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!
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
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
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 β
Armenia β
Australia β
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas β
Bahrain
Bangladesh β
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium β
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia β
Bosnia and Herzegovina β
Botswana
Brazil β
Brunei
Bulgaria β
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cambodia β
Cameroon
Canada β
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile β
China β
Colombia β
Comoros
Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Costa Rica β
Cote d’Ivoire
Croatia β
Cuba β
Cyprus
Czech Republic β
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic β
Ecuador β
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia β
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland β
France β
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany β
Ghana
Greece β
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary β
Iceland β
India β
Indonesia β
Iran
Iraq
Ireland β
Israel
Italy β
Jamaica β
Japan β
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya β
Kiribati
Kosovo β
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia β
Maldives β
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico β
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro β
Morocco β
Mozambique
Myanmar (Burma)
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal β
Netherlands β
New Zealand β
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
Norway
Oman
Pakistan β
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines β
Poland β
Portugal β
Qatar β
Romania
Russia β
Rwanda
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and The Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia β
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore β
Slovakia
Slovenia β
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain β
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden β
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan β
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand β
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey β
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom (UK) β
United States of America (USA) β
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City (Holy See) β
Venezuela
Vietnam β
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe β
List of Canadian Provinces
Alberta β
British Columbia β
Manitoba
Newfoundland
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia β
North West Territories
Nunavuut
Ontario β
Prince Edward Island
Quebec β
Saskatchewan β
Yukon
List of American States
Alabama β
Alaska β
Arizona β
Arkansas
California β
Colorado β
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida β
Georgia β
Hawaii β
Idaho β
Illinois β
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine β
Maryland
Massachusetts β
Michigan β
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana β
Nebraska
Nevada β
New Hampshireβ
New Jerseyβ
New Mexico
New York β
North Carolina β
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon β
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island β
South Carolina
South Dakota β
Tennessee β
Texas β
Utah β
Vermont
Virginia β
Washington β
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming β
List of Notable Landmarks
Natural:
Machu Picchu β
Niagara Falls β
Grand Canyon β
Sahara Desert β
Man-made:
Eiffel Tower β
Taj Mahal β
Burj Khalifa β
Golden Gate Bridge β
Great Wall of China β
Panama Canal β
Mount Rushmore β
Statue of Liberty β
Stonehenge..? β
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.