Pointed Pen - Learning a Script

Learning a specific calligraphic script begins with learning to form each letter. There’s more to it than that, though. The visual rhythm of the text is as important, if not more so, than perfect letters. This class starts with the letters, but there’s an emphasis on how to achieve a visual rhythm when writing. As an introduction, calligrapher Megan Goodenough will briefly cover the basics of which paper is best, which inks work well, and how to use a pointed nib. Working with a pointed pen is quite different from using the broader edge italic nib, but there’s a unique beauty inherent in the subtle irregularities of its lines. So that you can get comfortable with the pointed nib, there are a few warm up exercises for practice. Megan will then present the individual letters of the classic Copperplate script – a beautiful, flowing hand developed in Italy in the 1600s so that scribes could write more quickly than with the chisel edged italic nib. Once you’ve practiced the letters and start to link them to form words, Megan will cover how to create a visual rhythm in your writing by using connectors, spacing, slant, and ligatures. Paying attention to these subtleties is what makes a truly beautiful hand. No prior experience is required for this class. Students who have taken Megan’s Introduction to Pointed Pen class, or who have worked with a pointed pen, will enjoy the focus on visual rhythm and the additional practice. You’ll leave class with a foundation in Copperplate as well as supplies to take home. 

This class is heald off site; follow the link to our website for more information on directions, what to bring, the Cancellation Policy, and an Instructor Bio!