Round & Robust: Exploring Uncial
2-Day (9+ hour) Workshop Available through June 1, 2022
Beginner – Advanced
Lettering
Description
Uncial was the preeminent calligraphic style used in the first millennium for transcribing religious texts on parchment. Today this style endures with beautifully solid yet graceful letterforms, ideal for evoking not only antiquity and clarity, but also playfulness, fluidity and fun. Whether you are new to uncial or a seasoned “uncialist” in need of a brush up, this course is perfect for you. After a brief review of where uncial fits into the history of letterforms, we jump right in with the structure, spacing, variations and flourishing of the 26 letters. There is time for hands-on practice, and opportunities to sit back and observe demonstrations as well.
Supplies
PAPER
- A good pad or ream of practice paper, whatever you like working on. The letterforms we will be creating are 3½ to 4 pen widths tall, and I’d suggest you PRE-RULE your paper if you are starting with plain unruled paper.
If you are new to this and need some hand-holding, please contact me (see below). - If you don’t already have paper on hand, here are some suggestions.
- Borden and Riley “Paris Paper for Pens” #234, 11×17 or 14×17.
- Bienfang Calligraphy practice pad, #206
- Staples bright white 28 pound (available in letter size…but get larger if you can)
- Many like the John Neal practice pad: Item #P-21 at www.johnnealbooks.com
This is primarily a lettering class and I encourage practice, practice, practice. But it is also important to apply your beautiful letterforms to something other than a practice pad, so if you want to work on a small project, consider having a sheet of some “nicer” paper at hand. Your choice: watercolor paper, Mi Tientes, or other art paper.
PENS
I would recommend:
- Pilot Parallel Pen (the green cap 3.8 mm size or blue cap 6.0 mm size would be good to start). Be sure to get some refill cartridges!
- If you prefer dip pens, use what you like working with: Brause, Mitchell, Speedball, even crisp new calligraphy markers will work.
What size nibs to get? Every pen nib company has a different numbering system, so I cannot give a specific size. Consider a medium nib, something about 1/8” (4 mm) in width for practicing, and other sizes, both larger and smaller, if you want to work on a project.
INK/PAINT
INK
Some good practice ink is enough. Examples include: Higgins Eternal, Higgins Sepia, Walnut ink, etc. Ironically, I haven’t had very good experience with Higgins Calligraphy ink. But that’s just me.
PAINT
If you like working with gouache or acrylics or watercolors, be sure to have a water can, mixing palette, mixing brushes and some paper towels at hand.
DRAFTING AND NOTE-TAKING MATERIALS
Metal ruler or t-square big enough to rule lines across the paper you have.
Pencil (#2 or harder), and eraser
Pen/pencil and pad/notebook
SOURCE MATERIAL
A lyric, passage, poem, or short verse that you can use to create a final project. Keep it modest in size (a couple of sentences maximum).
Click on photo to visit biography page
WORKSHOP LINKS
YUKIMI ANNAND
Sequence: Journey of Experimental Calligraphy
SUZIE BERINGER
The Unconventional Pointed Pen
GEMMA BLACK
Drawing the Fibonacci Sequence
IVAN CASTRO
Basic Rudolf Koch:
Blackletter Und Neuland
ANNIE CICALE
Value Contrast: Exploring the Grey Areas
Word Meets Image on the Page
BARBARA CLOSE
Letters & Blossoms
Graphite Explorations
SUZANNE CUNNINGHAM
Beginning Copperplate Script
JUDY DETRICK
A Letter and a Rectangle
CAROL DUBOSCH
Ben Shahn Lettering
JESSIE FORA
(M) Handwritten: The Art of Tattoo Lettering
RISA GETTLER
(M) Painting Knotty Letters
Visigothic Versals
TAMER GHONEIM
Gothic Lettering Magic with Procreate
Blackletter Circles on Steroids
MIKE GOLD
Breaking the Rules
Spontaneous Creation
(M) Variations in A
HEATHER HELD
The Glittering Vine
Victorian Frames & Labels
NANCY HILLS
(M) Learning to Sketch Out Celtic Knots
THOMAS HOYER
Dynamic Textures
Ruling Pens Beyond the Rules
The Alchemist’s Magic
CARRIE IMAI
Playful Letters
(T) Mastering Italic
GINA JONAS
(M) A Meditative Calligraphy Technique
SALMAN KHATTAK
(M) Pen to Pixels
(M) Lines & Tines
MARTA MAPELLI
Expressive Pointed Italic
Pointed Brush
HEATHER MARTINEZ
(M) Learn to Sketchnote!
HOLLY MONROE
Decorated Letters
Italic Lettering - Basics & Beyond
(M) The Business of Calligraphy
(M) Lettering on Vellum
SUZANNE MOORE
In the Glow of Gouache
Page Dazzle: Patent Leaf Gilding
LORNA MULLIGAN
Loosening Up With Calligraphy & Paint
MICHELE NIDENOFF
(M) Decorative Borders w/Simple Tools
(M) Watercolor & Lettering with Masking Techniques
CORA PEARL
Monoline Lettering with a 'B' Nib
Monoline Lettering Techniques
(T) Foundation Tune-up Class
SALLY PENLEY
Sensational Sumi!
(M) Pastel Dusting Technique
(M) Pleated Scroll Book
JAN PICKETT
Creative Colour for All Occasions
Embossing with Extra Pizazz!
Letters Unlimited
ALI RICCARDO
Graffiti Writing - The New York Lesson
Rudolf Says
ROBBIE SASLOW
(M) Playing With Pens & Pencils
Round & Robust: Exploring Uncial
Simple & Semitic
LINDA SCHNEIDER
The Graceful Marker: Pointed Brush Script
Calligraphy on the Go!
CAROL MEASURES SCOTT
(M) Captivating Color in Calligraphy
MARINA SORIA
The Empty Space, Womb of Shape
JACQUELINE SULLIVAN
Cold Wax Calligraphic Abstracts
(M) Calligraphy & Mark Making with the Gel Plate
(M) Mini Book Madness
JANET TAKAHASHI
The Art of Miniature Painting & Lettering
Sketching Flowers with Watercolors & Ink
NINA TRAN
Flourishes Unraveled
ELMO VAN SLINGERLAND
Broad-edged pen: Roman Capitals
MARK VAN STONE
Versals
Versals & White Vine Decoration
JURGEN VERCAEMST
Colorful Lettering Composition
JULIE WILDMAN
Akim Variations and Long Compositions
ELEANOR WINTERS
Gothicized Italic