Calligraphy workshop

I did a lovely Wessex Scribes workshop at the weekend which was all about variations on the italic hand. We sharpened, extended and compressed it and then did it all over again experimenting with nib widths. For all you calligraphy virgins out there, that means basically changing the height of the letter but keeping the same pen size. This creates some lovely effects varying from a dense compacted hand to an elongated and elegant italic.

With such a variety of different lettering styles we wrote words words appropriate to that style. I loved the harsh, spikey, pointed italics and wrote words such as 'claustrophobia', 'anxiety' and 'frustration'. My enjoyment of the workshop meant that I was the complete opposite of the words I was writing and was thoroughly chilled out and relaxed! The photographs so some applied work with gouache on coloured pastel paper. The frosty one belongs to Francis and was so effective it almost felt cold to the touch. Louise did another gorgeously chilly piece white on black with speckled stars. The rough piece shows my experiments and the 'unforced rhythms of grace is my finished attempt.