Calligraphy Classes: Canvas Your Way

Canvas Your Way

2 1/2 - 5 day class Suitable for all skill levels

Supply fee of approx. $45 provides canvas and many media for trial use

Calligraphers have discovered the richness and convenience of working on canvas - but there are so many methods, mediums, and types of canvas. And what if you don't do much brush writing and want to use your favorite pens? What if you want the permanence, brightness, or flexibility of acrylics but the control of flow and matte look of gouache? You can do it! Here's your chance to try a whole slew of media for both backgrounds and writing, including water-soluble acrylics, medium that makes ink more like gouache, four types of canvas, and more. You will make notes right on the margins of your canvas trials and create a gorgeous sample/reference book. Go home ready to do things your way - the look, the flow, the surface you enjoy most with reference info to recreate various effects, and don't forget a sample of stretching your own canvas.

Limit of 12 participants (unless there is a lot of room and two willing assistants)

Participant Supply list:

masking tape
water in squeeze bottle
usual writing tools - a selection of favorite pens, brushes, ruling pen or other tools you like
small pointed brush
gouache (a few favorite colors)
ruler
pencil
scissors
rag
paper towels
at least one Pigma-type fine point marker
ball point pen

Optional:

photocopied image about 3" to 6" to learn a handy transfer process
slant board if you prefer writing with one
some quotes, can have a theme and/or color scheme in mind, not required!

If you already have on hand bring:

any acrylic inks or paints you might have
paste-paper-marking tools,
Saral transfer paper

Classroom requirements:

full table per person,
three tables for media stations,
access to water
access to extra space for drying pieces of canvas helpful (hallway, other room, etc.)

Five -day class is ideal - allows for plenty of individual work in many media, completing a canvas sample book plus a stretched canvas piece of art. Two-and-a-half days works with most finishing a resource book but will be a bit more "production-line" on laying backgrounds and no time for stretching, just a demo.