Mastering Hebrew Calligraphy Hardcover – June 1, 2012

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.

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.

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.

Excellent, recommend

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!

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.

This is an excellent book full of examples of various style of Hebrew calligraphy from ancient to modern, with many full color illustrationsand 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.