The Gentle Penman

The incomparable contrast between black and white is always striking and particularly the drama of white letters on a black background. Add to this an accent or two of red and the design comes alive. This class will concentrate on this limited but highly...

In this workshop we will draw and paint a Missal letter on calf vellum. Painting on vellum is lovely and truly a perfect surface!  In book making the vellum cannot be stretched as one usually paints on the verso.  Therefore, the painting...

Copperplate Summer School is a relaxing and yet thorough approach to basic Copperplate calligraphy, for novices who have no experience with the hand as well as more experienced calligraphers who want to review some or all of their Copperplate skills.This...

During the American Golden Age of Penmanship (1850 - 1925), the Spencerian Standard became the backbone of Business Penmanship and Ornamental Penmanship styles.  However, other lesser-known styles emerged from Spencerian as well, including a series...

We will dive into the world of wet techniques, exploring different methods and materials to create unique artistic compositions. We will work with watercolors, inks, different mediums, understanding the importance of paper quality and how it influences...

Join Barbara for a three-day journey into the world of lettering, where we will explore the art of drawing letters with both structure and expression. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced calligrapher looking to refine your skills,...

Oh, the allure of an ancient Medieval manuscript! The beauty of those exotic, colorful Versal letters! In this workshop, Brian will demonstrates different techniques in creating attractive medieval-style versal letters. He will also show you various ways...

Engrossing is an unfamiliar term to most of today’s calligraphers. However, from about the mid 1800’s through the mid 1900’s engrossing studios flourished throughout the U.S. employing hundreds of calligraphers or engrossers. Mike was...

Calligraphy has long been paired with paintings, ornamental scroll work, and other pictorial objects to enhance a piece's visual impact. In this class, we will explore the relationship between ovals and curvatures, and learn how to use them strategically...

Explore the beautiful world of Uncials with Sachin Shah. Although Uncial is a historical script dating back to 4thcentury, its relevance and applicability in the calligraphy world remains unparalleled even today. In this workshop, we will discover the...

Off-hand flourishing is a non-lettering form of penmanship and as such, there are no baselines, waistlines, capitals, or lowercase flourishes. As an artform, off-hand flourishing serves two purposes; these are space-filling and ornamentation. It is...

Romans have been our calligraphic foundation through the decades. They have a fascinating history of which we still follow, with a few adjustments. In this course we will begin with a solid understanding of these beautiful, classic letterforms, then take...

This workshop will cover the fundamentals of design to create a successful layout that combines lettering and watercolor florals, pen illustration, or your favorite decorative technique. Student will learn: 20 layout ideas (at least!) to use with small...

Before the age of computers and vinyl stickers all commercial signage was layed-out and painted by hand. For a few decades handpainted signage was almost gone. Today there is a new demand for handmade signs. They simply have so much more character than...

We cannot begin without looking at the Roman caps. And that is what we will do. Going through the Roman proportions, but not in a very detailed way. The study of Roman caps is a workshop(s) on its own. But it’s important to know that all caps are...

Student will explore the technique of calligram that consist to create a silhouette made by words. The workshop refers to people in love with lettering, calligraphers and designer that wants to have more skills especially with hand made types. Daniele...

Brush writing is one of the most expressive forms of calligraphy used today. Many styles can be recreated with the brush using the pressure technique, both classic and not, from the italic forms to the various types of cursive to the forms of sign...

In this workshop student will create expressive and personal scripts and then combine them to achieve new graphic effects. Working with a variety of pens, student will be asked to invent styles of calligraphy to express emotions, associations, and other...

You don’t need fancy paper or drawing skills to create a bespoke, handstitched notebook with a beautifully illustrated cover. In this introductory bookbinding class with book artist Bel Mills, you’ll transform a pair of envelopes into a...

Historical Hands  In keeping with our commitment to calligraphy education, the Gentle Penman is pleased to announce a new series of short workshops, which will serve as an introduction to a selection of styles of traditional calligraphy over the...