Planner Review: Learn Calligraphy Happy Planner

Although this will not be the last planner review I do before 2021, it should be the last Happy Planner review. (I honestly didn’t think I would be getting so many Happy Planners for 2021, but when I saw some of these new, specialty planners, I knew I would be able to use them).

As I said in my review of their Recovery Collection, The Happy Planner company has been coming out with some really unique planners this year. And while the Recovery Planner is an incredible product for planning through recovery or a personal growth program, this planner is more of a workbook than a planner.

The Learn Calligraphy planner is like nothing I’ve seen. Although it is set up like a regular, horizontal-layout planner, it allows the user to practice calligraphy and hand lettering!

Basics of Calligraphy and Hand Lettering

I think we’ve all seen beautiful script or cursive handwriting. There was always that one girl in class who had gorgeous handwriting, and I really wanted to write just like she did.

But, calligraphy and hand lettering are not the same as handwriting. Basically, when we write in cursive, the pen remains on the paper and we quickly write out one letter after the other, flowing from one to the next.

Calligraphy and hand lettering are more like a form of art. You learn basic shapes and strokes, and then write each letter or portion of a letter separately, making sure that the shapes are uniform and connected by a thinner stroke.

While the words may appear connected, they have not been written out in one flow of the pen on the paper. Also, they use different pens than you would normally use to write in cursive.

Here are the very basic differences between the main two lettering types you may see when searching the web for hand lettering terms. Keep in mind, that there are countless “fonts” within each type of hand lettering:

• Calligraphy– this is a classic form of lettering that uses pens (often fountain pens, although there are calligraphy markers as well) with a flat nib. Depending on the angle, you can produce various calligraphy “fonts.” For the longest time, this was the most well-known and popular form of lettering (very popular for wedding invitations and the like.
• Brush Lettering– this newer form of lettering (sometimes called Moderl Calligraphy) uses pens (or brushes) with a flexible, tapered brush nib. The general rule is that portions of a letter created by moving the pen up on the page (an up-stroke) will use little pressure and make a thin mark. The portions of the letter created by moving the pen down the page (a down-stroke) will use greater pressure to make a thick mark. This is considered an easier form of lettering that can be mastered using less expensive pens than the ones used for calligraphy. You may see brush lettering when looking at creative journals, planners, or bullet journals.

Why Learn to Hand Letter?

I became curious about hand lettering when I started seeing folks decorating their planners and journals with them. So, I looked into and found these reasons for giving it a go:

Hobby. For me, hand lettering is a fun and relaxing hobby. Since you need to practice basic strokes and letters, you can sit in front of the TV and just repeat the same marks over and over again, without much thought. It’s a nice distraction and change of pace from other hobbies that require a lot of materials or concentration. Instead, practicing hand lettering is about creating muscle memory in your hands.

Enhances your writing. There’s nothing more impressive than receiving a card or envelope that has been hand lettered. Everything written in a hand lettered font has a beautiful, classic quality to it, much like using candle wax to seal an envelope. You can also use it to create lettered artwork: written words or phrases that can be displayed.

Fun pen options. If you’re a stationery lover, like I am, you’ll enjoy the opportunity to play around with fun pens. There are a ton of calligraphy and brush pens, some of which can be blended together to create multi-colored works of hand-lettered art.

Marketable skill. For folks who become truly proficient at hand-lettering, you can turn your hobby into a business. I’ve seen people turn their hand-lettered words into stickers, printables, and custom-ordered works. Others have used their skills to create classes, online courses, and workbooks. There are lots of ways to translate this skill into a business.

But, before you can become a hand lettering expert, you need to first learn how to hand letter. And, as I noted above, that takes practice. Enter the Happy Planner Learn Calligraphy planner.

Planner Review: The Learn Calligraphy Happy Planner

I know that this is called a planner, and it is dated with both monthly and weekly spreads, but you definitely don’t have to use this as a planner. Because of it’s letter-themed features, it feels like more of a workbook!

Here are some of the planner’s basic features:

Time span– This is a 12-month dated planner that spans from January to December 2021.

Size– This is a “big-sized” planner (as opposed to the traditional “classic-sized” Happy Planner), so it has 8½ x 11” paper. With the discs and the covers, the full planner measures nearly 10 x 11½”.

Binding– Like most of their planners, this is a disc-bound book with 11 rose gold plastic discs. Because there are only 12 months of monthly and weekly layouts, there’s plenty of room to add additional pages to this planner without making it too bulky. The disc binding also makes it easy to remove and add pages, and, more importantly for hand lettering, you can remove the pages to write on them using a flat surface. (Most hand lettering instructions include sitting at a desk with the paper on the flat writing surface).

Layout– This is a weekly planner that also has monthly layouts. The weekly pages are similar to the Happy Planner horizontal layout, with all 7 days having an equal amount of planning space on the two-page-spread.  

Cover– Like all of their disc-bound planners, this one has a laminated cover. The front cover has rose gold foiling details, including handwriting-themed lines and the words, “Love Letters 2021.”

Typical Happy Planner Features-

Like all disc-bound Happy Planners, the Calligraphy Planner has:

• 

• 

• 

Nameplate Page– as the first page in the planner.

2021 and 2022 Yearly Overviews– so you can see all the months laid out for both this year and the next.

Year at a Glance Pages– Each month has its own column with each day of the month in the rows. This is great if you want to lay out all of your hand lettering goals for the year.

Monthly Layouts– The monthly calendar pages are pretty simple, although the lined notes side bar on the left have lettering-lines (solid lines with dotted lines in between) in the column rather than plain notepaper lines.

• 

• 

Decorated Monthly Tab Dividers– The dividers are made of sturdy cardstock and have tabs listing the month. Each divider has a different lettering-themed design, and some have rose-gold or silver foil decorative elements. The vast majority have brush lettering lessons!

Alternating Colors– As with many Happy Planners, there is a color scheme for the Learn Calligraphy planner. The months rotate between green, lavender, pink, and light orange. The colors appear on the monthly spreads and the weekly layouts. The monthly dashboard pages have the same color scheme throughout.

Notes Page– There is a single notes page at the end of the planner.

Special Features-

Because this is a specialty planner, it has features that you may not find anywhere else, or at least not in the layouts presented here.

Monthly Goals Page-

While many Happy Planners with monthly calendar pages have some sort of dashboard for goals and notes before the next month’s layout, the Learn Calligraphy edition has a unique setup for this page. Here’s how it’s set out:

Header– The page header has the name of the month written in lettering, with different colors for each pen stroke (key to helping you learn when to pick up your pen and write the next part of the letter). It also has the name of the month in light grey with the words “Try It!” written underneath to encourage you to trace over the word on your own. Below the header are two columns.

Lettering Practice– On the left is a larger column. At the top is “Practice Your Letters,” which provides instructions for writing strokes and letters with room to practice. Below that is “Your Name Here.” While the letter practice section changes from month to month, you are encouraged to write your name in the same spot each month so you can see your progress over time, throughout the year.

Goals and Special Dates– “Goals for the Month” is listed at the top of the smaller right-hand column. There are a few, notebook-style lines below that for goal planning. Below that is “Special Days to Note” with a dot grid section beneath it.

Weekly Planning Page Layout-

Horizontal Layout– Because this is a horizontal layout planner, the days are spread out over two pages. Monday through Thursday are on the left-side, while Friday through Sunday are on the right.

Lettering-lined. Each horizontal daily section has lettering lines (solid lines with dotted lines in between) to help with most brush lettering styles. While this is great for brush lettering, most calligraphers will recommend a different paper, which looks like sort of slanted grid paper (see product suggestion below).

Suggested practice. The final box (below Sunday), has the same lettering-lines and a small suggested letter or stroke to practice. Every week has different letters, so you can simply use this and practice those same letters or strokes the entire week.

Paper-

If I have one criticism, it’s that they do not indicate (either on the product or on their website) whether the planner has special paper for lettering. While the nibs on a calligraphy pen are metal and can write on a variety of surfaces, brush pens have delicate nibs that will fray if not used on smooth paper. The paper in these planners seems smooth, but I will be using cheaper brush pens to make sure I don’t ruin my more expensive ones.

• 

• 

That said, I did a pen test, and found that the paper stood up well to even those pens that were most likely to bleed through. I was able to use gel pens and very ink-saturated brush pens without having more than a little ghosting on the other side.

Overall, as I have been with all of their products, I am really impressed with this calligraphy-themed planner. Although those experienced in lettering may find it too basic, it is perfect for beginners.

Also, there is nothing preventing you from using it to enhance another workbook or lettering course. What I love the most about it, is that you can practice lettering out just a few lines of pen strokes each day instead of doing as I have done in the past- become overwhelmed at the thought of writing out an entire page of letters and give up after a few weeks.

Finally, another reason I find this planner to be more of a workbook than a traditional planner is the lack of coordinating accessories. While most Happy Planners have a matching sticker book or accessory pack, this is a stand-alone product.

As of the date of this post, the Learn Calligraphy (or Love Letters) Happy Planner is on sale at Joann.com.

A Few Lettering Resources

If this planner review has piqued your interest in hand lettering, which I hope it has, you may be wondering how to get started. There are a ton of resources out there. Here are some basics:

General web-based resources:

YouTube– search for the type of lettering you’re interested in and you will pull up a ton of tutorials and demonstrations. They’re really interesting (and relaxing) to watch. Keep in mind that to keep the videos from getting too long, many video content creators will speed up the video. In reality, most write very slowly.

Pinterest– simply search for “hand lettering,“ and you will find tons of images and links to resources. I currently have a collection of different alphabets and resources on a Hand Lettering Pinterest page.

Blogs– A quick Google search will bring up a ton of websites devoted to hand lettering. Many provide free printables to get you started, but they will also sell online courses. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Hand Lettering for Beginners– just as the name implies, this is a great resource for anyone getting started. It has a lot on the basics of hand lettering, including online courses.
• The Postman’s Knock– Really cool articles and tutorials on how to hand letter and make something artistic with your writing.
• Amanda Arneill– great tips for getting nice and quick results from your lettering and great articles on everything from pens to lettering techniques.

Books

Of course, you can always do as I did and start first with some hand lettering books. They have complete lessons and will take you from beginner strokes to more complicated letters. Although they will not allow you to practice as much as you need to (there’s only so much space to practice each letter or stroke), they are a great reference for learning how to letter and can be used in combination with lined paper or the Learn Calligraphy Happy Planner. Here are a few:

“Lettering and Modern Calligraphy: A Beginner’s Guide” by Peony Press. It’s a great beginner’s book and a really affordable paperback edition. (#Ad)

Another paperback workbook is “The Ultimate Guide to Modern Calligraphy & Hand Lettering for Beginners: Learn to Letter: A Hand Lettering Workbook with Tips, Techniques, Practice Pages, and Projects” by June and Lucy (#Ad)

If you’d rather have a hardcover book, this spiral-bound version may be for you, “Hand Lettering 101: An Introduction to the Art of Creative Lettering” by Chalkfulloflove (#Ad)

Here is another one I’ve really enjoyed- “Super Simple Hand Lettering: 20 Traceable Alphabets, Easy Projects, Practice Sheets & More!” by Kiley Bennet. It’s another paperback and has really interesting hand lettering styles. (#Ad)

Recommended Products for Hand Lettering

Again, I’m no lettering expert. But, I have enjoyed hand lettering when I’ve practiced it. Here are some basic categories of accessories and recommended products that will be helpful for any beginner:

Pens

Quick note about pens- if you’re a beginner, steer clear of pens labeled “real brush pens.” They are typically made of nylon brush hairs and are like paint brushes, which are much harder to control than classic brush pens, which have a single, flexible nylon nib.

Here are some basic recommendations for those just starting out:

Sheafer Calligraphy Set– This is a great starter kit for anyone wanting to start out learning classic calligraphy. It comes with three pen barrels and three different-sized nibs. With the variety of ink cartridges, you can practice in any number of colors. (#Ad)

Pentel Sign Touch Pens– these are great for beginners because they are inexpensive and the nib is small and only slightly flexible, which makes it easier to control. (#Ad)

Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pens– Like the Pentel Sign pens, these also have a smaller and less flexible nib. The barrel of the pen is a great size and the matte finish makes it nice to hold. (#Ad)

Ohuhu Brush Pens– If you’re worried about having a set of really nice brush pens get ruined by using them on less-than-smooth paper, try this inexpensive set by Ohuhu. While the flexibility of the brush nib on these pens is inconsistent, it actually allows you to try out different types of nibs. (#Ad)

Tombow Dual-Tip Brush Pens– This is the gold-standard for brush lettering. These pens have long and flexible nibs that can produce strokes that go from quite fine to thick. They come in a lot of colors (more than just the standard primary colors featured here) and blend well. I’ve even seen people hold two different colored nibs together to transfer ink from one to the other. This allows the writer to use the pen to start a word in one color and seamlessly end it in another- such a cool effect! (#Ad)

Paper

As I noted above, the type of paper you use can make or break the pens you buy. Here are some brands I’ve seen recommended across the board:

HP Premium 32– If you look up hand lettering around the web, you’ll find that most people recommend this copy paper for hand-lettering. Use this paper if you’re going to print out hand lettering worksheets on your own printer. The smooth texture will prevent even your most expensive brush pens from fraying. (#Ad)

Strathmore Tracing Paper– Whether you are printing out a worksheet or using this over some of the lessons in the Learn Calligraphy planner, this paper is smooth and will help to preserve your pens. (#Ad)

Calligraphy-lined paper. As I noted above, for those wanting to practice true calligraphy, most calligraphers will recommend this type of paper, which has a slanted grid pattern to guide the flat-nibbed pens used in this form of hand lettering. (#Ad)

Miscellaneous

Pencil– When lettering on unlined paper (like envelopes or stationery), you may want to use a ruler and draw some lines to guide your letters. To be sure that you have pencil that is easy to erase- so not your classic #2 or HB pencil, I recommend going with a harder-graphite pencil such as one that is a 2H or higher like one of these Tombow pencils. (#Ad)

Eraser – You’ll also want an eraser that fully erases any pencil lines. Here is one that will remove the pencil without damaging the paper. It’s also by Tombow, and I can vouch for how well it works. (#Ad)

Paper Paper Punch– if you’re going to use special copy paper or tracing paper that you want to add to this disc-bound planner, an arc disc punch is a great accessory. It punches paper perfectly to fit the big Happy Planners. Here is a great buy for a disc punch. (#Ad)

I am really excited about getting back into hand lettering in 2021 and seeing my writing improve over the year. Once again, Happy Planner keeps impressing me with the creative types of planners they design.

Are you a Happy Planner fan? What do you think of this Learn Calligraphy planner? Leave a comment below!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click a link and make any purchase on Amazon, I may receive a small commission at no charge to you which will help me maintain this website.  😊

** Image fountain pen and calligraphy found on Pixabay.

© Plan On The Sunrise, Vidalia Patterson, 2020. No part (including, but not limited to articles, photographs, and graphics) of this site, PlanOnTheSunrise.com, may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the express permission of the copyright owner.