The Gentle Penman

The use of color in your calligraphy can be a delightful revelation.  But what sort of medium works best for Copperplate, and how do we actually write in color?  In this workshop we will learn the basics of writing with gouache, generally...

Spencerian is a handwriting system developed by Platt R. Spencer in the mid-1800s.  After his death, Spencer's children and colleagues continued and further developed and standardized Spencerian script as an educational model for teaching...

The Poetic Pen Masterclass is a special course designed to enhance your practice and understanding of Italian Hand. This extensive study class will share insights from historic writing masters as well as mentors who have influenced my own practice of...

“Laugh as much as you breathe and Love as long as you live.” – Johnny Depp.  One of my favorite quotes, and daily reminders that we should all laugh a little bit more, and if possible laugh until our bellies hurt. This workshop...

This three-day workshop, open to all levels, aims to examine the fluid, expressive, and sometimes idiosyncratic letters created by Art Nouveau artists and designers from the 1890s through the early 20th century. In the 1890s and early 20th century,...

Copperplate calligraphy can be as effective a choice for creating textured writing as the more traditional scripts such as Textura and other Gothic alphabets.  Using Copperplate, we will create sample blocks of writing that are dense and tightly...

This script was developed by the late Gwen Weaver (1950 – 2013).  Gwen loved the pointed pen and just wanted other scripts to be associated with the pointed pen.  One of the reasons why she developed it. Gwen taught this script at several...

Journey back in time to discover the elegant Uncial script, a rounded majuscule hand that shaped early manuscripts and became the dominant book hand from the 4th to 8th centuries. You'll learn its flowing forms and understand why it was so perfectly...

Learn how to paint in watercolour and then to digitise your artwork to create your very own stationery. The elements we will paint in class will be focusing on summer florals, fruit as well bugs and butterflies. After painting these we will learn how to...

In this workshop, you’ll dive into the bold, structured, yet elegant and powerful world of blackletter calligraphy. We’ll start with the basic strokes, move on to letters, and finally build up to words and phrases in blackletter styles...

Ruled (or Retouched) Old English was one of the most widely used lettering styles in the United States, especially favored by professional engrossers—calligraphers who specialized in creating elegant, final versions of important documents. From...

Take your brush pen skills to the next level! We'll go beyond the fundamentals, exploring the nuances of letter rhythm, texture, and creative variations. You'll explore advanced techniques, including alternative letters, flourishes, and ways to enhance...

The initials of the late Romanesque period have very free forms, much more than in more recent periods. Their color palette is also very rich. Finally, it is at this time that the first filigrees with very vegetal forms appear. ​During this course, we...

In this workshop, you will learn practical skills to improve your blackboard art and succeed as a freelance artist. You’ll be guided through painting a scannable QR code from start to finish, working efficiently on A-boards, and accurately tracing...

This workshop offers a whimsical approach to painting sweet watercolour birds in a charming initial setting that can be adapted to any season. Students of all skill levels will enhance their letter design capabilities as well as learn ways to add...

This workshop will unravel the mystery of creating depth in your artwork by using polyester film. Suzie will show you how to jazz up your layouts and create art that viewers will want to dive into!  You will have the opportunity to create a master...

Italic is one of the most widely used flat-nib writing styles by calligraphers around the world. Formally, through the study of its Cancelleresca variant made famous by Ludovico Degli Arrighi in his La Operina, a 16th-century manual that is still a rich...

Travel back several decades with me as we enjoy these unique and whimsical alphabets. These letter shapes greatly influenced me at an impressionable time in my calligraphic career, and I still enjoy finding opportunities to use them. In this workshop, we...

Blackletter and Uncial are historical styles of lettering that are traditionally done with a broad edge pen. But what if we keep the characteristics of each style and reinterpret them with a pointed pen? Through step-by-step instruction, starting with...

Dive into the elegant world of Chancery Script, starting from the techniques of Cresci’s Renaissance style to adapt to modern tools to make more contemporary shapes. ​We will begin with the roots of Chancery Script, exploring this style popular...