Calligraphy is not just a visual thing!

"Calligraphy" is derived from Greek, it means "beautiful writing". No one can deny that calligraphy is beautiful to look at. But it doesn't stop there. When I write, I hear the scratching of the nib on the paper...a very peculiar, particular kind of music that would have been a dominant sound in classrooms and scriptoriums long ago. I smell the ink. Iron Gall ink, which I love to use, has a distinctly sanguine odor (only when wet). And calligraphy (not something you do on a computer and print out) can be felt. The ink, as it dries, dries on top of the paper, making a texture that is unique to this art form.