IAMPETH 2023 - Engrossing - Michael Sull

Engrossing – All Skill Level

Engrossing is the art of rendering a body of text in a decorative manner for the purpose of recognizing a noteworthy individual, significant event, or a statement of policy. The completed artwork is typically in the form of a certificate in which the artist uses a variety of lettering styles, ornamental accents, and illustration to produce a formal document of remarkable quality. The designs can be quite simple in their composition, or lavishly elaborate. The vintage techniques of this specialized art form are seldom taught today, but our class will be the exception. In our time together, we will roll back the clock of time one hundred years. With the legendary Master Penmen looking down from above, we will open up the doors of the Zanerian College of Penmanship to learn the decorative methods my own mentor, Master Penman Paul O’Hara, was taught there from 1907-1908. Rather than focusing on alphabet styles, we will concentrate on the primary design techniques of layout, composition, technique sequence, tools and materials. And then- we will learn the specific techniques of Filigree, Foliation, Scrolling, Decorative Line Art, and Flourishing.

Class Supplies

• Oblique penholder with the point of your choice (H114) (N113) (N120)
• straight penholder (H104) 
• soft vinyl or plastic eraser (E13) (E37)
• black lead 
• 3 different colored pencils (PL28) (PL58) (PL05)
• graph paper; 5 sheets (9”x12” size) (P22)
• several fine line markers, such as Pigma Micron 005, 01, 03, and 05, or Copic Multi Liner .05, .01, .03. .05. (M17)
• tracing paper; 5 sheets, 9”x12” (P112) (P43)
• 5 colors of gouache (suggest red, blue, violet, yellow, and a medium green) (WNG1)
• a palette tray to mix colors (S679)
• a No. 1 or No. 2 round ferrrule artist’s brush for stirring gouache (BR43)
• an eye dropper or plastic pipette (S705) (S3036)
• a ruling pen (N22)
• several sheets of paper towels
• drafting tape (S412) (S1145)
• straight edge, 12” long (S270)
• 5 sheets of good art paper, such as Strathmore 400 or equivalent (P100)
• gold or other color iridescent ink. Recommend FW Pearlescent, Dr. Ph Martin’s Iridescent Calligraphy Colors or Spectralite, or FineTec Pearlescent pan colors. (I27) (I16) (I14) (S1000) (S741)