Tutor: Maisie Minnett

Join us in the studio or online for this comprehensive course that teaches you all the skills needed to master the quintessential calligraphy tool, a pointed nib! We will teach in the studio, with a small group in attendance, demonstrating and guiding the online students at the same time by using overhead cameras.

The 10-week course starts on 16th May and runs until 18th July.

You will start by learning how to control your nib and ink flow and progress to forming elegant letterforms and styling your calligraphy by altering the angle and width of your letters. Modern calligraphy embraces each scribe's particular quirks and style, you’ll learn to adapt your own style for any occasion and develop your lettering through clear lesson plans and guided projects. Use contrasting scripts and alter the size and weight of your calligraphy. Learn to blend with coloured and metallic ink paints; try out different pointed nibs to find the one you love; work on different kinds of cards; work onto envelopes; create simple layouts and make designs using flourishes and finish the course with a real understanding of the foundations of lettering.

With demonstrations by your tutor each week to watch and copy, discover ways to add personality to your work by bouncing letters, flourishing, and creating simple layouts.  Our drills, exercises, challenges, and projects give plenty of opportunities to practice and experiment with every technique. And with one-on-one feedback and Q&A sessions each week, your ability will increase as we encourage you to assess your own work and understand how to improve and develop your calligraphy far beyond this course. The recording of each session will be available to rewatch.

The studio and online class sizes are kept small so that everyone can easily ask questions and get lots of one-on-one time with the tutors.

Week 1: Capital letters

Ink and gold mica

Week 2: Guidelines & lowercase letters

Blending coloured inks

Week 3: Connections, exit, and entry strokes

Working onto black

Week 4: Bounce

Letter by letter - elastic letters

Week 5: Copperplate with an oblique Pen Holder a fine nib

The difference between the formal and modern styles

Week 6: angles, letter families

Week 7: Flourishing Fluency

Blending Finetec

Week 8: Mini Capitals and mixing styles

Gift tags and cards - design hierarchy

Week 9: Balancing Your Work using Flourishes

Designing Greeting Cards

Week 10: Typographic Terms and problem solving

Centering and balancing layouts

Additional Information

Everything you need will be provided for students attending in person at the Chichester studio, with refreshments available. Parking - Please turn right at the white garages at the end of Alandale Road and follow the gravel drive to where you will see our studio.

Online students will receive their materials to their homes with a Zoom link. Every session of this course will be recorded, so if you miss a week for any reason you will able to watch the recording to catch up!

Payment Option

There is now the option to split your payment into 3 monthly instalments by using Clearpay at the checkout.