Nina Tran - Introduction to Spencerian - Jan 17 & 24, 2026

Spencerian is an American handwriting system developed by Platt R. Spencer (1800-1864) in the mid-1800s, characterized by fine sweeping hairlines, semi-angular minims, tall looped ascenders and descenders, and stunning capitals. After his death, Spencer’s children and colleagues continued to teach and expand his work -- leading to its standardization as an educational model for teaching handwriting in the United States. Spencerian continued to flourish during the later half of the 19th century, becoming the underlying blueprint for many other American scripts such as Ornamental Penmanship and Business Penmanship throughout the Golden Age of American Penmanship (1850-1925). In this class, students will closely examine the Spencerian Standard minuscules and majuscules, and the characteristics and nuances that make this script beautiful, practical, and adaptable to their individual preferences and needs. Instructor bio: Nina Tran is a Los Angeles-based calligrapher whose love for letters has blossomed into a life-long pursuit of learning and understanding what it means to lead a creative life. She teaches a variety of scripts, including Copperplate, Spencerian, Gothic Textura, Gothicized Italic, and Fraktur, as well as an assortment of monoline letter styles for guilds and organizations online and in person. When she is not fiddling with letters, she can be found reading, knitting, or being out in nature.

Introduction to Spencerian
Nina Tran, Hosted By Portland Society for Calligraphy

Saturday, January 17, and Saturday, January 24, 2026

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Pacific

Registration Contact Email: workshops@portlandsocietyforcalligraphy.org