Arshia Narula

Name: Arshia Narula

Grade: 9

Future college: Stanford University

Future career: Corporate Law

Wingspan: What got you first interested in calligraphy?

Narula: “I first learned about calligraphy through my friends when they gave me cards for my birthday. It was really fascinating to see how they used just a pen to make their handwriting look so elegant and the colors blending together really made me interested. Because of that, I asked my parents to get me some pens and I started watching videos, practiced, and got the hang of it!”

Wingspan: How long have you been a calligraphy artist?

Narula: “I’ve been doing calligraphy for about 2 years now”

Wingspan: Does it change the amount of effort you put into your work?

Narula: “I am a perfectionist so doing calligraphy with my work sometimes does affect me in terms of how long I take on an assignment. That’s why I try keeping it at a minimum and think of calligraphy as more of a hobby than a part of my work. It doesn’t change the amount of effort I put into my work because at the end of the day, I know that the most important thing is understanding my work rather than making it look appealing to me.”

Wingspan: There’s a slight stigma on the internet saying that people who “make their notes pretty” are usually the ones who don’t do that well at school. What do you have to say to people who believe that and do you think that is true to you?

Narula: “I don’t think that’s true because what matters is being focused at the moment. Also, I usually do calligraphy for fun and decoration but if I ever do it as a part of my work, I know that it’s important to understand my priorities and be focused with what I’m doing. Everyone learns differently and it’s important for people to accept that because someone may learn and understand better if they decide to make their notes look appealing to them. On the other hand, some people may prefer to go the simple way and they maybe getting their aimed results at school that way.”

Wingspan: What materials do you use for writing?

Narula: “I use a lot of brush pens of all colors, cardstock paper, pencils, and fine tip pens. My favorite brand for brush pens is Tombow.”

Wingspan: Does your expression go hand-in-hand with bullet journaling or handwriting your notes?

Narula: “Yes it does!”

Wingspan: What advice do you have for people who can’t seem to pick writing in calligraphy up?

Narula: “My advice would be to continuously practice. Treat it as more of a fun experience rather than a stressful thing to do where you have to get it right once you start. Also, the whole point of calligraphy and art is to make it your own! Honestly, there’s no right way to do calligraphy because it’s more about the unique touch you put into it, so be confident with the way you express your art!”

Wingspan: Would you say doing this has changed you in any way? How so?

Narula: “I think doing calligraphy has changed my perspective and response to imperfection. Every artist has their own style and uniqueness and it’s important to understand that. I believe that becoming an artist myself through calligraphy has allowed me to appreciate the uniqueness and imperfection around us, whether it’s art or my surroundings in general. I also think it’s just made me a more open-minded person as I’ve learned that you should try new things in order to discover your passions.”