To write calligraphy you will need:

• Smooth finish paper
• Pen and nib
• Ink
• Pencil
• Ruler

• Start by sitting comfortably - you may find it helpful to work on a surface angled at 30 degrees.
  
  
• Decide on a nib size and lettering style and rule up a framework for your lettering. The height of a particular style is set at a specific number of nib widths, and varies according to the size of nib selected.
  
  
• Rule equal lines for the ascenders (upstrokes) and descenders (downstrokes). Lines should be drawn in pencil so they can be erased when the ink is dry.

This was written in the Italic hand with tails above and below the line. The ‘banner’ flourishes are simply the stroke of the middle of a letter ‘S’. These need to be written with a little more speed than the actual letters to avoid ‘stuttered’ flourishing.

The small red capital letters were added for contrast, colour and interest.

'Congratulations'

The word ‘Congratulations’ was written in the Italic hand. To help make the word informal, the send leg of the letters ‘n’ were written at an angle.

To decorate the word, a ‘wave’ stroke was given to each letter (except the letter ‘t’ which already has one.) The ‘wave’ stroke is drawn along the centre of the body height.

The star over the small letter ‘i’ was created by holding the nib parallel to the writing line and making the horizontal stroke first then simply turn the page round to make the three other strokes.

The smaller writing ‘you’re a star!’ was written to give contrast in writing sizes.

'Happy Birthday Helen'