Free Mastering Hebrew Calligraphy Ebooks To Download
Mastering Hebrew Calligraphy is a comprehensive and beautiful guide to the art of Hebrew letter-making. Developed and designed by the leading Jerusalem calligrapher, Izzy Pludwinski, it teaches the how-to's of writing Hebrew scripts and principles of design and layout to enable you to create your own, beautiful Hebrew texts. Mastering Hebrew Calligraphy is the essential guidebook that addresses every nuance of the art of Hebrew calligraphic writing, from needed tools, pens to computers, to correct posture and effective letter spacing. It is also a celebration of the Hebrew letter, with dozens of images of calligraphic works of art that will inspire you to develop your artistic imagination through the Aleph Bet. A magnificent and informative book to own whether you plan on becoming a professional calligrapher or simply find joy in Hebrew letters. With 200 illustrations.
Hardcover: 220 pages
Publisher: Koren Publishers Jerusalem (June 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1592643418
ISBN-13: 978-1592643417
Product Dimensions: 9 x 0.7 x 11.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #147,979 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #69 in Books > Arts & Photography > Other Media > Calligraphy #41099 in Books > Reference
I own a number of books on Hebrew calligraphy and, as a (western) calligrapher, I have dabbled in Hebrew calligraphy over the years. I knew of Pludwinsky's beautiful work and was eager to see this book. When it arrived, it blew me away with its beauty, usefulness, thoroughness; it is a magnificent book, beautifully produced. The instruction is precise and easy to follow, with black and greyed-out strokes showing stroke direction and order of strokes in every style of Hebrew writing. Many notations accompany the diagrams, with pen positions indicated by a fine outline of the nib. In every section, common errors are also shown, very helpful for every practitioner. This is the most effective instructional book on calligraphy that I have ever encountered. But it is far more than simply an instructional marvel; it contains a wealth of illustration, Pludwinski's work, the work of other important Hebrew calligraphers, historical examples. There are chapters on layout, quill cutting, writing with color and gold, analyzing historical manuscripts, and combining Hebrew with English. The text is well-written and clear. My one small quibble with this book is that the justified text, in some of the narrower columns, has over-large word spaces that could have been adjusted to avoid these "rivers" of space within the text. Nonetheless, it is a handsome volume and I am delighted to have it.
As a student of typography and calligraphy, and a professional graphic designer and Judaica artist, I find this book to be the most in-depth guide to Hebrew calligraphy I have seen. I use it in my work, and often I just look through it and marvel at its beauty. It is a must-have. And, be sure to check out the author's other work... he is both a classically trained scribe and a most unique and creative scribal artist. His knowledge of Jewish texts, and ability to bring them to life through his writing, is amazing. [...]
This is a gorgeous book and a useful one. I can recommend it for a few reasons:1) Its got several styles of calligraphy featured in it, and a lot of the styles come with guides on which strokes to use to achieve the desired effect. There are also plenty of other examples of calligraphy that, while not explicitly described in terms of strokes, can still be used as reference when you're experimenting on your own.2) Plenty of general advice on manuscript writing, in terms of equipment, set-up, how to hold your pen, anchor your paper, etc.3) Some sample ketubahs (I like this)4) Easy to read. Think style guide rather than text book. But it packs a whole lot of information.In summary: This book will not teach you how to write hebrew, nor is it a calligraphy practice book. It is however a really beautiful style reference, with a bunch of very useful diagrams, and a wide variety of styles. Izzy Pludwinski is a very talented calligrapher, and this is a very beautiful book. This isn't a calligraphy bible. Use it for inspiration, and to experiment with your own styles.Plus: Its very pretty, makes a nice coffee-table book, certainly can generate a conversation. I'm very happy with this purchase.
I was a "snail-mail" correspondence student of Izzy Pludwinski around 1999-2000. Recently he's advised me via Facebook and email. He is a teacher who answers your questions and helps you with your difficulties.Izzy's personable style comes through in his beautiful book. Like his instruction to me personally, Izzy's book is easy to understand and thorough and challenging. He teaches the basics and the history of the letter forms, using beautiful illustrations of his own and others' work. From traditional letter forms he goes on to modern forms, experimentation and "play".Anyone who wants good instruction from a most skillful calligrapher should have this book. The beginning and intermediate student and even advanced student, is encouraged to continue growing in skill, all the while pursuing calligraphic forms with enjoyment.
I am learning Hebrew but I am not new to calligraphy. This book is very easy to follow even for somebody who is not familiar with calligraphy in any other language. It explained a number of ways of writing Hebrew and at-least 5 different scripts in a way that I understood them clearly. Now the only thing left is for me to practice. Of-course, I don't think this book can beat taking classes but it is a valuable investment for somebody learning Hebrew Calligraphy on their own.
I am EXTREMELY fond of this book. I knew I was going to like it before it arrived, but it exceeded my expectations by leaps and bounds. It covers everything from traditional calligraphy to artistic re-imaginings of the language, and proceeds to delve into the history and artistry of the written Hebrew language. Each page was fascinating and informative, and as someone working with Hebrew for my art I have grown tremendously as an artist with the information in this book.
When we heard of free Hebrew lessons being offered here in southern Arizona, we just had to give it a try. While the focus of the course is not calligraphy, I wanted to learn the correct strokes and to write Hebrew beautifully and so, based on reviews, I got Izzy's book. Just mastering his skeletal aleph-bet in ch 1 has enabled me to recognize Hebrew regardless of how it is written, e.g., the El Al logo. Now I'm working on ch 5, his Foundational Script, and with that little bit my friends say I'm on my way to becoming a scribe, and I'm not even Jewish!This is a lovely instructional book that I expect to give years of pleasure. Enjoy!
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