The Gentle Penman

The workshop focuses on the vertical broad pen lettering style called French Round Hand. This lettering style was used extensively in France and Germany in the 1700 and 1800’s. This is an easy-to-read text lettering style. Engrossers in the United...

In this workshop, we will delve into the relationship between ovals and curvatures, learning to use them strategically to create an enchanting girl in a rabbit constume adorned with elegant scroll work. While it may seem daunting at first, with practice,...

Join me for a two-day workshop where we'll explore painting a simple traditional Rack of Lamb recipe layout that is perfect for Easter. I'll share some techniques I've learned about capturing grilled meat textures, mixing color palettes, and creating...

Italic handwriting is of basic knowledge to every calligrapher. There is never a day for me without writing some lines of italic, because it is such a simple, elegant and versatile letterform. I use it a lot in my notebook, and because the paper...

This workshop will take you on an exciting adventure with a tapestry of amazing fractions of color “bits” to create beautiful word-page designs. For years I’ve been fascinated with mosaic tiles and the art that is created. There is so...

Learn how to use your coloured pencils with finesse as we created beautifully embellished floral pages. This class introduces a subdued coloured pencil approach to adding botanical details to your calligraphic pages. Students will be working with white...

What fun to add a little whimsy and color to your art! Join me for a light-hearted, creative but beneficial workshop where we will doodle and paint, while learning about color palettes and pen control and design. First , using a small liner pen, we will...

Lesson 1 What is Spencerian? The Legacy and Heritage of Platt Rogers Spencer The Steel Pen and America’s Golden Age of Penmanship Combination Muscular Movement Posture, Paper Position, Proper Table Height for Writing Straight and Oblique...

Decorative floral ornamentation has long captivated our imaginations with its beauty and elegance, from intricate Mamluk manuscripts to the vibrant tiles of Iznik and the splendid marble inlays of the Taj Mahal. In this workshop, we will begin to unlock...

The process of placing text on a page in a meaningful way can be a daunting leap for one who has never attempted to do so. This comprehensive studio work-shop is designed to introduce beginner and intermediate calligraphers to the process of creating a...

I always try to choose words that are meaningful when designing pieces for workshops, and after brainstorming for a while, I decided on the word “Hope” for this session.  We all have our own stories to tell, and our own battles to face,...

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...

“The starting point is really the critical determinant of how an alphabet evolves.” Thomas Ingmire “Zheng Banqiao was fond of painting bamboo, rocks and orchids. He painted orchids like writing characters, and wrote characters like...

Unlock the beauty of ornamental borders in this comprehensive course. We'll start with a brief introduction to ornamental borders, covering their definition, characteristics, and various styles. Discover the decorative and practical applications of...

During this workshop, you will be introduced to Cloud motifs in art of Illumination (Tezhip). Cloud motifs are historically coming from China but it started to be used in the 15th Century in Turkish Illumination. During this course you will learn...

Lesson 1 Introduction to Engrosser's Script - Overview of Engrosser's script and its history - Understanding basic tools and materials needed - Introduction to letterforms: vertical strokes, ovals, and basic connections - Practice drills for foundational...

The workshop will show you how to create beautiful dinner menus with a hand-painted border and handwritten names to personalise each menu. The course will guide you through painting the flowers and fruits for your border in watercolour, show you how to...

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...