Uncial

This script is recommended for beginning calligraphy. The basic alphabet offered here is a simple capital letterform, closely based on a historical example, and is useful and attractive in text use, and enables the beginner to make a confident start. Lessons 1 & 2 are suitable for complete beginners, who can then complete a further 2 lessons, writing out texts to consolidate the script, or progress to another script. The 4-lesson course set-out as follows is suitable for those wishing to improve the uncial script and to explore variations.

Lesson 1: Pencil letterforms, letter spacing,. pen written alphabet, letter spacing, writing out a text.
Lesson 2: Pen-written texts at smaller nib sizes, introduction to uncial variations.
Lesson 3: Further exploring uncial variations, and use in texts.
Lesson 4: Design exercises with uncial and more experimental variations..

Foundational Hand

This is a useful script for any calligrapher as a learning discipline aiding in the perception of subtle relationships of letterform. Based on the 10th century Ramsey Psalter, and popularized by the well-known English calligrapher Edward Johnston early last century, it is particularly useful for formal work. It also provides a sound basis for personal experiment with variations of letter
weight, movement etc. at a later stage.

Lesson 1: Pencil letters in formation groups, alphabetical order, letter spacing, word practice.
Lesson 2: Pen-written letters in formation groups, alphabetical order, letter spacing, word practice.
Lesson 3: Pen-written text in large nib size.
Lesson 4: Pen-written text in small nib size.

Roman Capitals

These letters are needed to accompany Foundational Hand, but
also have many applications in their own right. They are particularly useful
for an understanding of the concept of letter-spacing, of related letter
proportions, and the use of different pen angles within
the same alphabet. An inexhaustible range of capital variations, both formal
and experimental, can be developed from a sound basis of pen-written
Roman Capitals.

Lesson 1: Pencil letters in formation groups, alphabetical order, letter spacing,
word practice
Lesson 2: Pen-written letters in formation groups, alphabetical order, letter
spacing word practice.
Lesson 3: Pen-written text in a large nib size.
Lesson 4: Pen-written text in smaller nib sizes.

Italic

Stemming from the Italian Renaissance, italic is an invaluable part of the
calligrapher's repertoire - particularly encouraging rhythm in writing, and in its variations offers wide scope for experiment. In its many guises, italic is useful in a very wide range of design situations. This course focuses on a basic, formal italic, further courses cover italic variations.

Lesson 1: Pencil letters in formation groups, alphabetical order, letter spacing, word practice.
Lesson 2: Pen-written letters in formation groups, alphabetical order, letter spacing word practice.
Lesson 3: Pen-written texts in a large nib size.
Lesson 4: Pen-written texts in smaller nib sizes.

Italic Capitals

These are compressed and usually sloping letters developed from Roman capitals, and are useful both as an accompaniment to italic and in their own right in a wide range of design situations. 
They provide a basis from which a great variety of capital letterforms can be developed.

Lesson 1: Pencil letter in formation groups, alphabetical order, letter spacing, word practice.
Lesson 2: Pen-written letters in formation groups, alphabetical order, letter spacing, word practice.
Lesson 3: Pen-written text in a large nib size.
Lesson 4: Pen-written text in smaller nib sizes.

The following 4 courses are suitable for calligraphers beyond the beginning stages:

Versals

Versals are built-up letters requiring several strokes of a narrow edged-nib to build-up each weighted stroke. They are excellent for building technical skill, but not suitable for absolute beginners. The versals taught here, based on classic Roman capital proportions, provide a good basis for later experiment with built-up letters.

Lesson 1: Pencil monoline Roman capitals, pen-written versals-straight letters.
Lesson 2: Curved letters.
Lesson 3: Different letter weights, writing out text.
Lesson 4: Different letter weights and writing out text in smaller scale versals.

Joined cursive italic variations

Building on basic italic, this course introduces joined italic and a wide variety of italic variations, encouraging a wider repertoire of possibilities.

Lesson 1: Pen-written ligatures for joined cursive italic, word practice.
Lesson 2: Writing out texts in different nib sizes.
Lesson 3: Joined cursive italic variations - use in texts.
Lesson 4: Further variations - developing a personal cursive.

Sharpened italic and variations

Sharpened italic, like basic italic, is useful for encouraging writing rhythm, in addition to basic sharpened italic, this course introduces a range of variations..

Lesson 1: Basic sharpened italic - pen-written letters in formation groups, letter spacing, alphabetical order, word practice.
Lesson 2: Writing out texts at different nib sizes.
Lesson 3: Exploring unjoined sharpened italic variations.
Lesson 4: Exploring joined sharpened italic variations.

Flourish design

Flourishes can greatly enhance italic in suitable design situations. This course covers flourishes for italic and italic capitals. A sound basic knowledge and practice of these scripts is desirable before learning flourishes.

Lesson 1: Range of flourishes for italic minuscule letters
Lesson 2: Writing texts with flourished italic at different nib sizes, and practising more complex flourishes.
Lesson 3: Flourished italic capital alphabet and word practice.
Lesson 4: More complex flourished capitals, and using flourished italic and capitals in texts.

Copperplate

This flexible pointed pen writing dating from the 17th century has seen a revival in recent years.It has many contemporary uses including for designing wedding stationery and for writing out inspiring poetry and prose. This 6 lesson course covers:

Lesson 1: Introducing copperplate, tools & materials, penhold,forming the alphabet with pressure and release in pencil, letter-joins.

Lesson2: Writing words in pencil, learning the alphabet with the pen.

Lesson 3: Adding looped ascenders, lay-out and design of a text in pen and ink to make a finished work.

Lesson 4: Writing at smaller sizes. Writing with coloured gouache on coloured paper. Lay-out of a short text and making a finished version.

Lesson 5: Learning and practising capitals alphabet using pressure & release in pencil.Practising the line of universal beauty for letter stems with the pen.

Lesson 6: Learning the alphabet with the pen, word practice combining capitals and minuscule. Note: this course can be taken as 4 lessons on copperplate minuscule for £60, or 6 lessons including the capitals for £90.

Contemporary pointed pen cursive

This currently very popular script is influenced by copperplate and italic handwriting.This 4 lesson course covers:

Lesson 1: Learning the alphabet in pencil with pressure and release on the strokes, letter joins and word practice.

Lesson 2: Learning the alphabet with the pointed pen, word practice.

Lesson 3:Flourished capitals, writing place names and useful phrases for greetings.

Lesson 4: Learning numbers and plain capitals for postcodes.Writing envelopes.

Home | Image gallery | Workshops and News | Contact