Where

SORRY, BOTH CLASSES NOW FULL. Try again for the term after Easter

Havant, Hampshire, United Reformed Church hall: next course starts January 17th 2012 Tuesdays 7pm – 9pm all levels, beginners welcome. This is a recently established group of students at all levels, 5 started last term so we’re used to welcoming new people and the teaching is pitched to meet individual needs.

Also  The 2000 Centre, Hedge End, Southampton, Wednesdays 1.15pm 0 3.15, starting 11th January. Whilst this is an established class of experienced students, many of whom are members of South Hampshire Calligraphers, beginners are welcome.

Please contact me in case there are spaces in these classes.

Alternatively look at the programme of courses at:
Urchfont Manor in Wiltshire, Dillington House in Somerset or Denman College near Oxford.

I also teach workshops for calligraphy groups across the country; these are open to their members – search for your nearest group or check the Calligraphy & Lettering Arts Society website for groups or tutors in your area.  If you live in Hampshire, visit the South Hampshire Calligraphers’ website for details of local activities and tutors.

What’s on offer to Groups

The following topics are currently on offer for full day, weekend or longer workshops but I can devise others to suit groups’ needs and experience.

• Designing layouts to catch the eye: Using contrast of scripts, sizes or weights, counterbalancing and other techniques, from poetry to posters to parking signs, this workshop deals with understanding how to make it so people notice it.
• Writing on Gold: simple techniques for using flat gold lead and other metals as a base for writing, creating sparkling areas of focus in a design.
• Formal Writing: ‘back to basics’ teaching of a particular script in depth, look on it as revision, or as an introduction to something new. Scripts might be
• Formal Italic, Roman Capitals, Foundational hand, modern Uncial , flat pen Uncial, Gothic, Rotunda, Batarde, Rustic, Carolingian.
• Flourishing Italic; suitable for those comfortable with formal Italic and ready to expand and develop confident flourishes; step by step techniques to gain confidence.
• Italic variations: branching out from the formal Italic, changing weight, slope, speed, making it dancing, lively, informal. Suit groups who are new to variations
• Freeing Up: suitable for those who are confident in their letterforms, either capitals or italic, this workshop would be a series of exercises to liven the lettering to lively dancing, expressive writing and varying the pens.
• Black and White. Exploring the impact of writing black on white and white on black, and combining the two for impact.
• Contrast and emphasis: exploring the text for suitable focus, combining contrasting weights and sizes, exploring variations in scripts for impact, and trying out layouts.
• Teeny Weenie Writing: techniques to maintain sharp well-formed lettering in very small sizes down to one millimetre, say for writing credits, or for those with a lot to write but no wall space!
• Brush Writing for pen Pushers: an introduction to the broad edged brush for students who already have experience of the edged pen. This could focus on classical Roman Capitals, or on more contemporary Italic lettering.

Other variants for this subject would be writing with the brush on T shirts, or making banners, or focusing on a particular script, as the brush is very versatile; try

Uncial
Swash italic
Chunky capitals
Gothic
Brush Writing on Fabric
Slogans on T shirts (using edged brush and fabric paint)

• Pointed Brush Techniques; Using the pointed brush in contemporary lettering styles based on Italic. Suitable for those familiar with italic who are wanting to loosen up their writing and broaden their repertoire of tools and resultant scripts.
• Exploring Tools: letterforms are affected by the tool used for writing. Many students stick to their first kind of pen but would benefit from broadening their experience and trying Speedball, Brause, ruling pens, automatic pens, balsa wood, brushes etc.
• Manipulation: we all start by sticking to the 45 degree pen angle or whatever is the rule, so departing from that is hard at first; however once twisting the pen becomes more familiar to your hand you will see the advantage for livening up your writing.
• Using Colour in the pen; mixing the colour you want instead of getting mud; putting colours together successfully; writing in colour on colour; colour change in the pen.