Rick Paulus - The Calligrapher’s Process - Mar 7, 14, 21 & 28, 2025

Slant board/desk
- Any stiff board, measuring at least 18” x 20” (Masonite, 1⁄4” birch plywood, Gatorfoam, plexiglass, etc.) Not very expensive at Lowe’s, Home Depot, or your local hardware store. (S752)

Pen holders and nibs
- Full set of your favourite board-edge dip pen. (typically 6-8 sizes) (N01-S7, N02-S9, N04-S10A)
- Minimum of two pen holders, best to have enough for full set of nibs (6-8 holders) (H113, H133, H134)
- Oblique holder and pointed nibs, if you are so inclined. (H114, N77, N69, N113)

Brushes
- Appropriate for the work that you hope to produce. For typical color mixing and pen-loading, you will want to use an old retired brush. (Paper and Ink / JNB sells a fantastic natural bristle brush for loading and mixing, for $1.) Also have on hand brushes appropriate for any painting that you have in mind for your work: fine brushes if you intend to work small and delicate; big-bold brushes if you intend to work on a large canvas or wall; or anything in between. (BR02, BR26, BR12)

Ink
- Black ink. Your favourite (Sumi Moon Palace recommended) (I70)

Gouache and Watercolor
- Small tube(s) or tablets, cakes, etc. of watercolor and gouache. I will encourage you to use plenty of color during this class, please use your judgement as to how many colors you need on hand. At a minimum, have one color in addition to the black ink you will be using. Ideally, you should have a full palette from which to work. This can become expensive, but does not have to so; four of the right color tubes/cakes will get you all the colors you will need – CMYK. (WNG1, HG749, HW100, S1000, WNWC1)

Paper
-  Your favorite workshop-grade paper. Suggest: Strathmore Bristol with vellum finish, Canson XL Mixed Media, Borden and Riley Marker layout, Bienfang Marker Layout, Canson 360, etc. Some of those are translucent, others are not. All of them have good surfaces and receive ink nicely. (P85, P2022, P09-50, P41)
-  Minimum of 1 sheet, Arches 90#, or 140# hot or cold press, or other high-quality paper of your choice on which to create completed work. (PS42, PS47, PS41, PS48)

Tracing paper
- 12” roll is preferred and most cost effective. Tracing paper pads ok. (P112, P43)

Pencil
- Your favorite fine pencil or lead and sharpener. (Suggest a .05 HB lead in a mechanical pencil.) (PL38, P21)

Erasers
- Clean plastic eraser or clean kneaded eraser (E13, E09)

Ruler
- Metal will give you more accurate measuring and a good, straight, sharp edge (S270, S271)