Calligraphy Practice: An Accordion Journal

Full accordion

My calligraphy buddy, Suzie, and I have started an annual trek to Sun Peaks, British Columbia, for a personal retreat focused on all things calligraphic.  Well, wine and good food are involved too, but that's another blog topic. 
Usually I have a difficult time deciding what to do when faced with a multitude of calligraphy and art supplies.  So, this year I went prepared with some accordion folded cuts of Arches Text Wove and a plan...

Folios 1 and 2

Ever since first seeing lettering artist Joke Boudens accordion folded calligraphy books in the calligraphy journal Letter Arts Review, I have itched to create one of my own.  A vacation to the beautiful ski resort, Sun Peaks, in Canada seemed like the perfect opportunity to give it a try.

Folios 2 and 3

Knowing where and how to start is always difficult.  I purchased a bendable ruler a couple of years ago but had never used it, so that was my first goal—use my unused tools!  I began drawing curved lines, then made up text as I went along.  Without quotes on hand, I decided to chronicle our trip day by day—words
and phrases that will jog memories in the future. 

Folios 3 and 4

 

  The Details...

 

XS PITT pen, sumi ink, watercolor pencil

I took photos while out walking and incorporated some of the local elements into my accordion.
The paver stones and the pattern they formed worked well with the curved text I'd already established.

Because I do not draw in detail, the simple graphic nature of the local logo was easy to incorporate and set the "illustration tone" for the rest of the folios.

And yes, there was a GIANT bug on the deck...with antennae a foot long, I'm sure!

The small lower case Roman letters on the right were made with a Hunt 22 pointed pen nib and sumi ink.

The mandala is a logo painted on the side of the Sun Peaks Lodge in the village.  
PITT fine line pen (XS), watercolor pencil, gold mica powder made into ink with gum arabic and water.

Small text—Hunt 22 pointed pen nib, pressure and release

There was no plan other than to balance the lettering with illustrations, and to balance the weight and size of the blocks of text.

The next accordion I make will be done on Arches Hot Press watercolor paper or Stonehenge.  Though the Arches Text Wove is fabulous for pen and ink and watercolor, lettering in a small size is difficult on this surface.

 
The text here is Uncial script, written 1/8" high.  I used a Brause EF66 pointed nib that is clipped and formed into a very small broad edge—a bit rough on the Text Wove paper. 
 
There is still a day to be recorded to make this project complete, but I came home with a nearly finished accordion that was fun to create and fulfilled a goal.

Sun Peaks wildflowers

The view down...this is why I don't ski!

Suzie and Christy—Sun Peaks last year, at the Kevin Costner concert

Calligraphy Name Play

My Mom and Dad sponsor a child through an organization, and though writing letters is strongly encouraged, they are not permitted to send gifts.  So Mom asked if I would write their sponsor child's name in calligraphy.  I love that she asked me to do this, because who doesn't like to see their name decorated and in pretty colors?

Our names are a gift in themselves—our identity.  I've often found the meaning of a person's name to suggest qualities of the individual.




 

"Astrid", in Danish, means "divine strength".  "Nicolle" means "overcomer" and "victory of the people".
 

Strength and Victory—what an awesome combination!   

 

The Decorative Details...

When I have some extra time to decorate an envelope, this is my favorite style!  By drawing forms, I can leave the letters open for lots of vibrant color and decoration.  Here, I used Faber-Castell PITT pens with some color layering using Prismacolor pencils.  Can't forget the light gray shadowing (also PITT), a touch of sparkle on the edges using Sakura Gelly Roll Clear Star pens, and white dots made with a Sharpie poster paint pen.  Love these products! 

When I want to add a decorative touch but am pressed for time, I fall back on brush lettering—it can bounce, it can play, and can be formal or informal.  Again, Faber-Castell PITT pens are GREAT—they are available in a huge array of colors, waterproof when dry, AND can be used as a watercolor—who'd have thought?  The flowers were also made with the brush tip, simply laying the brush on its side and pressing onto the paper.

And last but not least, trusty formal Italic should always have a place in a calligrapher's repertoire.  These aren't my best, but "pretty in pink" will suit a little girl.  This is done with a ZIG marker and Prismacolor pencils.  Layering Prismacolor pencil over marker color is an easy way to add depth while still being able to control the amount of color.   

It's all about play, right? :)


 

Calligraphy Outside the Box

Over the past few years I have had the pleasure of working with one of Bellingham's most creative wedding invitation designers.  Kerri Efendi (Kerri Efendi Designs), is one inspirational gal who likes to push the limits in design.  As a result, she has challenged me a few times to think "outside the box" of my usual formal calligraphy and try something new.  I love the challenge!

 

A New Challenge

Last winter Kerri asked me to literally think—or rather, letter—"outside the box."  She was putting together a wedding invite for a Seattle Met Bride & Groom Magazine photo shoot and the "envelope" was a flat metal box.  The color theme was "Red, Red, Wine" so she spray painted the box with a burgundy red paint, and gold became the accent color to match the inside of the box.

The finished box

For the calligraphy, "Something free-flowing and fun", she said.  I had some reservations about writing with a metal nib on a spray painted metal box, but to my delight, it worked beautifully! 
The final piece, along with Kerri's invite, appeared in the Winter/Spring 2013 issue of Seattle Met Bride & Groom.    

trials of the name with variations in the capital letters

As any calligrapher can attest, a 'free-flowing' style can take more practice and warm up than traditional formal styles if the end result is to appear effortless.  There is still structure underneath those dancing forms!

working out the size and address lines to contrast the name

As always, I can see what I may have done differently—changing a letter form here and there—but in the end it worked as I had
envisioned it.  

 

The Details...

For those who like the details, my practice work was done with Moon Palace Sumi ink and a Brause Rose pointed pen nib on Canson Pro Marker Layout paper.  Once I'd completed a sample on paper, I scanned the name separate from the address lines and set it up as a finished layout using InDesign.  Once approval of the work was received, I used Saral white transfer paper to lightly trace/transfer the design onto the box with a stylus.  Then I was ready to do the final lettering with the Brause Rose nib and Dr. Ph Martin's Copperplate Gold Calligraphy Ink (my favorite!).

 

 What I learned in the process:

• as lightly as I pressed, the white transfer material did not want to completely rub off of the painted metal surface;  
• paint on metal takes at least several days (ideally a week) to dry and cure.   

Calligraphy Inspired By A Saint

"Out of something old, you compelled me to make something new."

Just a quick follow-up to my previous posts, "What's In A Name?" and "Calligraphic Time Travel."  I came across this short report from the BBC today—a little more background and some visuals of places I wrote about, as well as my hero saint, Cuthbert.  I hope you enjoy!

"Lindisfarne Gospels: Who is the saint who inspired them?"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-23077430

Calligraphic Time Travel

Most of my commissioned calligraphy work is for weddings, but I also love teaching calligraphy.

  

I’m also a bit of a nut when it comes to the history of my craft.

Although the focus of my classes is teaching others how to do calligraphy, I firmly believe in the importance of knowing when and where a style came from historically. 

 

 

A couple of years ago I decided to take a new approach and do a historic monologue for the history presentation in my Uncial calligraphy class.  I spoke as the voice of Bede, a monk, scholar, and historian from the 7th century—the time period of the particular Uncial script I was teaching.

 

But why stop there?  When asked to do a brief calligraphy demonstration at the art store where I teach, I decided to expand on the monologue idea.
 

Donning a bowler hat (thanks, Grandpa!) and fake mustache, I became Edward Johnston, the “father of modern calligraphy” who developed the Foundational hand, based on the 10th century Ramsey Psalter manuscript.  

 

 
But I also teach Italic…off went the mustache and on went the Renaissance scholars hat (did you see the teaser photo here last week?) and I spoke as Arrighi, Writing Master of the 16th century. 

 



What follows are some still shots and short video clips of my presentation.  I can assure you, I won't be quitting my day job and taking up acting, but this was fun to do!  The video clips are not complete, so I’ve included my monologue script with more detail for those who are interested.  

I hope you enjoy it!   

 

Uncial

 

 

My name is Bede and I am a monk from the monastery of Jarrow in Northeastern Britain.  I was born in the year 673.  I am also a scholar and an historian, and I have spent many years of my life recording the history of the English Church and People.

A vast number of beautiful manuscripts were commissioned and produced from my fellow monks and scribes at Jarrow.  One in particular, however, stands out among the rest—the St. Cuthbert Gospel manuscript.  This manuscript was created shortly after my birth in the late 7th century and contains the Gospel of John. With its binding of red leather and Celtic interlace patterns, and its calfskin vellum pages of Uncial script, this little manuscript miraculously survives as the most well preserved and fully intact book of its time.
 

an enlarged sample from the St. Cuthbert Gospel

The Uncial script found in the St. Cuthbert Gospel was the common hand of my day in the monastery scriptoriums, and in fact, has a long and geographically widespread history.  Various forms of Uncial are found in manuscripts dating from the 4th through the 8th centuries.  The style traveled as books were borrowed and passed from region to region.  But, I understand that the Uncial of the Cuthbert Gospel is the model used for new students here, among you, today.  The round form of this capitular script makes it an ideal hand for new scribes to learn.
   


Although Uncial had such a long and prominent life, its characteristics were adapted and changed over time, eventually taking the form of the Caroline Minuscule scripts…
 

Foundational

Good afternoon.  My name is Edward Johnston, and I became known as the “father of modern calligraphy.”  I must say, it happened quite by chance—here is my story…
 
I was born in 1872 and, from the age of three, grew up in England.  I always had an interest in both art and science.  I dabbled a bit with lettering and drawing as a child and that interest remained with me into adulthood. 
 
My original career focus was in medicine, but in 1898 I discontinued my medical studies and decided to accompany my cousin on an expedition through the United States and Canada.  In fact, we spent time in Seattle, as well as an extended camping stay on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia.
 
But before this expedition, the direction of my future studies took a dramatic turn.  While staying with friends in London and preparing for my travel abroad, I had the great fortune of being introduced to several kind gentlemen involved directly and indirectly with the late William Morris and the crafts movement in England.  I was encouraged to pursue my interest in art—specifically, lettering—and guided in how to study ancient manuscripts at the British Museum.  I guess you could say I found myself in the right place at the right time—I was offered a job teaching illumination and lettering at the Central School of Arts & Crafts in London, following my expedition to the United States! 
 

as E.J., with a sample from the Ramsay Psalter

My development of the Foundational calligraphy hand for my students was based on my studies of a 10th century manuscript, the Ramsey Psalter.  This manuscript was written in a Caroline minuscule script that emerged from a form of Uncial over the course of several centuries.  My Foundational hand was excellent for new students pursuing calligraphy studies, and to this day, with its round form and upright structure, is still recognized as the most fundamental hand in calligraphy for a new student to learn.
 

Although the 10th c. Caroline Minuscule was highly readable and an excellent model for my Foundational hand, it was not the most speedy way of writing.  The pen is lifted for every stroke and the letters do not join together.  Those characteristics were to follow several centuries later, with the emergence of the Italic script of the Renaissance scholars…

 

Italic  

 

Greetings, friends.  My name is Arrighi, and I am a Writing Master of the Renaissance period.  I was employed as a professional scribe by the Papal Chancery (administrative offices of the Catholic Church) from 1519 to 1523. 
 

Scholars of my time were tired of the heavy, burdensome appearance of the former Gothic scripts that were prominent in the 14th and 15th centuries—you may be familiar with the style, as seen in Gutenberg’s early printed books.
We Renaissance men were looking for something new—a fresh face in our written scripts.  But we also needed a style suitable for faster writing, in transcribing the non-printed documents of everyday business affairs.  We looked back to the earlier Caroline Minuscule styles from the 12th century and adapted these to suit our needs.   

What developed was the Humanist Italic Corsiva—better known among you aspiring calligraphers as Italic. 
As a Writing Master, I was the first to publish an illustrated instruction book for writing the Chancery Italic.
 

 

Other Writing Masters after me, liked to “show off” a bit for their students, creating Copy Books with ornate capital letters and extreme flourishing.
 

Conclusion

 

The Stampadoodle lunchtime demo group

So, you see my friends, the task we undertake as calligraphers has a long history—one filled with elements of faith and devotion of early monastery scribes, the adaptation of writing styles to suit specific needs of a time period and people, and the artistic pursuit that brings out the beauty of written words.  We are all connected across the centuries through the unifying force of the written word, the dance of the pen, the flow of the ink, and the cushion of our pages that become part of history for all time. 

Reference material

The History of the English Church and People, Bede
The British Library website and manuscript reference

Edward Johnston: Lettering and Life, Ewan Clayton
Historical Scripts, Stan Knight

What Is Your Elevator Speech?

Turning my favorite quotes into greetings of encouragement

When I started my calligraphy business three years ago, I attended small business workshops, determined to be successful from the start. As any self-employed individual will likely say, it has been a continuous learning experience in wearing many different hats—promoter, advertiser, saleswoman, accountant, computer tech (my least favorite!), etc. Somewhere down the line, the hat of my business intent is put on and calligraphy calls out for attention saying, “Hey! I’ve been waiting for you to show up!”

The Burning Question

 

One thing that stuck with me from those business workshops is the question, “What is your elevator speech?”  If only given the amount of time it takes for an elevator ride to introduce myself and explain my work to a stranger, how do I accomplish that most effectively and eloquently? 

After numerous times telling people that I am a calligrapher and watching their eyes glaze over in incomprehension, I decided to tell the next person, “I am a lettering artist.”  The kind gentleman replied, “Oh!  You’re a calligrapher!”  The first person of many who knew what calligraphy is!  

display sample for my Foundational calligraphy class

My ‘favorite’ response from people is, “Oh, I did that once,” or, “That’s pretty writing, right?”  As I have learned and try to impart to my students, the art of calligraphy is so much more than learning to make pretty letters! 
   

 An "A-Ha!" Moment

 

In trying to devise my own elevator speech, I remembered a conversation I had with my aunt’s sister, Brigitte.  When I told her I’m a calligrapher, she responded with enthusiasm and said, “What’s your favorite part about what you do?”  Wow!  That simple question allowed me to briefly say how much I love the deep, rich history of calligraphy and sharing that with my students.  I also told her I enjoy doing calligraphy for weddings, knowing that I can add a special and beautiful touch to the details of a memorable day.

wedding envelope calligraphy

Brigitte also reminded me of the importance of really listening to someone when they talk about their life or occupation.  I make more of an effort now to ask questions, because after all, it’s human nature to want to share our passion—whether it’s a job, family, or special interest.

lettering art sample for classes

So, what is my elevator speech?  “I am an artist and teacher of calligraphy and its ancient history—an art that gives beauty and visual interest to the written word.”  For now, that’s enough to say—it will change over time and that’s okay.  Thanks Brigitte, for giving me a new insight.

Now it's your turn...what is YOUR elevator speech?       

Renaissance Hats & Quills

The mighty quill

Halloween arrived early at my studio this week!  I don't recall playing dress-up as a kid—I guess I'm making up for lost time.   

Check back in a couple of weeks to find out the purpose behind my play...

Have a great weekend everyone!