Saturday 1 October 2011

Foundation Degree in Calligraphy / week #3

After a couple of weeks working with the Roman Capitals, learning about geometric proportion, weight and spacing with the 'skeleton' letters, there is now an opportunity to work with the edged pen...and some ink. We've been using a fairly broad nib (2) to draw the letters at 2cm high, first trying individual letters and then words. Getting the pen working and the ink flowing give a good feeling, and the nuances of technique and the practicalities involved are noted and will hopefully be lodged in the brain!In the evening a lovely walk around Highbury Fields, near where I am staying with my son during some of these weeks. It's a very nice area of London, and the nice September weather has brought out the cyclists, runners and ice cream vans!During this weeks' session we have also been working to produce the same letters with 'double pencils'. Taping two HB pencils together and drawing the letters is a good way to get an understanding of their shaping and construction. You can achieve the same thick and thin strokes and also develop the serifs (the pointed ends of the vertical and horizontal strokes).The weather has been so good this week that lunch today was taken in the sunshine and warm ambience of Kensington Gardens. Then it was back to work with the double pencils.
On the way back to Kings Cross a stop-off at The British Library to meet up with eldest daughter for a coffee and catch up.

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