What is a Calligrascape? – Art + Photography

If you have read our “About Us” page, you would know why this website is named “Calligrascape” and the story behind it. Here in this post, I’ll define it and teach you how to make your own!

True North Calligrascape

Definition of a Calligrascape:

Calligrascape: is a photo combining of the written art of calligraphy or handlettering with a beautiful landscape or background. On social medias, this is signified with the hashtag #calligrascape

How it Came About

Explore - Calligrascape
First #calligrascape I ever took

Although I am not the first person to hold a piece of writing in front of a camera, I thought it would be a good idea to give the type of image a hashtag. I was quite curious about the styles around the world and the places calligraphy has gotten to. So calligraphy + landscape = calligrascape, pretty simple but it has a nice sort of ring to it. These days, in a world full of travelers, I see it like this: you won’t be the first person to take a picture there, but in most cases you will be the first person to take a picture like this on top of your country’s famous mountain or in front of that important landmark or statue. It’s like there’s a whole new frontier of traveling and taking pictures. Are you up for the adventure? Because I cannot wait to see what we all come up with.

How to Create a Calligrascape

There are 6 main steps to follow when making a Calligrascape. They are also the steps I check for before reposting it to our Instagram. So if you want to be featured, read this section carefully:

1. No Photoshop or Computer Editing of Any Kind

This kind of defeats the whole purpose of getting out there and getting a unique one-of-a-kind photo that you are proud of and contributing to the archive.

2. Write some Calligraphy or Lettering

Write whatever you want: a short quote, the city or landmark’s name. Ensure that you keep the writing legible and keep it classy.

3. Have a Cool Background or Landscape

Include an interesting or identifiable or (at the very least) pretty landscape or background. Does the photo make you want to be there personally? The goal is to inspire wanderlust and creativity.

4. Add the Correct Location

Before you post it to Instagram (adding #calligrascape AND @calligrascape so I can find it) or submit it over at our Discord, make sure to “Geotag” it or add the closest identifiable city. This helps categorize the photos, so we don’t have too many repeats (too soon) of countries.

5. Your Writing doesn’t cover more than (~50%) of the Photo

Its calligraphy AND landscape not just calligraphy. If it is too big, try cutting your lettering out so you can see more of the background.

Follow the @calligrascape Instagram page for ideas.

Calligrascape Archive

Check out Some Examples below:

Calligrascape Map

Calligrascape Map
Calligrascape Map

A while back, I had a map detailing all of the locations that a Calligrascape had been recorded in. The map quit working and I am still looking for a way to make that work. In the meantime, you can see over 1000 Calligrascapes over on our Instagram. Below is a record of where they have been taken:

Current country count: 67/195
Canadian Provinces: 6/13
American States: 29/50

List of Countries

Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina βœ”
Armenia βœ”
Australia  βœ”
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas  βœ”
Bahrain
Bangladesh βœ”
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium βœ”
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia βœ”
Bosnia and Herzegovina βœ”
Botswana
Brazil βœ”
Brunei
Bulgaria βœ”
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cambodia  βœ”
Cameroon
Canada βœ”
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile βœ”
China βœ”
Colombia βœ”
Comoros
Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Costa Rica βœ”
Cote d’Ivoire
Croatia βœ”
Cuba βœ”
Cyprus
Czech Republic βœ”
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic βœ”
Ecuador βœ”
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia βœ”
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland βœ”
France βœ”
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany βœ”
Ghana
Greece βœ”
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary βœ”
Iceland βœ”
India βœ”
Indonesia βœ”
Iran
Iraq
Ireland βœ”
Israel
Italy βœ”
Jamaica βœ”
Japan βœ”
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya βœ”
Kiribati
Kosovo βœ”
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia βœ”
Maldives βœ”
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico βœ”
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro βœ”
Morocco βœ”
Mozambique
Myanmar (Burma)
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal βœ”
Netherlands  βœ”
New Zealand βœ”
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
Norway
Oman
Pakistan βœ”
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines βœ”
Poland βœ”
Portugal βœ”
Qatar βœ”
Romania
Russia βœ”
Rwanda
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and The Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia βœ”
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore βœ”
Slovakia
Slovenia βœ”
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain βœ”
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden  βœ”
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan  βœ”
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand βœ”
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey βœ”
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom (UK) βœ”
United States of America (USA) βœ”
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City (Holy See) βœ”
Venezuela
Vietnam βœ”
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe βœ”

List of Canadian Provinces

Alberta  βœ”
British Columbia βœ”
Manitoba
Newfoundland
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia βœ”
North West Territories
Nunavuut
Ontario βœ”
Prince Edward Island
Quebec βœ”
Saskatchewan βœ”
Yukon

List of American States

Alabama βœ”
Alaska βœ”
Arizona βœ”
Arkansas
California βœ”
Colorado βœ”
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida βœ”
Georgia βœ”
Hawaii βœ”
Idaho βœ”
Illinois βœ”
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine βœ”
Maryland
Massachusetts βœ”
Michigan βœ”
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana βœ”
Nebraska
Nevada βœ”
New Hampshireβœ”
New Jerseyβœ”
New Mexico
New York  βœ”
North Carolina βœ”
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon βœ”
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island βœ”
South Carolina
South Dakota βœ”
Tennessee βœ”
Texas βœ”
Utah βœ”
Vermont
Virginia βœ”
Washington βœ”
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming βœ”

List of Notable Landmarks

Natural:
Machu Picchu βœ”
Niagara Falls βœ”
Grand Canyon βœ”
Sahara Desert  βœ”
Man-made:
Eiffel Tower βœ”
Taj Mahal βœ”
Burj Khalifa βœ”
Golden Gate Bridge βœ”
Great Wall of China βœ”
Panama Canal βœ”
Mount Rushmore βœ”
Statue of Liberty βœ”
Stonehenge..? βœ”

Niagara Falls Calligrascape

That’s All Folks…

Questions? Comments? Concerns? You know how to fix the Calligrascape map? Leave a comment below and I will respond to you.

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