Writing a poem in Calligraphy
- Stellahism
- Jul 5
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 10
When my client commissioned a handwritten version of Maya Angelou’s Phenomenal Woman as a bespoke gift, I knew it would be a challenge. With over 250 words and 62 lines, it became my longest calligraphy commission to date.
That’s why I felt it was worth sharing the full process here — for anyone who might be curious about what goes into a piece like this. I posted a few glimpses on Instagram and Facebook, mostly in photos with short captions. But those platforms aren’t really made for longer reflections. and I found myself wishing for a space to write more fully.
Blogging isn’t new to me. I used to write a lot — years ago, long before I became a calligrapher — mostly about everyday thoughts and life. I even wrote a few posts when I first started this creative journey. And then… I paused, for a long while.
Now feels like the right time to return.
So here you are, reading this post — and I just want to say: welcome, and thank you for being here. I hope this space becomes a gentle archive of my creative process — a place for stories, reflections, and the journey.
Now let’s begin, with the story behind…
The Making of Phenomenal Woman - a poem in calligraphy

Step 1: Layout Planning for Poem Calligraphy
Planning the layout is a crucial step — especially for poetry. Unlike writing an article, every phrase or line in a poem typically stands alone, which means we need more lines, and more space. My client initially asked for an A4-size piece, but due to the length of the poem, it's impossible to put the full poem at A4. I recommended a minimum size of A3. Even at A3, the script would have been too small if written in a single column — so I suggested the client to go with two columns in the final layout.
I created a digital layout in Adobe Photoshop (any software, like Word, works too), using a font similar in size and proportion to my script to estimate spacing. Using the computer helped tremendously with planning such a large piece. This helped me test script size, title proportions, and the author’s name placement. I finally chose to center-align the two columns, meaning the left column ends at the center, and the right column begins at the center.

Once I was happy with the layout, I created the guidelines and took away the text, leaving a blank guide for writing.


Step 2: Pencil Layout
Using those guidelines, I wrote out the entire poem in pencil. I also planned the flourishing at this stage. Because the text was already quite dense, I decided to keep the flourishes minimal and not overwhelming.

Once I was satisfied with the pencil draft, I went over it with black ink.

After the ink dried, I erased the pencil marks carefully. (Note: This draft served as a clean guide, not the final piece.)

Step 3: Writing the Final Piece
Now it was time to prepare the final piece.
I placed the artwork paper over the inked draft and used a light box to trace the poem. I used walnut ink and wrote slowly, carefully, following the layout I'd already developed.
You might wonder: Why write it again instead of just using the previous version? The reason is that pencil lines and erasing can leave marks or minor damage on the paper — not ideal for a final piece meant to be gifted. Having a finished draft underneath also helps reduce the pressure of making mistakes. All I had to do was focus fully on the writing, immersing myself in the meditative but highly attentive process of shaping each stroke.
The process is slow and can’t be rushed. I didn’t count the exact time, but I believe it took me around four hours just to complete the writing.


Step 4: Decoration
As you can see, there isn't much white space left, so I kept the decorative elements subtle — small watercolor flowers and leaves in the four corners, and some touches of gilding using gold leaf to add quiet elegance.





Step 5: Framing the Final Piece
Last but not least, the frame is an important part of the presentation. Because my schedule was tight, I actually contacted the framing company before I started the final piece. The frame was custom-made using the measurements from my layout plan. (Ideally, you should complete the work first, then measure the actual piece — it’s safer.)

Choosing the frame and mat was an enjoyable part of the process. The staff at the framing shop were very experienced and offered great advice. In the end, I chose an antique-style bronze frame, with a double mat: the second layer was in antique gold to match the frame and add depth to the piece.


Final Thoughts
Finishing this piece brought a deep sense of satisfaction. It was a challenge in both scale and patience, but I’m grateful to have experienced the full process — from layout to final frame.

Thank you for reading my first post!
I hope you enjoyed this blog. I’ll be sharing more soon: tools, techniques, behind-the-scenes, and more stories of this creative path.
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See you next time :) In ink,
Stella