Long Course: 10 Day x 2 hours = 20 hours

Short Course: 5 days x 2 hours = 10 hours

This course is the same as the one following except that it does not go into the same detail, and is condensed into five days.

Day 1
Introduction to the class.
Discussion regarding materials and setting up correctly. Warm up with pencil practice and felt pen practice with discussion regarding the appropriate posture and grip.
Introduction to the basic sans serif and simple serif Roman alphabet, as created in Rome around 114 CE.
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Day 2
Revision and discussion of work covered during the provious week.
Introduction to the use of the pen and ink with exercises.
Introduction to the Foundational Hand minuscules using copy and grid sheets provided.
This hand is based on the Foundational Hand designed by Edward Johnston, London, in the early 1900's, itself based on the Carolingian, created in Aachen c. 800 CE.
Display and critique of homework.
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Day 3
Revision and discussion of work covered during the provious week.
Introduction to the Foundational Hand majuscules using copy and grid sheets provided. Notice that the basic form of this hand is the circle. It is formal, upright and elegant.
Display and critique of homework.
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Day 4
Revision and discussion of work covered during the provious week.
Introduction to the Uncial Hand majuscules and Half- Uncilals using copy and grid sheets provided.
The uncial originated in North Africa around the 3c c. and fused Latin and Greek influences. The half-uncial blended the everyday hand with the uncial and was the first minuscule, and precursor of the Carolingian hand.
Display and critique of homework.
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Day 5
Revision and discussion of work covered during the provious week.
Introduction to the Gothic Black Letter minuscules using copy and grid sheets provided.
This hand, also called 'Textura' originated in Germany in the 13th c. and was cut as the first metal type by Johann Gutenberg c. 1455. Produced the 'forty-two line Bible'.
Display and critique of home work.
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Day 6
Revision and discussion of work covered during the provious week.
Reference and demonstration of Blind Embossing and its use in calligraphy. Introduction to the Gothic Black Letter majuscules using copy and grid sheets provided.
Notice that the basic form of this hand is the vertical. It is strong and powerful like Gothic Architecture and is known as a Designer's Hand.
Display and critique of home work.
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Day 7
Video of edited version of 'The Story of Writing'. Demonstration of Calligraphy materials, using large and small nibs including Speedball, Mitchell, Brause, Sonnegin, the Coit system, the Automatic system, Fountain Pens, Brushes, Paints, Inks, Paper, Markers, Felt and Fibre tips, Colour, Design, Layout and Graphics.
Display and critique of homework.
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Day 8
Revision and discussion of work previously covered.
Introduction to Italic Hand minuscules using copy and grid sheets provided.
This hand was developed in Italy around the late 14th c. and used during the Renaissance by Michaelangelo , Leonardo and Queen Elizabeth. This hand is characterised by slanted, oval-shaped letter forms.
Display and critique of homework.
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Day 9
Revision and discussion of work previously covered.
Introduction to Italic Hand majuscules using copy and grid sheets provided.
The italic hand and the copperplate script (17th c.) form the basis of our contemporary hand-writing and is what most people imagine when they think of 'Calligraphy'.
Demonstration on the relationship between calligraphy and hand-writing and discussion of a 'personal' hand.
Discussion on Composition, Decoration, and Colour.
Display and critique of homework.
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Day 10
Revision and discussion of work previously covered.
Display and critique of homework