How To Write Mom, Dad, Grandma + Grandpa In Calligraphy

Calligraphy is more than just nice penmanship; it's the art of beautiful handwriting. It's a relaxing artform that can be practiced for fun, or put to use in daily life. Today's tutorial is focusing on a very practical lettering application: writing family names.

We're going to teach you 3 different ways to write mom, dad, grandma and grandpa in calligraphy. With so many family holidays on the calendar...

Mother's Day: second Sunday in May
Father's Day: third Sunday in June
Grandparent's Day: first Sunday after Labor Day

...not to mention birthdays, there are tons of opportunities to practice family names.

Table of Contents

But, a friendly disclaimer: We've always felt that calligraphy doesn't need to be "productive" or be shared with anyone; calligraphy is worth doing just for your own enjoyement. But it's still fun to see practical opportunities to use your skills and share them with others, such as these.

Whether you're a seasoned calligrapher looking for some fresh ideas or a brand new budding letterer, we're going to explore different ways to write mom, dad, grandma and grandpa beautifully.

Pin it for later ↓

Plus, we made a printable worksheet so you can trace the exact words that we write in the video tutorial! Write along with us by following our video tutorial and printing out our free worksheet:

What Supplies Do You Need?

One of the things we love about calligraphy is how simple it is to get into. You don't need to spend a lot of money on special writing utensils as you probably already have supplies that will work. To cover the basics, you really only need the following items:

Paper: Any paper will do when you're practicing with a normal pen or a pencil. If you're working with brush pens or pointed pens, consider using smooth paper like HP Premium 32lb Paper to preserve your tools.
Pen: Any pen or pencil will do.
Worksheet: We've made a free printable worksheet that you can trace to make practicing easy.

This supply list covers the basic tools to help you get started with calligraphy. If you want to replace words the exact way we do, then you'll also need a:

[Bonus] Brush pen: To match the exact style that you see us writing, you'll need a brush pen. We're using a Tombow Fudenosuke Hard Tip.

If this is your first experience with calligraphy, we recommend that you follow along with a normal pen or pencil and move onto a brush pen.

A Word On Cardstock

Before we get into the examples, a quick note on using cardstock. While this sturdy paper is great for final products, keep in mind that its rough surface can quickly destroy any brush pen or marker that you might have. Practice on smooth paper and then move onto cardstock when you're ready for your final composition!

Learn more in our calligraphy paper guide.

How To Write Mom In Calligraphy

Perfect for a handwritten a Mother's Day card or a birthday gift tag, here's how to write mom in 3 beautiful handlettering styles.

Traditional Calligraphy

Both versions of mom below are written in Copperplate style, which is a traditional script. Although traditional scripts are normally written with pointed pen, this one was done with a small tip brush pen.

Notice the consistency. Can you see how each lowercase letter is not only identical in height but also in angle of writing? This is paramount in calligraphy (and our traceable worksheet will help you develop it).

*Mom written in traditional calligraphy*

The first word is written using standard letterforms, and the second is written with flourishes on the:

Main stem
Underneath the word
Exit stroke

Learn how to flourish with our guide: Flourishing For Beginners

Modern Style

If you're looking for a more modern or casual look, consider this style. With modern calligraphy, you don't need to follow the standard letter forms. This style is called bounce lettering, and although it looks more playful and organic than the previous examples, the letters are far from spontaneous.

While you can see that some parts of the letters go above and below the baseline, there's still uniformity in size, angle and downstroke thickness.

If you want to learn more about this fun, bouncy style then you may like our bounce lettering guide. Here we share the ins-and-outs (as well as the ups-and-downs) of this fun style of handwriting!

You may also like: How To Write "May" In Calligraphy

How To Write Dad In Calligraphy

Let's not forget the dads. Just like mom, dad is a great practice word because it's short.

Traditional Calligraphy

The word dad is slightly more difficult than mom as it starts with an intricate capital D. Although this letter may not be the easiest, it's a great illustration of the beauty of the Copperplate script!

To make the uppercase D, you'll find it easier to start at the top of the stem rather than with the swirly lines on the left side of it.

In traditional calligraphy, capital letters are letterforms that may not seem obvious when you first make them.

As you practice, they become easier and are fantastic places to add some embellishments and really make the style your own!

Modern Style

Of course you can also choose to let go of some of the rigidness of traditional scripts. Here's what the word dad looks like in a more modern style.

To get that modern look, make your loops a little rounder so that your letters become a little more open.

Adding a little loop on the stem of the lowercase d instantly changes the 'feel' of this word. Isn't it cool how tiny details can have such a big impact??

Now let's move on from simple three-letter words and advance to something a little more complex.

How To Write Grandma In Calligraphy

Grandmother, meemaw, nana, abuela - whatever you called yours, this one is for the grandmas out there. Writing longer words like grandma or grandmother takes more patience but just practice and the muscle memory will come!

Traditional Calligraphy

Longer words are perfect for adding some fun decorative strokes so let's take a closer look at how beautiful grandma can look.

As a rule of thumb, you can add embellishments to any ascenders as well as entry and exit strokes. Keep in mind that when it comes to decorative strokes, less is often more!

Do you feel like your embellishments 'just don't feel right'? Check out our guide on calligraphy flourishes where for loads of tips and examples to try!

Modern Style

With longer words like grandma, any stylistic choice you make really comes into its own. Just like the previous examples, make your letters a little loopier and bouncier for a very playful look.

Although letters seem to dance and bounce around the line, remember that the bounciness is never random.

How To Write Grandpa In Calligraphy

Grandfather, pappy, pop-pop, granddad, abuelo - last but not least is grandpa. Let's do him justice! As you write, remember that you're not trying to win a race; go slowly and focus on writing as beautifully as you can, one letter at a time.

Traditional Calligraphy

Capital letters like the G in this one can be true eye catcher and are worth spending some time on. Make sure to get nice flowing lines and pay attention to where the thicker strokes are.

Likewise, adding decorative lines works really well if you plan them out in advance. We recommend drawing them in pencil until you settle on a design that fits your piece. After that, simply trace over them to finish your piece.

Modern Style

Our final example is grandpa written in a modern, bouncy script. This G is tricky - follow along with us in the video tutorial to make it easier.

Here we've taken some liberty with the letter p. In modern calligraphy, you can experiment endlessly with your letterforms!

You may also like: How To Write Thank You In Calligraphy

Want To Learn More?

Do you feel inspired to take the next step in your calligraphy journey? If you want to learn more, we hope you'll explore our website Loveleigh Loops (.com) and join our online community.

We've would love to go with you on your journey. We've published thousands of written guides, video tutorials and free courses for brand-new writers all the way up to seasoned calligraphers who are turning their skills into a business.

Happy Lettering!