Announcing exciting NEW classes and workshops coming up this November/December 2016.
Advanced Calligraphy is an advanced beginner calligraphy course designed for those who already know the fundamentals of any calligraphic hand and are ready for the challenge of applying the words and other elements to the page. Whether you are addressing envelopes, designing a monogram, laying out a certificate, document, or quote of any size, this class will help you understand the concept of hierarchy on a page, drama, stable compositions, and the balance of elements.
You will also be encouraged to take the plunge into the world of flourishing! Experimentation with color inks, gouache, metallics and paper is also encouraged. Bring in your free spirits and let’s have fun!
Supply List link below and provided at signup page.
Description: This is an introductory look at Copperplate, an elegant and elastic hand frequently used for formal invitations, documents and bridal events. Completely enchanting, the dramatic thick and thins of this delicate hand will make you swoon.
Students will be given handouts and guide sheets, learning the upper and lower case characters. We will also address spacing and layout for addressing envelopes.
Calligraphy is less about pretty handwriting, but more about DRAWING each and every letter. It’s about establishing a pace and rhythmic motion as you write - giving you a consistency of shapes and letters, and spaces in between words and lines. It is highly relaxing and meditative. Like yoga for the hands, it centers, calms, and enchants the person making as well as and the person admiring it.
Supply List link below and provided at signup page.
NEW CLASS AND LOCATION
Calligraphy meets Bookbinding!
Description:
The anatomy of a book is fascinating, as are the personal adjustments one can make to create this decorative and functional work of art. A personal handmade journal is a vehicle in which you can fill your hopes and dreams, drawings, musings, sketches, lettering practice, and more.
If you enjoy stitching, gluing, folding, drawing, painting, laughing, and the freedom to be yourself in good company, this class is for you.
Spend a weekend making your very own Coptic Journal with folded blank or lined pages that you prefer writing on, sewn together with a bookbinding needle and waxed perl cotton thread. Front and back covers are cut from raw chipboard you then cover with imported handmade papers (Washi Paper.)
The Coptic Bound Book, developed by early Christians in Egypt, began its origins way back in the 2nd century AD. This functional, decorative work of art makes a great gift for you or someone who would enjoy filling it!
A very flexible and visible spine allows it to open completely flat and therefore makes a fabulous sketchbook, journal, or lettering drill practice, as your hand does not have to fight the center of the book as you write.
To make your book even more unique, we’ll personalize the cover with a monogram I’ll help you design. Using any lettering style or font you like, I’ll show you the secret to building out a well-balanced monogram and transferring that design to your cover with liquid acrylic inks and a brush, or a cut paper collage with the aide of scissors and fine details cut with an exacto blade.
We’ll take about an hour break each day to eat lunch somewhere in the city of Decatur (you may also bring your lunch) and by the end of class, you’ll be very proud of your first coptic bound journal. Anne’s workshops are meaningful, educational, enriching, and fun.
IMPORTANT NOTES: Please let Anne know (penkitten@anneelser.com) the full size of the paper you will be using for pages, so that we can have a your covers cut to their intended size.
Anne will be bringing her dog Inga to the workshop. If you have a phobia or allergy, please let her know beforehand, so that everyone is comfortable.
This is an All Skill Level course.
Supplies provided by instructor:
• Semi-transparent marker layout paper (for sketching out monogram)
• Lineco® bookbinding needles
• 2-ply chipboard covers
• Wet Bookbinding Adhesive
• 4-ply chipboard measuring guide
• Bookbinding Needles
• Beeswax
• Perl cotton thread
• Liquid Acrylic Inks for painted monograms.
• Colored pencils for accenting/drawing monograms.
• Piercing Cradles
• Wax Paper
Supply list: (purchased by students.)
• $15 supply fee to instructor payable the first day of class
• If you would like to paint your monogram, please bring a small or medium Pentel Aquash Water Brush.
• Lineco® medium-duty awl
• Lineco® bone folder (bone, not plastic, please.)
• Washi Paper (This is decorative handmade paper that comes in many different patterns, textures and weights.
Pick at least 3-5 sheets you like that are not tissue paper thin.)
• Mechanical Pencil
• Exacto Knife & blades
• Self-healing cutting mat (at least 12 x 18)
• Lineco® glue brush or stiff & springy kiddie craft glue brush (at least one inch wide).
Paper Source also carries a good glue brush.
• Non-slip metal ruler
• Pad of paper for book pages: Choose something you REALLY enjoy wtiting on.
My favorites are: Strathmore Calligraphy Pad, Strathmore Parchment Pad, Strathmore Writing Paper Pad (unlined),
Rhodia and Claire-Fonatine pads: Lined, Graph, Dot, or blank.
• Scissors
• Paper towels
• Work Apron
(Also known as Calligraphy Four in the image.)
6 Sessions | Intermediate to Advanced | Price $160 | Max. 15 | Thursdays | Oct 3 – Dec 15, 1-3:30pm (No class 11/24)
An intermediate/advanced Project-based course exploring alternative surfaces and tools for your lettering. Must feel comfortable with at least 1 calligraphic hand.
Projects included: Pointed Pen Variations: "Breaking the rules" and letter experimentation. Drawn Letters with monolinear tools (pencils, markers, and gel pens) for chalk lettering, gel pen fabric marker lettering, & oil-based marker lettering on glazed ceramics. Brush lettering: letter formation with a brush for projects on fabric, paper, leather or wood.
Finished Projects: brush lettering, letter variation, and monolinear exemplars, handkerchiefs, lettered cups/plates/saucers and chalkboard signage. First class bring: pencil, calligraphy pens, ink, ruler, scissors, glue, tape & transparent marker paper. Other supply lists given after 1st class.
Description: Suitable for calligraphic students who have taken at least one beginning calligraphy broad edge or pointed pen course and for advanced calligraphers as well, this workshop shows you, in manageable steps, how to compose your letters into a graphic unit in pencil, transfer the design to a permanent surface, and embellish it with live brushwork, flourishes, and accents.
Day one is sketching and practicing day. We focus on creating your design by tracing and retracing your lettering until it feels just right. Then we’ll get comfortable with the brush firstly as a coloring tool, and secondly as an accenting and flourishing tool. You’ll learn to brush with confidence with some standard practice strokes and pressure play - all different techniques for adding live flourishes as opposed to painting in a sketch. We’ll look for opportunities to add flourishes to your design while keeping them simple and elegant.
Day two is painting day! We begin by applying a background color as an underpainting to your final surface with a broad brush and liquid acrylic inks and then transferring your design to that surface. After transfer, your hard work is done and you fill in your drawing with color, just like you would in a coloring book.
We’ll then take one final step to add depth to your painting with accent strokes, shadowing,
highlighting, and more.
Congratulations. You are now a painter!
This is my dog Inga and I bring her to my classes and workshops when I can.
She will not jump up on you unless you slather yourself with bacon grease.
If you have an dog allergy or phobia, please let me know beforehand (now!) so that everyone (this means you) is comfortable.
