Round & Robust: Exploring Uncial

Description

Uncial was the preeminent calligraphic style used in the first millennium for transcribing religious texts on parchment. Today this style endures with beautifully solid yet graceful letterforms, ideal for evoking not only antiquity and clarity, but also playfulness, fluidity and fun. Whether you are new to uncial or a seasoned “uncialist” in need of a brush up, this course is perfect for you. After a brief review of where uncial fits into the history of letterforms, we jump right in with the structure, spacing, variations and flourishing of the 26 letters. There is time for hands-on practice, and opportunities to sit back and observe demonstrations as well.

Supplies

PAPER

• A good pad or ream of practice paper, whatever you like working on. The letterforms we will be creating are 3½ to 4 pen widths tall, and I’d suggest you PRE-RULE your paper if you are starting with plain unruled paper.
  If you are new to this and need some hand-holding, please contact me (see below).
• If you don’t already have paper on hand, here are some suggestions.
• Borden and Riley “Paris Paper for Pens” #234, 11×17 or 14×17.
• Bienfang Calligraphy practice pad, #206
• Staples bright white 28 pound (available in letter size…but get larger if you can)
• Many like the John Neal practice pad: Item #P-21 at www.johnnealbooks.com
  This is primarily a lettering class and I encourage practice, practice, practice. But it is also important to apply your beautiful letterforms to something other than a practice pad, so if you want to work on a small project, consider having a sheet of some “nicer” paper at hand. Your choice: watercolor paper, Mi Tientes, or other art paper.

PENS

I would recommend:

• Pilot Parallel Pen (the green cap 3.8 mm size or blue cap 6.0 mm size would be good to start). Be sure to get some refill cartridges!
• If you prefer dip pens, use what you like working with: Brause, Mitchell, Speedball, even crisp new calligraphy markers will work.
  What size nibs to get? Every pen nib company has a different numbering system, so I cannot give a specific size. Consider a medium nib, something about 1/8” (4 mm) in width for practicing, and other sizes, both larger and smaller, if you want to work on a project.

INK/PAINT

INK

Some good practice ink is enough. Examples include: Higgins Eternal, Higgins Sepia, Walnut ink, etc. Ironically, I haven’t had very good experience with Higgins Calligraphy ink. But that’s just me.

PAINT

If you like working with gouache or acrylics or watercolors, be sure to have a water can, mixing palette, mixing brushes and some paper towels at hand.

DRAFTING AND NOTE-TAKING MATERIALS

Metal ruler or t-square big enough to rule lines across the paper you have.
Pencil (#2 or harder), and eraser
Pen/pencil and pad/notebook

SOURCE MATERIAL

A lyric, passage, poem, or short verse that you can use to create a final project. Keep it modest in size (a couple of sentences maximum).

Robbie Saslow

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