Beginner Calligraphy Practice Sheets: Stroke Drills
The eight strokes that build almost every lowercase letter, ready to print and trace.
Updated
These beginner calligraphy practice sheets are free PDF drills for the eight basic strokes: upstroke, downstroke, overturn, underturn, compound curve, oval, ascending loop and descending loop. Download them in Letter or A4 with no signup, and practice them before you start on full letters.
Beginner drills: the 8 basic strokes
Copperplate drills: the 8 basic strokes
Why start with drills
Almost every lowercase letter in a pointed-pen or brush script is made from a few repeated strokes. An "n" is an overturn followed by a compound curve. An "a" is an oval followed by an underturn. If you can make each stroke cleanly, letters become a matter of putting the pieces together.
Drills also train the two skills that make calligraphy look like calligraphy: changing pressure at the right moment, and keeping a steady slant. Both are easier to learn on simple shapes than inside a whole word.
The two drill sheets
- Beginner drills (modern): the eight strokes on modern calligraphy guidelines with a 10 mm x-height. That is large enough for a small brush pen such as a Tombow Fudenosuke and gives you room to see your pressure changes.
- Copperplate drills: the same eight strokes on copperplate guidelines with a 7 mm x-height and 55 degree slant lines. Use these with an oblique holder and a pointed nib, or once the modern drills feel easy.
Each sheet shows four strokes per page in grey to trace, followed by blank guidelines to repeat them.
The eight basic strokes
- Upstroke: a thin hairline moving up and to the right. Use very light pressure.
- Downstroke: a thick, straight line pulled down along the slant. Use full, even pressure from top to bottom.
- Overturn: a thin upstroke that curves over the top and becomes a thick downstroke. Pressure goes on after the turn.
- Underturn: a thick downstroke that curves at the bottom into a thin upstroke. Pressure comes off as you round the turn.
- Compound curve: an overturn and an underturn joined, thin to thick to thin. The thick part should sit in the middle of the stroke.
- Oval: a counterclockwise loop that is thick on the left side and thin on the right. Start just right of the top.
- Ascending loop: a thin stroke that rises to the ascender line, loops, and comes down thick. Used in b, h, k and l.
- Descending loop: a thick stroke that drops to the descender line, loops, and comes back up thin. Used in g, j and y.
For a slower walk-through of each stroke with common mistakes, see calligraphy basic strokes.
How to practice the drills
One stroke at a time
Fill a row with one stroke before moving to the next. Start by tracing the grey strokes, then repeat the stroke on the blank lines. Keep the spacing between strokes even. Even spacing is part of the drill, not an extra.
Lift between strokes
In pointed-pen and brush calligraphy, many letters are built from separate strokes, with the pen lifted in between. Lifting gives you time to reset your hand and pressure. Do the same in your drills.
Watch the transitions
Most beginner mistakes happen where thin turns to thick. If the change is sudden, you get a lump. If it is too slow, the thick part ends up in the wrong place. Slow down through the turn and let the pressure change gradually.
Keep the slant
Every downstroke should be parallel. On the copperplate sheet, use the slant lines as a guide. On the modern sheet, choose a slant and stick to it across the page.
Short, regular sessions
A few minutes of drills at the start of each practice session works as a warm-up, even once you have moved on to letters and words.
What pen to use
A small, firm brush pen is the easiest tool for these drills. The firm tip gives you control while you learn pressure. Larger, softer brush pens make thicker strokes and are harder to control at first. If you use a large tip, print the sheet with a bigger x-height from the guideline maker.
For the copperplate drills, a flexible pointed nib in an oblique holder is the traditional tool. You can also practice the shapes with a brush pen if you do not have a nib yet. The brush pens guide explains tip sizes and firmness.
Printing the drills
Print at 100% or "actual size" so the x-height stays at 10 mm or 7 mm. Use smooth paper so brush pen tips do not fray. You can also slip the sheet into a clear sheet protector and practice on top of it, so one printed copy lasts many sessions.
After the drills
When the strokes feel steady, move on to a lowercase sheet on the alphabet practice sheets page. You will recognize the drill shapes inside each letter. For the full learning path, read calligraphy for beginners.
Frequently asked questions
Are these drill sheets free?
Yes. Both drill sheets are free PDFs. There is no email signup.
How long should I do drills before writing letters?
There is no fixed time. Move on when you can make each stroke with a smooth thin-to-thick change and a consistent slant. Many people keep doing drills as a warm-up long after that.
Can I use these drills for brush lettering?
Yes. The modern sheet works for brush lettering. Brush lettering is often written upright, so you can ignore the slant and keep your downstrokes vertical. See brush lettering.