Book excerpt: Learn how to create beautiful, hand-lettered stationery, art, and other decorations with Modern Calligraphy, a sophisticated, interactive book full of exquisite sample alphabets, fun exercises, and simple step-by-step projects. From modern calligraphy in ink to hand lettering in chalk on blackboard and brush lettering in paint, you will discover a variety of ingenious and unique ways to turn words and letters into projects that can be given as gifts, sent as snail mail, or used within your home decor. Among other things, you will learn to create eyecatching letterforms, embellish with swirls and flourishes, free-brush letters on canvas, and digitize your work for printing. Along the way, you will find plenty of inspiration and helpful artist tips to encourage you, as well as numerous open practice pages to help you develop your own lettering style. You can customize letters and words, developing your own rules and methods as you go. With oractical projects for all sorts of celebrations, from engagements and weddings to baby showers and even Halloween, Modern Calligraphy Workshop will give you the inspiration as well as the skills to turn your everyday handwriting into artwork.