendation for which to try first
• Black ink & white ink
• Blank journal for doodling/notes
• 2.5 hour video tutorial that directly corresponds with the instructional manual and visually walks you through the kit

*top recommended optional add-ons are the Alphabet Tracing Pad, nib cleaner, black lined pad
Beyond Beginner Calligraphy: Workbook + Online Course

Our beyond beginner guide is a direct continuation from our starter kit (and workshops) and we recommend purchasing both if possible (95% of our workshop students purchase this immediately following class). While the starter kit shows you how to use the tools and how to form each letter of a beginner alphabet, the Beyond Beginner Guide takes you through your next step in developing a cohesive alphabet: letter consistency. A common misconception is that once you learn an alphabet, you should start writing words, but focusing on letter consistency before letter connections will actually help you excel more quickly with a cohesive calligraphy alphabet, versus just writing in thick and thin lines. The Beyond Beginner Guide does then go into letter connections and words, and then includes a more flourished alphabet as well, making in jam-packed with your next steps! The base alphabet for this product is the one covered in the starter kit.
The beyond beginner guide includes:

• Instructional booklet covering the various aspects of letter consistency, different versions of letter connections, a variety of flourish patterns and flourished words (both upper and lower case), and two flourished alphabet exemplars
• Letter consistency & letter connections tracing pad
• Flourished alphabet tracing pad
• Accompanying video tutorial to demonstrate every letter consistency & letter connection exercise as well as one of the flourished alphabets, every letter upper & lower case

*This product does not include calligraphy supplies or instructions on how to use them – you would want to purchase the starter kit + video tutorial in conjunction with this product if you are just getting started.
Laura’s Favorite Script Styles

If you’re looking to expand your script style portfolio {we offer over 15 different script styles to our calligraphy clients!}, this course is for you. We cover 9 of Laura’s signature script styles, including upper and lowercase letters, as well as alternate letterforms for some. Each script includes a printable PDF exemplar plus professional video footage of Laura personally demonstrating every letter up close. The script styles covered are: Bickham Swash, Swoop, Alexandria, Chance, Parisian, Ella, Francine, Italic and a Basic Lettering Style. Be sure to scroll down on the listing to see a sampling of each!
*There are no physical products included in this course and therefore no shipping. The exemplars are a printable PDF download.
How to Write in a Straight Line

One of the most frequently asked questions we receive from our workshop students is “How do I write in a straight line when I’m not practicing on guidelines?” And first of all, there is no reason to ever be practicing without guidelines. Guidelines help you with sizing, spacing, and of course writing straight. But what about when you’re working on actual client projects? In this 48-minute video, demonstrates four (4) different tools/methods for writing in a straight line while sharing our best secrets and tips to write in a straight line. We walk you through four techniques so you can try out what works best for you and feel confident in your abilities from envelope writing to place cards to vows and more.
*There are no physical products included in this course and therefore no shipping. It is an online video tutorial.
How to Create Oversized Wood Signage

We are often asked to create large seating charts for our clients, and this video will walk you through the process, from production to layout to lettering to shipping {packing and/or shipping is a key component to master to be able to offer this service to clients located anywhere}. In this 38-minute video, we cover the tools needed, layout, lettering plus packing for shipment – all of which can be applied to wood signage of all types from welcome signs to menu boards to various signage throughout an event. You can also apply all of the principles to seating charts on mirrors or acrylic pieces and oversized signage in general.
*There are no physical products included in this course and therefore no shipping. It is an online video tutorial.
Hopefully these breakdowns give you a bit more clarity on our online courses & you can take advantage of whatever is the (next) best step for you in your calligraphy journey.
If you have any questions before ordering, please feel free to reach out to us directly at hello@lhcalligraphy.com!!