“Go more slowly,” Laura Edralin, a calligraphy teacher in London, told me, as she walked around a table of beginners on a recent Wednesday night, explaining how to achieve even, flowing strokes.
As a breaking news reporter for The New York Times, I am not used to being told to slow down, nor am I accustomed to writing by hand.
Calligraphy, a centuries-old art form, is seeing a surge of interest, including among young people more familiar with coding than cursive.
An increase in calligraphy-related posts on social media and the popularity of online classes may have helped drive the trend.
On TikTok, where users can find how-to videos or watch clips of experienced calligraphers at work, 63 percent more posts used #calligraphy in April 2024 than in April 2023, according to TikTok.
Persons:
” Laura Edralin, —, calligraphers, Paola Gallegos, Gallegos
Organizations:
The New York Times
Locations:
London, Michael’s, North America, Ha Noi, Vietnam, Cusco, Peru, TikTok