I’m offering a calligraphy class at the Davis Arts Center. It’s a 4-week class that will cover the basics of calligraphy. The students will be learning the Italic hand by using a dip pen – very traditional method.
Here’s an example of Italic.
Register at the Davis Arts Center at davisartscenter.org or call 530 756-4100.
Before I became a dedicated oil painter, I was a dedicated calligrapher. I just finished this certificate fill-in for an UCD certificate – just the name and date.
Should I totally be committed to just oil painting? Or should I juggled between oil painting and calligraphy? I was sorting through some old calligraphy workshops notes and felt that familiar tug for lettering. Maybe just maybe I may reconsider.
My son is assisting me in painting a Bible verse on a church wall. I had spent many hours trying to figure out what is the best way to write on the wall. I’ve tried different acrylic paints – heavy body vs. fluid acrylics and even gouache. My plan was to freehand it. Well after a practice writing on my garage wall, writing the word, “Whoever” I stepped back and realized I had written “Whoever” “Whoevever”. With no error for mistakes, I traced the lettering. The painting became a piece of cake. My son took only 2 hours to complete the first coat.
I had tried fluid acrylic but used a lighter color. More transparent. So yesterday I purchased a dark blue. Even flow, nice and shiny. But if I make a mistake as seen here then it would be hard to correct. Maybe get a wall color for corrections.
All day, I tested paints on my garage walls.
First I tried the heavy body acrylics that is used for fine art. Too thick. Can’t create that nice thick and crisped lines. I often had to dipped back into brush to finish off the letters. I tried mixing in with an acrylic medium. Still no go.
Then, I tried house paint. Same problem. When I backtracked there’s streaking. And again frequent dipping.
Based on a suggestion by Carol Bosch, I tried fluid acrylic. Not bad. Transparent. Maybe that’s a possibility.
Another suggestion from another calligrapher by Dena Kuhn, use gouache. Clean, crisped lines. Can backtracked with no streaking. Except the calligrapher suggested spraying afterwards. But a possibility.
One of my calligraphy commission involves writing calligraphy on the wall. The calligraphy needed to fit a 13′ wide space. So I wrote it out on bond paper and tape it up. This is a sample of how it will look and fit onto their wall.
I do quotes, poems, songs, certificates….and also for special events.
To see samples go to:
http://www.marleneleecalligraphy.blogspot.com
or contact me at marleneleeart@gmail.com for calligraphy
I’m also a calligrapher. Here’s my new website on commissions that I had done at Marlene Lee Calligraphy
