Even in this digital age, Trinidadian-born calligrapher Paul Antonio Attong is much in demand, working as one of perhaps 50 full-time, professional scribes plying their trade in Britain today. We first came across him while listening to a programme on the BBC and were determined to find out more about his craft and his history. Antonio's knowledge of and passion for calligraphy is nothing short of amazing. Growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, he was particularly inspired by maps made in the 18th and 19th centuries. He moved to Britain in 1998 and studied letterform history, calligraphy, manuscript illumination and heraldic painting.
Paul Antonio is incredibly knowledgeable about the tools and materials relating to his trade. He prepares his own calfskin vellum, cuts his own goose quill and even makes his own ink. From a studio in Clapham, south London he works for private and business clients and gives the occasional lecture at the V&A or the British Museum. His studio produces calligraphy for placecards, placement envelopes, escort cards, invitations, envelopes, scrolls for presentations, memorial pages, cyphers, certificates, dedications, poems, logos and documents for film and TV. Paul Antonio charges by word and by script type as some in the range he offers are more time-consuming than others. He either writes each document individually or can print multiple copies from a high-resolution scan.
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| Images | Paul Antonio |
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