Had an architecture professor back in college who was a master calligrapher and took two of his classes back in '74. A useful art form, I still practice it today, every now and then. I've got all sorts of steel nibs and holders, different inks, papers, reference books, you name it. Even made some money practicing it, but at a nickel a word it ain't much.
It seems to fascinate some people tho'. And yes, some females appreciate it. I only took those classes as art electives and because back in the day (pre AutoCad) of hand drafting, we hand lettered most of the design and working drawings we prepared and thought it would help (remember rub-on letters and Kroy machines?). It did.
Origins? It's just writing, so it really began with a stylus making marks on clay tablets, but it did evolve into an art form controlled by the church and a few learned people during the darker middle ages (post Roman, pre-Renaissance).
I practice Chauncery Cursive and the Uncial styles mostly. Never got into the whole Gothic look. It's all about the angle of the nib, letter height/nib width ratios, incline angle of letters, repetition.
Always good to listen to some of that olde tyme Gregorian Chant music while inking away. Those monks could rock in harmony I tell ya... even tho' my Latin is lacking. Played with some Kanji and Arabic calligraphy just for the sake of design mimicry... wish I could read it, but too lazy to take the time.
http://www.cbbag.ca/links.html#callig Scroll down to find calligraphy links, inks and even paper-making
