Mastering Hebrew Calligraphy

Excellent, recommend

I fully endorse all of the top reviews of this beautiful book. Much appreciated is the detailed advice on just where to access materials to pursue mastering Hebrew calligraphy which is not as straightforward as western calligraphy and demands for example: special nibs. This book is a pleasure to own for its historical and artistic content and excellent guidance as a practical manual that covers the different styles within Hebrew calligraphy. Love it.

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 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.

Have been wanting to get back to my calligraphy but also looking into incorporating Hebrew into the mix. This book showed up as I was browsing. Got excited, ordered it along w/some other books to brush up and was thrilled when I looked it over. Not knowing Hebrew doesn't mean I can't copy it (as I was told by a "bubble burster")! With the information in this book(and references) the possibilities now seem endless. I once supported myself being a calligrapher, but now want to do art with both English and Hebrew scriptures incorporated into the pieces. Needless to say, I am now a very "happy camper " and this book will be very helpful toward those goals. Now all I need is as good a book on Greek calligraphy that's written in english....any leads out there? Anyway, great book!!

This is an excellent book full of examples of various style of Hebrew calligraphy from ancient to modern, with many full color illustrations and helpful teaching on how to make beautiful letters. However, whoever printed my edition of this book made all the illustrations come out way too dark. I know, because I had just borrowed the exact same book from the library, and the pictures in that one were much clearer and more colorful. Otherwise, I would have given this book the 5 stars it deserves, but I was asked to rate my particular copy.

for anyone who has acquired an interest in producing Hebrew calligraphy, I came across a book called Mastering Hebrew Calligraphy, by Izzy Pludwinski, which is a real treasure. He begins with what he calls the "bones" of the characters and progresses up gradually, so you can learn to write as simply or as ornately as you wish. The book is lovely, and the work is a pleasure. The book is a treasure, and a work of art all of its own.

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!

Mastering Hebrew Calligraphy is well written. The author not only has much experience in his field, but he explains his concepts very well and starts with reasonable expectations for beginners. Some say that he does not include a large collection of styles, but if you examine it closely, you will find that the ones he has included act as a very strong foundation that will springboard you on to your own expression later on. And, of course, nothing is a substitute for the actual work and time you will need to add yourself to master these first forms. It is very informative and instructional, and also a very nice read, for those just wanting to enjoy beautiful Hebrew lettering. Buy the book, you will be so glad you did.

An outstanding and exhaustive book, written by a master of Hebrew calligraphy

"Mastering Hebrew Calligraphy" von Pludwinsky ist ein herausragendes Buch, das die faszinierende Welt der hebräischen Kalligrafie in den Mittelpunkt stellt. Mit fundierten Anleitungen, inspirierenden Beispielen und einem umfassenden Ansatz ist dieses Buch ein unverzichtbares Werkzeug für alle, die ihre Fähigkeiten in der hebräischen Schriftkunst verbessern möchten. Pludwinsky präsentiert das Thema auf eine klare und gut strukturierte Weise. Das Buch beginnt mit den Grundlagen der hebräischen Schrift und führt den Leser dann Schritt für Schritt in die komplexeren Techniken der Kalligrafie ein. Dadurch ist es sowohl für Anfänger als auch für fortgeschrittene Künstler geeignet. Die Anleitungen in "Mastering Hebrew Calligraphy" sind präzise und detailliert. Pludwinsky erklärt die richtige Haltung, den richtigen Druck und die richtige Strichführung, um die verschiedenen Buchstaben und Schriftstile erfolgreich zu meistern. Die begleitenden Illustrationen und Übungen sind hilfreich und ermöglichen es dem Leser, das Gelernte sofort in die Praxis umzusetzen. Ein weiterer Pluspunkt des Buches ist die Vielfalt der vorgestellten Schriftstile. Die Qualität der Abbildungen und Beispiele in diesem Buch ist beeindruckend. Die Schriftproben sind klar und gut lesbar, was es dem Leser erleichtert, die verschiedenen Techniken zu studieren und zu verstehen. Die visuelle Ästhetik des Buches trägt zur inspirierenden Atmosphäre bei und macht das Lernen zu einer angenehmen Erfahrung. Pludwinsky vermittelt nicht nur die technischen Aspekte der hebräischen Kalligrafie, sondern auch die kulturelle Bedeutung und historischen Hintergründe. Durch Erläuterungen zur Entstehung der verschiedenen Schriftstile und ihrer Verwendung in der jüdischen Kunst gibt das Buch dem Leser einen umfassenden Einblick in die reiche Tradition der hebräischen Schrift. "Mastering Hebrew Calligraphy" ist mehr als nur ein Lehrbuch. Es ist eine inspirierende Quelle der Kreativität und Selbstdarstellung. Die Kunst der hebräischen Kalligrafie wird als Mittel zur spirituellen Reflexion und zur Verbindung mit der jüdischen Identität präsentiert. Die liebevolle Gestaltung und die hochwertige Verarbeitung des Buches machen es zu einem wertvollen Sammlerstück. Es ist ein Buch, das man immer wieder zur Hand nehmen kann, um seine Fähigkeiten zu perfektionieren und neue Inspiration zu finden. Insgesamt ist "Mastering Hebrew Calligraphy" von Pludwinsky ein must-have Buch für alle, die ihre Leidenschaft für die hebräische Kalligrafie entdecken oder vertiefen möchten. Unbedingt Empfehlenswert!

If you’re looking for anything to do with Hebrew Calligraphy..look no further..in fact it may be the only book out there! Izy is generous with his knowledge and it’s all in there. Thank you

Livre très intéressant sur la Calligraphie Hébraïque, mais je suis déçu du manque d'originalité, et de modernisme. Manque un petit grain de folie pour , enfin , faire sortir la calligraphie Hébraïque de son carcan et la rendre plus joyeuse Je le conseille aux amateurs de belle calligraphie, car il y a , quand même de bonnes choses.......