A Calligraphy Gathering for All
It started around 2600 BCE for the Egyptian scribes; for others, everything began this past weekend at ALPHABET FUN: ART DECO, BAGS, CARDS, DECORATION, E-MAGINATION!
Mainly experienced calligraphers crossed the gate, but novices also dared to pass the portal. Some arrived packed with artistic tools, while others came empty-handed. However, everyone arrived filled with curiosity and enchanted by words. One after another entered a world of letters, pointed pens, markers, ink, brushes, watercolours, nibs, papers and more.
The sunny morning started with Jeanine Alexander, while she guided an immersion into Art Deco Lettering. Heavy-sans-serif fonts took center stage as simple shapes decorated with ornaments featuring geometric forms, stylized figures, and fun representations of fruits or animals showed up on the screen.
Every day letters became original with just a few easy details that transformed a word into a whole message. Varied line weights, diagonal lines, alternative fills, and, in general, conceptual designs evoked something in the lettering.
The dive included lowercase and uppercase letters full of life and creativity—some elegant, some vintage and others quite disruptive. The beauty is that anything goes! That same principle inspired an exercise in which any theme, stroke and pattern could inspire a font. It sounds like a lot, but fear not, as all come with uncomplicated instructions and samples from famous calligraphers. Even newbies experienced how, stroke after stroke, letters came to be.
Time flies when you’re having fun, and noon soon arrived.
Like inspired by the monks who, in the early Middle Ages, copied manuscripts with scribal writing AND also brewed beer to fast and feast, the writing room was filled with a banquet. The scriptorium glowed not with gold and silver that exalted illustrations but from the smiles of participants, who, between bites, shared stories, experiences, and anecdotes.
Skilled and newcomers shared as equals, letting the passion for expressing through calligraphy fill hearts and inspire hands.
The craft of calligraphy invites us to craft
Pauline Baynes leveraged the lunch break stimulation and introduced the second part of the day, where tiny cards in gossamer bags and a ribbon card became our goal.
Having learned from Jeanine how to create an alphabet of fun, the important thing now was the message. Everyone had a colourful tiny card to put together, ribbons and beads to play with, and paper waiting for participants to dive in and let the visual art of writing do its part.
Mixing and matching colours for the tiny card and its envelope became the next step; choosing the riband and figuring out the decorative binding spiced up the creative game; writing instruments were joyfully shared, and skillful Pauline walked everyone step by step. In the end, a message took form through expressive lettering and craftwork—what a fun day!
Close to 3 p.m., eager and inspired, everyone mentioned that they couldn’t wait until the next meeting or event. And who wouldn’t want to join such a group of souls that, while they write or teach you calligraphy, they also inspire you to connect.
As a newbie myself, I can relate. See you then.