Spontaneous Creation

2-Day (9+ hour) Workshop Available through June 1, 2022

All Skill Levels Welcome
Lettering • Design

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Description

Most calligraphers learn to carefully plan and execute their designs. In this workshop, we create as we go, making design decisions on the fly, as many fine artists do. We let the art tell us what’s next. We start with an idea and a plan but remain open to change as we create the work. There is an emphasis on using letters as design elements, shapes, textures, and structural components to build a composition. Numerous exercises, instruction and demonstrations, and handouts will guide you through this process. Collage is one of the exercises.

Supplies

  • At least two 11×14” sheets of Arches Text Wove or comparable (extra is nice)
  • At least two 11×14” sheets cold press watercolor paper (I like Arches 140 lb.)
  • 80# Strathmore 400 Drawing Pad, 11×14”
  • Black calligraphy ink, such as Higgins Eternal (or comparable); Sumi ink (I like Yasutomo or Moon Palace); Quink (optional: I like Blue and Blue-Black)
  • Walnut ink
  • White calligraphy ink (I like Dr. Martin’s Bleedproof White and Permanent White gouache)
  • A few color inks: I recommend Dr. Martin’s Tech Drawing inks (various colors, non-acrylic). Note: Dr. Martin’s Bombay waterproof India inks and/or any color inks with eye dropper top will also do, even if acrylic inks. 
  • Color pencils (Prismacolor are best) and/or dry pastels (a few colors) – optional, but good to have.
  • Some favorite gouaches and watercolors
  • Stiff and flexible pointed pens (I like Nikko G) and other favorite pens
  • Ruling pen, cola pen, other unusual writing tools (optional, but recommended)
  • Speedball C2 through C5 nib pens; favorite small Mitchell or Brause nibs, or comparable
  • Automatic pens (1/2” to 1”) or comparable (Optional, but highly recommended)
  • Favorite pointed brushes (for applying watercolor and gouache) and flat brushes (for wash and broad strokes)
  • Any collage materials you have (including thin sheets of white paper, semi-transparent or not, newspaper, phone book); if possible, prepare painted papers and pages of large calligraphic marks and letters in black ink
  • Any glues (if you have) and glue brushes; I like Sobo and Yes glues, as well as matte medium and Elmer’s Art Paste, but glue stick will also work
  • Scissors and/ or x-acto (small cutting mat if you have one)

Optional

  • 11×14″ Tracing Paper Pad (better still is Dura-Lar wet media film, 11×14” pad)
  • 11×14” Stonehenge (cream) paper
  • Cheap Chinese pointed brushes (optional, but nice to have)
Janet Takahashi

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WORKSHOP LINKS

YUKIMI ANNAND
Sequence: Journey of Experimental Calligraphy

SUZIE BERINGER
The Unconventional Pointed Pen

GEMMA BLACK
Drawing the Fibonacci Sequence

IVAN CASTRO
Basic Rudolf Koch:
Blackletter Und Neuland

ANNIE CICALE
Value Contrast: Exploring the Grey Areas
Word Meets Image on the Page

BARBARA CLOSE
Letters & Blossoms
Graphite Explorations

SUZANNE CUNNINGHAM
Beginning Copperplate Script

JUDY DETRICK
A Letter and a Rectangle

CAROL DUBOSCH
Ben Shahn Lettering

JESSIE FORA
(M) Handwritten: The Art of Tattoo Lettering

RISA GETTLER
(M) Painting Knotty Letters
Visigothic Versals

TAMER GHONEIM
Gothic Lettering Magic with Procreate
Blackletter Circles on Steroids

MIKE GOLD
Breaking the Rules
Spontaneous Creation
(M) Variations in A

HEATHER HELD
The Glittering Vine
Victorian Frames & Labels

NANCY HILLS
(M) Learning to Sketch Out Celtic Knots

THOMAS HOYER
Dynamic Textures
Ruling Pens Beyond the Rules
The Alchemist’s Magic

CARRIE IMAI
Playful Letters
(T) Mastering Italic

GINA JONAS
(M) A Meditative Calligraphy Technique

SALMAN KHATTAK
(M) Pen to Pixels
(M) Lines & Tines

MARTA MAPELLI
Expressive Pointed Italic
Pointed Brush

HEATHER MARTINEZ
(M) Learn to Sketchnote!

HOLLY MONROE
Decorated Letters
Italic Lettering - Basics & Beyond
(M) The Business of Calligraphy
(M) Lettering on Vellum

SUZANNE MOORE
In the Glow of Gouache
Page Dazzle: Patent Leaf Gilding

LORNA MULLIGAN
Loosening Up With Calligraphy & Paint

MICHELE NIDENOFF
(M) Decorative Borders w/Simple Tools
(M) Watercolor & Lettering with Masking Techniques

CORA PEARL
Monoline Lettering with a 'B' Nib
Monoline Lettering Techniques
(T) Foundation Tune-up Class

SALLY PENLEY
Sensational Sumi!
(M) Pastel Dusting Technique
(M) Pleated Scroll Book

JAN PICKETT
Creative Colour for All Occasions
Embossing with Extra Pizazz!
Letters Unlimited

ALI RICCARDO
Graffiti Writing - The New York Lesson
Rudolf Says

ROBBIE SASLOW
(M) Playing With Pens & Pencils
Round & Robust: Exploring Uncial
Simple & Semitic

LINDA SCHNEIDER
The Graceful Marker: Pointed Brush Script
Calligraphy on the Go!

CAROL MEASURES SCOTT
(M) Captivating Color in Calligraphy

MARINA SORIA
The Empty Space, Womb of Shape

JACQUELINE SULLIVAN
Cold Wax Calligraphic Abstracts
(M) Calligraphy & Mark Making with the Gel Plate
(M) Mini Book Madness

JANET TAKAHASHI
The Art of Miniature Painting & Lettering
Sketching Flowers with Watercolors & Ink

NINA TRAN
Flourishes Unraveled

ELMO VAN SLINGERLAND
Broad-edged pen: Roman Capitals

MARK VAN STONE
Versals
Versals & White Vine Decoration

JURGEN VERCAEMST
Colorful Lettering Composition

JULIE WILDMAN
Akim Variations and Long Compositions

ELEANOR WINTERS
Gothicized Italic