The Gentle Penman

In this workshop we will break down the skeleton of the Acanthus Leaf to better understand its structure.  Then we will take a look at how to present it in a border.  Just understanding the many facets of it and how it can be illustrated is a...

Enjoy the delicate painting technique for “flying flowers” enhanced with gold leaf to illuminate the winter season. Our inspiration is drawn from Medieval Manuscripts, but we will modernize their techniques with an intriguing colour palette...

Pointed pen scripts have become more popular in the last few years. It seems everyone enjoys doing modern scripts and personal variations yet fail to have a strong foundation on which to base their letterforms. This class will start with step-by-step...

Uncial was commonly used from the 4th to 8th centuries by Latin and Greek scribes, but it still is a relevant hand today for many projects. In this workshop Sue will cover the classic, upright letterforms, then introduce students to a fresh, italicized...

Calligraphy has long been paired with paintings, ornamental scroll work, and other pictorial elements to enhance visual impact. In this workshop, we will explore the relationship between ovals and curvatures, learning how to use them strategically to...

Dive into the elegant world of Chancery Script, starting from the techniques of Cresci’s Renaissance style to adapt to modern tools to make more contemporary shapes. We will begin with the roots of Chancery Script, exploring this style popular...

With my deep interest in marks and textures, I have been creating calligraphic marks and textures, and creating layering arts using different mediums and/or different kinds of paper like watercolor paper and thin Japanese paper. Furthermore, my recent...

This the season! Join us this festive season to enhance your creativity by combining elegant lettering with beautiful ornamental designs. In this two-session workshop, we will focus on creating a Christmas wreath using calligraphy cartouches...

The bright, glittery silvers and golds of winter look especially good when rendered on dark backgrounds. Using white and an assortment of glittery mica pigments, we will paint leaves, poinsettia, and other textures with the wedge brush. We will add some...

Historical Hands In keeping with our commitment to calligraphy education, the Gentle Penman is pleased to announce a new series of short workshops, which will serve as an introduction to a selection of styles of traditional calligraphy over the past 2000...

I am really excited to be invited back by the Gentle Penman to teach a Christmas/ Winter themed workshop.  So instead of designing and decorating words, I thought it would be nice for us to gild snowflake designs since the Christmas Holidays are a...

All of my life I’ve been ‘keeping’ Notebooks. in the course of years, simple notes shifted towards calligraphy. I explored what I could do with simple blank pages and a mechanical pencil 0,3 mm. I was not much of a big lay-out planner,...

Extend the range of your pointed pen’s potential as we break away from traditional pointed pen hands and explore the full power of this amazing little pen nib. Following an analysis of historical models as well as the work of contemporary masters,...

Large Italic using Automatic PensRachel Yallop, Hosted By The Gentle Penman Live (Also recorded for later viewing) 16 & 23 November 2024 (Saturday)20:00 pm – 22:30 pm (Hong Kong Time) Class Cost : HKD 740.00 or USD 95.00 Registration...

In the 12th century, a more compressed and angular form of the late Caroline Minuscule called Proto-Gothic script developed as a response to the growing need for written books and documents.  By the 13th century, Proto-Gothic script diverged into...

This workshop will cover step by step guide to constructing a geometric pattern from a plasterwork in the façade of the Mexuar at Alhambra Palace, Granada, Spain. The Mexuar was built by Ismail at the beginning of the fourteenth century and later...

To the skilled Penman, Engrosser, or Calligrapher, “Ornamental Penmanship” means much more than simply making fancy letters. In truth, Ornamental Penmanship is an expression of penmanship and calligraphy in which the words and the way they...

Once one masters the ductus and has a thorough understanding of the structure of letterforms, we need to make them our own. This class will explore ways of looking at letters in a more abstract way while moving away from the rigidity of writing between...

In this engaging workshop, Thanh will unveil her secrets for crafting the perfect recipe card for (name of the dish), guiding you through every step from A to Z. Discover her effortless techniques for sketching dishes and selecting the right ingredients...

The forms of so-called Gothic script have seen substantial changes throughout the history of writing, depending on the period, place, and artistic influences. Just think of the rigid and repetitive forms of textura and the Renaissance and decorative...