Paul Antonio studied Letterform History at the Department of Typography and Graphic Communication, University of Reading (1998). After being awarded one of the ten Art & Crafts Scholarships from The Commonwealth Foundation, he went to Reigate School of Art and Design to study Calligraphy, Gilding and Heraldic Painting specializing in Historical Materials and Techniques. He earned the only Distinction in his year of attendance(2000).Having always been interested in the history and the development of writing as a whole, Paul went on to study Arabic Calligraphy, English Palaeo-graphy and Archaeological Illustration at Birkbeck University (2001).
In 2003 Paul went to Egypt as the Assistant Archaeological Illustrator, for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, to copy hieroglyphs. This role now has him illustrating the hieroglyph collection at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London. Here he is also working with the curator on ‘An Egyptian Writing Systems’ course for the undergraduates at UCL and the general public.
Paul currently runs a calligraphy and heraldry practise in London where he teaches calligraphy and handwriting as well as works on commissions for numerous clients. His teaching affords him the opportunity to teach and lecture at Cambridge, Oxford, Reading, Kings, UCL, and LCC, also at the V&A. and The British Museum. Range of lectures includes a hands-on approach to lettering, alphabet history from 4000BCE to 100BCE and 100BCE to 2000AD and calligraphy classes for calligraphy groups.