Online – 2 Sessions – Tuesdays, March 12 and 19, 2024, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., US Eastern time.

Adding color to your calligraphy project adds interest and can help send a visual message about the text you are lettering. Color ink doesn’t give the look or permanence we need. Gouache is the way to go! In this workshop we’ll work with tubes of gouache, mixing and matching colors, and working to get to the correct consistency so the gouache will flow smoothly through your pen.

After you register, you will receive a separate email with log-in information for the online sessions.

The Abbey Studio is offering a 10-month Calligraphy Certificate Program, beginning in June 2023. All of our workshops are stand-alone learning experiences and can be enjoyed on an individual basis. But put them all together and our workshop offerings essentially constitute a year’s course in calligraphy and hand lettering. Beginning with the sessions concentrating on Italic lettering, Copperplate Script, and Uncial we’ll gradually work into the very important step of beginning your calligraphic piece with pencil and working toward an effective layout. We’ll then begin concentrating on the various forms of decorated letters and how to create and execute everything from a drawn Roman capital to a large Lombardic decorative capital, enhanced with raised gold leaf. The final workshop will pull together all the skills that have been acquired during the preceding 10 months. Anyone completing all the workshops will receive a Certificate of Completion. To that end, we’ve established a discount program for anyone registering for multiple workshops at the same time:

Study more, save more! Our workshops have been designed to complement each other and build upon your skillsets. Register for TWO workshops at the same time and receive 10% off both — use Coupon Code 2Classes10 in the shopping cart (click where it says “Have a coupon?” near the top of the cart). Register for THREE or more workshops at the same time and receive 20% off all of them! Use Coupon Code 3Classes20 in the shopping cart (click where it says “Have a coupon?” near the top of the cart).

Supply List (supplies not included):

Your favorite calligraphy dip pens (dip pens are preferred to fountain pens for this workshop)

Calligraphy paper you enjoy working on

Selection of gouache paint; I like the Winsor & Newton brand and recommend a minimum of Flame Red, Cobalt Blue, Zinc White, and Permanent Green Middle. Other good choices include Cadmium Red, Van Dyke Brown, Spectrum Violet,  Cadmium Yellow, Ivory Black, and Ultramarine.

Small mixing bowls or porcelain palette

Mixing brushes

Bottle with eye-dropper

Bowl of water for cleaning your brush

Scrap paper for testing paint flow from pen

Paper towels or rag

Color wheel (optional but very helpful)

Distilled water (optional)

Gum Arabic (optional)

Ground Sandarac (optional)

Well-lighted work area 

Workshop Withdrawal Policy: Unless you are paying for your class with a gift card, a refund (tuition less 20%) will be issued if you withdraw from class two weeks or more prior to the beginning of class. If withdrawal occurs less than two weeks before class, no cash refund will be issued, but a studio credit voucher will be provided. Occasionally there is insufficient registration for a class to run. In such cases, registrants will be given three options:  (1) Private or semi-private lessons (with price adjustment), (2) placement for the same class held in the future at a different date and time, or (3) refund.