Cheryl Tefft - Decorated Letter 3 - Mondays, May 8 - Aug 7, 2023

This class teaches you an EXTENSIVE variety of fun, generally easy decorative techniques to enhance calligraphy projects and other types of visual art.  We will cover a wide variety of decorative techniques, including lessons on floral designs, watercolor painting techniques, filigree, Adolf Bernd-style watercolor letters, letters using negative space, gradient letters, neo-classical Renaissance decorated letters, and additional relatively simple ways to make your letters stand out and create something special, and just more fun! The instructor's Decorated Letter 1, Decorated Letter 2, and Decorated Letter 3 courses are all what could be called "taste-testing" classes, which offer you an opportunity to try out each artistic technique for a week or so at a relatively easy level, and then move on to a new technique. You will build on what you have learned already throughout the course. If you like the technique of the week, you can then go on and study it in greater depth later, and if the technique isn't to your taste, you don't have to spend any more time on it. You may begin with ANY of the three Decorated Letter courses; they are independent and do NOT have to be taken in order. We will focus more on simplified drawing/painting/tracing than on lettering, so you can get full value from the class even with minimal calligraphy experience. The techniques will be a mix between those which are more specific to calligraphy/lettering, and those which can be used with other types of graphic arts creations as well (painted borders, for example). Both traditional and contemporary techniques are included. PREREQUISITE: Any in-depth calligraphy class, the equivalent in independent study, OR a strong art background. NOTE: Decorated Letter 1 and Decorated Letter 2 are NOT prerequisites for this class. NOTE regarding dip pens vs. cartridge pens: You can use either dip pens or cartridge pens in this class (Parallel Pens are the type of cartridge pens specifically referenced). If you don’t already know how to use dip pens, that's fine, just stick with the tools you know. In fact, you really don't need ANY calligraphy experience (or even calligraphy pens) for this class; we will primarily be concentrating on tracing/drawing/outlining/painting rather than on letters written with the calligraphy pen. DP: Applies to students who will be using dip pens in this class PP: Applies to students who will be using Parallel Pens in this class