Introduction to Calligraphy Supplies and Techniques with Rajiv Surendra and Mike Ward (Spencerian)

Oh wow here we are again. Thanks to you Rajiv I now write with a fountain pen and use sealing wax. Then I bought a desk and a chair and a nice lamp. 😂 Now it looks like I’ll be learning calligraphy 😂. I go thrifting for old china and ironstone now. My husband complains and I say it’s Rajivs fault.

My seventeen year old son now has a framed photo of Rajiv on his desk as a joke because I talk about how much Rajiv teaches me.

"Flourish away!" could be a motto for Rajiv's well-lived life. Refine, then flourish ...

On you next videos, please show us how to play a piece with a harmonica, how to eat fashionably on the go (New York style), how to thoroughly take a bath (with scrub day), make homemade sorbet, hike a trail in an Edwardian fashion, open a bottle and drink wine or scotch like a civilized person.

I love that Rajiv asked Mike to write names other than popular Western names

Small correction: the walnut ink is actually made from the husks that encase the walnut shell. These are green and fuzzy on the tree, and if you have ever walked through them when the nuts fall, you will see how easily they stain everything brown. I use them to dye felt and wool. Lovely, inforrnative video as always. Thank you.

Yeah! Just what our family needed. Because of Rajiv, I gave penmanship books for Christmas!!

Thank you! Born in the USA in 1950, we still practiced penmanship in school. We used lined paper with rows of dashed lines between solid lines. I'm sure you know the paper I'm trying to describe. Years later, teaching my son, my handwriting had become so bad (hurriedly taking notes in college really destroyed it; followed by email) that I couldn't remember how to properly form certain letters and I had to get a book from the library and practice. Now in my seventies life has slowed down and I find myself enjoying writing letters. People really pay attention when a handwritten letter shows up in the mailbox. This video was such a treat. Watching the two of you geek on the materials, body position, etc., had me mesmerized. Thank you.

When he shows the golden snitch holder, the sound out of Rajiv is so funny! Exactly what we all probably sounded like!☺️

When Mike mentioned that when writing, place your stationery paper on leather for ease of movemen, it instantly brought to mind secretaire desks with their drop down fronts which often include a leather piece that I thought was a decoration, or a protection of the wood surface. Now I know better! Thanks!

Thanks for introducing Mike to us, he's a delightful teacher I can see, and what a talent he is. Rajiv you are spreading joy, always.

At first I was thinking an hour about calligraphy, I don't know.. but I quickly got sucked in and was actually gasping at the beautiful penmanship. Now I need to learn calligraphy! Rajiv's enthusiasm is truly infectious.

How nice! This brought back memories. In my country, Germany, we learned the old letters from second grade on. Of course not in the perfection shown here, but also with feather and ink. We were taught, because we still had millions of books with the old letters, and today, more than 60 years later, I read them as easily as Latin letters. What I saw here, makes me feel like picking up on writing again. Thank you both, this was fun!

'A bump of walnut crystals' had me in absolute stitches. God, I love your channel.

Mike's voice and cadence TOTALLY reminds me of Matthew Broderick 😀. Another great episode. I was into calligraphy as a young teen. This has inspired me to dabble in it again. 🌺

34:33 this is exactly what I was taught in 1982 by my 2nd grade teacher Mrs. Lykens. Exactly to the tee what you said Rajiv. Our handwriting was our pride and yes, we only wrote or called on landlines.

It’s very mathematical…this is why I love calligraphy and art in general…there’s math everywhere if you look at the proportions

You inspired me to learn from cleaning my sink (better 😜) to wanting to learn calligraphy. I've never spent an hour with such focus and joy on a YouTube video like this one! Thank you!

When I started school in the 1950's we began writing with state boards using a slate 'stylus'. We then moved onto chalk. After a year we went to paper & pencil. It was all printing still at this stage. We were only 5 years old. Even now I can write better using pencil & paper, stylishly. We moved on to running, joined up writing using very crude metal nibs jammed into a wooden stick holder. It was messy, because the ink was mixed, every writing practice day, by the boys of the class using water & ink powder. They always came back to class with ink on themselves that lasted for days! We had to learn "copy book" writing it was a simplified Copperplate version. It was hard, but eventually it became easier. I went into high school, in year 12, using a fountain pen. Which was lovely. In the 1960's Biro pens arrived & everyone's writing went bad. But I still write letters by hand & I love doing it. The more flourishing the better! I really enjoyed this video. I have never heard of the Spencerian style, but it is satisfying watching it happen on paper. I receive handwritten letters from Americans, none of the writers write in the Spencerian style!! I should add I was born & raised in Australia.

I’ve been writing with a Fountain pen for about 65 years…. It’s closest to a paint brush… I LOVE to write…. Leave it to Rajiv to make it even more special!! I too have a framed pic of Rajiv on my desk… in his beautiful wool suit, vest and tie! Love love love you Rajiv! You are such an inspiration!