Westchester Adult School new collaborative Project

Sept 22, 2009

The intermediate class came up with a wonderful idea for a collaboration. Because the class is small we have put together a project that will compel us to complete the assignments and do our best work. 

THERE IS STILL ROOM FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE MISSING FROM CLASS. (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) Please come back, this is going to be sooo good! 

We are going to do 4 pages of art and calligraphy based on the ALPHABET. Our subject (the alphabet) can mean anything that you come up with that tells about an alphabet or a letter or one page could be an alphabet. There are many, many possibilities!!! Then we will copy all the pages so everyone will have a copy of each other's  pages. The size will be 11" x 17"finished page size. We will fold that in half and bind them into an accordion style. It is possible that you could have gate folds that when folded down still creates the 11x17 size. Some of the hints and tips to think about that I listed on the board are: cut outs, fold outs, inclusions (attached stuff to the page),  The paper can be anything you want as long as it will fold nicely to bind. Keep in mind that we will copy these so make the design and colors that will copy. You can make copies yourself or we can take them to Staples or Kinkos to copy. Everyone will share in the cost of copying. In one of these projects I painted a big piece of paper and xeroxed the writing onto the painted paper. This way it's almost an original for each copy. 

Join us, soon while there is still time!

Westchester Adult School new beginning class

Sept. 22, 2009

The beginning class was small today so I gathered everyone around my table and I could see what they were writing and they could see what I was writing. It was terrific! No one could make mistakes without me noticing.  We worked with grid paper and pencil and are learning step by step what the italic lowercase really looks like. The techniques I was teaching will apply to copperplate as well. We really emphasized the skill of "drawing" what you see. This will help in any style of writing that you chose to learn. I had everyone color in the triangle that is created when a branching stroke leaves the stem and touches the waist line. This is the same triangle when the "u" stroke leaves the baseline and goes to the stem on the up stroke. They should be the same. We worked on getting them the same. This is half the battle if you understand this element. If you haven't joined the class and you still would like to, please join! This is REALLY good! It's the only class I have that is truly Beginning! 

Sept 21 Carolingian practice

September 21, 2009 by Judy Shibata

Beverly Hills Adult School Class #2:  DeAnn reviewed setting up your tools and workspace correctly so that it would be easier to write without any back or wrist pain. Remember to tape down your dinky dip on the right (or left, if you’re a left-hander) to avoid spills and for ease of dipping your pen. Sit so that the angle of the board in your lap isn’t too high. Remember to use your left-hand as an anchor.

Be sure to line your paper before starting. Even if lining the paper seems like a chore, guidelines are necessary for good writing. Think of it as meditation.

To review: for the Brause 5mm nib, the space between the ascender to the waist is 6 boxes, waist to base is 4 boxes, base to descender is 6 boxes. Then repeat that spacing, with the descender becoming the ascender for the next line (think of it as “big-big-small” after the 1^st line to make sure you line the paper correctly). Then write in “x” on each waist-base line to remind yourself that is the line to write on.

  DeAnn’s tips for practicing your writing:  Place your exemplar (example of the alphabet) in front of you (use something like a “page-up” document holder to hold the sheet). Write the letter, then really look at the exemplar to compare. Try it again. Only write a letter 3 times in a row; then move on. Don’t cross anything out; if the letter looks bad to you, just move on. Try again.

  When comparing your letter to the exemplar, look at the counterspace (white-space), not just the black strokes. This will help you to see the letter’s shape more clearly.

  Forming the letters: The pen angle is 22-degrees with no slant. DeAnn writes the stem-stroke first, then does the “beak”. The beak serif should be small, just a small curve. When writing the stem, especially from the ascender (like the “l”), look at the left-side of your pen.

  Carolingian is a branching alphabet, which means that for the letters like n, you start the branching curve from the midpoint of the stem stroke, not at the waist.

  For the “b”, write the stem stroke, then make the bottom stroke, so that it looks a little like an “L”. The “o” is more like a grapefruit, not a lemon – think wide.

 HOMEWORK:  practice the letters.

REMINDER:  No class next week, 9/28/09.

Beverly Hills Begins Carolingian

September 14, 2009 

written by Judy Shibata

Beverly Hills Adult School Class #1:  Carolingian will be the hand this semester. It originated in Tours, France, during the time of Charlemagne (8th Century). It spread all over Europe and the 10^th Century English Carolingian version is the basis of Roman miniscule type.

DeAnn distributed basic supplies. For this week, students will need ink (Higgins Eternal or sumi),  round pen-holder and Brause nibs (5mm, 2.5mm, 1.5mm, 1mm),  8x8 grid paper, inkwell, and a drawing board. We’re starting with the 5mm Brause nib.  For supplies call Helen Gershen 310 837-3604    3101 Federal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90066 DeAnn will have the supplies in class next week.

Using black ink in the nib, dip the pen so the reservoir is 3/4 full. Wipe the nib on the edge of the ink well to take off any excess. We need to get fully familiar with this chisel point nib. Practice making straight lines with the nib. You need even pressure on both sides of the nib. Not a lot of pressure just even pressure. The ink will flow better to begin with if you give a little side to side "rub" with the nib. Or touch the tip to some wet ink on a previous stroke. As you draw the stroke down the page, EXHALE. This helps give a more controlled stroke. Also, set your opposite hand near the work so you can give slight pressure as you start down. These tips will help you have success quicker.

  Preparing the grid paper:  8 boxes on the grid paper equal an inch, with the darker blue lines indicating the inch-marks. Leave a 1 1/2-inch margin on top & bottom, 2-inch margin at the left & right. Label the top line “A” for ascender, the next line “W” for waist, then “B” for base, and the 4^th line is “D” for descender.

 Pen angle:  The Brause nib is a chisel-point pen, able to create thicks & thins within one stroke, based on the angle of the pen. Using a protractor as the reference, a pen angle of 0-degrees equates to holding the pen so that the nib is parallel to the horizontal lines of the grid paper.  A vertical stroke at this pen angle is the thickest; a horizontal stroke is the thinnest. If the pen angle is 90-degrees, then a vertical stroke is the thinnest and a horizontal stroke is the thickest. For a 45-degree pen angle, use a box as a reference and place the pen so that you’re placing it on the diagonal of the box. At this angle, both a vertical stroke and a horizontal stroke should be the same thickness.

 x-height: is the height between the waist and base. Each hand has a specific x-height measured in nib-widths. At a pen angle of 90-degrees, draw short horizontal strokes to measure by pen widths.

  Carolingian has a pen angle of 20-degrees and an x-height of 3 pen widths (equal to about 4.5 boxes on the grid paper). In class, we’ll use an x-height of 4 boxes for the 5mm nib. The ascender & descender are 1 1/2 times the x-height, so that will be 6 boxes above the waist line, 10 all told.

  Homework:  Become really familiar with this nib. Practice vertical & horizontal strokes at different pen angles. Practice the “i” and “l” that DeAnn demonstrated in class.

Carolingian Supply List

Beverly Hills Class fall 2009

1.    Round pen holder

2.    Nibs: 5mm, 2.5mm, 1.5mm, 1mm Brause Nibs

3.    Black ink: Higgins eternal or Yasutomo sumi in the round green bottle.

4.    Ink well

5.    Bienfang:  17x 22 inch grid paper 8x8 cross section.

6.    Ruler: C-Thru 18” gridded ruler

7.    Pencil and Eraser pencil sharpener

8.    Notebook to take notes into

9.    Rag to clean your nib and wipe up spilled ink

Project materials: (don’t buy any of these, you can will buy them in class)

10.  Pergamanatta paper for illuminated manuscript

11.   23.5K gold leaf

12. Gouache or watercolors

13. Fine watercolor brush # 1& #00

14. When we start designing our page, bring a digital camera if you have one so you can take pictures of examples of illumination and decoration that will help you design your manuscript.

Journal pages from Ojai and Utah

Westchester Adult School

Westchester Classes

Register Now so the class has enough students to start!

Sept. 22, 2009

 Calligraphy. All classes will be held on Tuesdays

9:30-11:30 am: Beginning Calligraphy No prior knowledge needed.

12:00 – 2pm Intermediate/Advanced Calligraphy Some calligraphy experience needed. (See end of page)

8 weeks tuition is $80

7 weeks tuition is $70

 First Session:

Start Date: September 22-November 10, 2009 (8 weeks) $80

Sept. 22, 29

Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27

Nov. 3, 10

2nd Session:

Start Date: Nov. 17- Jan 19, 2010 (7weeks) $70

Dates: November 17, 24,

December 1, 8

January 12, 19, 26

3^rd Session: Start Date: February 9 – March 23, 2010 (7 weeks) $70

Dates of Classes: February 9, 16, 23

March 2, 9, 16, 23

4^th Session: Start April 6- May 25, 2010 (8 weeks) $80

Dates: April 6, 13, 20, 27

May 4, 11, 18, 25

2 websites to students for all information

DesigningLetters.com   (website) This website can be given to students and published. I will put information on this site.

DeAnnSinghCalligraphy.blogspot.com    Give this to students. It will give updated information. 

Materials and Supplies

I will have calligraphy materials for sale. I will include a supply list for beginning classes. Intermediate will require the beginning materials and so added things. These will be explained during the first class of each session. More information is available on my website and blog.

Beginning students should bring: Note book, pencil any calligraphy supplies that you already have. Don’t buy anything if I haven’t approved it. You will be wasting your money!

Intermediate Students should bring their supplies and DeAnn will look them over and see if they are usable. Each semester will have exciting projects and letterforms to enhance your calligraphic experience!

There may be a charge for handouts from time to time. No upfront class supply fee.

Material List for Beginning Classes: Contact  Helen Gershen, Calligraphy West for Materials 310-837-3604 I will have materials for sale at first class.

1. Brause Nibs: 5mm, 2.5mm, 1.5mm, 1mm

2. Brause flat sided pen holder

3. Higgins Eternal Ink

4. Bienfang 17" x 20" cross section paper 8x8 grid

5. C-thru 18" cross section ruler

6. 2 dropper bottles (for inks)

7. "Inky Dink" Ink well

8. Drawing Board 20"x 24" large enough for the large paper (some may use a smaller board)

9. A notebook or sketch book for notes

10. A folder to keep your handouts