INTRODUCTION TO CALLIGRAPHY
6 weeks, Saturday mornings
February 23; March 9, 16, 30; April 6, 13. Please reserve Apr 20 & 27 for snow dates as we won't have class if there is snow.
Instruction from 10 am to noon.  

The course will introduce the fundamentals of the foundational lettering style, writing with a metal nib, working with goauche & more.

While the italic hand is very popular & most often identified with calligraphy, many, including the world-renowned Sheila Waters, are firm believers that calligraphers that start with the foundational hand will have greater control & experience faster development of their lettering skills. We will also create a Japanese-style book that highlights the techniques learned in class. This is an excellent class for young students, adults and teenagers.

Cost: $100. Materials fee to the instructor: $15. Please do not purchase any supplies ahead of time. Feel free to bring any calligraphy supplies you already have (if you have any) to the first class to add to our discussion, but supplies will be ordered at the first class and available the second week. Debby will supply the materials you need the first week. Though bring a notebook for your notes.

LAYOUT & DESIGN: What to do with your lettering
For all of you continuing students!

8 weeks, Wednesday evenings
February 20th through April 24th (not including March 20 & 27th)
Please leave the next couple of weeks available as well--since it's winter-time, chances are we'll need a snow date or two!
Instruction from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

We will be examining design principles and using new tools and materials during this 8 week course. Each week will lead to a project that applies the principles we will be learning. We will break down the process of creating a piece of calligraphic artwork--how to go from fuzzy idea to finished product. Specific skills that will be covered include: creating a strong design, learning new ways to draw guidelines, correcting a mistake, lettering on a background, working with gouache, lettering in a circle and more.

This class is appropriate for students who have taken at least my Introduction to Calligraphy Course. Even a student at the beginning of their learning process will gain a great deal from this course. One can practice letters all they want, but ultimately, a person will progress in their calligraphic skills much more rapidly if they are applying their work to actual projects & designs.

I will not be teaching a lettering style in this course. (The foundational lettering style taught in the Introduction Class will serve you very well even if you are not familiar with another hand). I HIGHLY recommend that a student chooses a lettering style they have studied at the beginning of the course and use that style throughout the 8 weeks. That will allow the student to strengthen their skills in that lettering style and remain focused on the skills being taught.

Fee: $140

REGISTRATION

To reserve a spot in a class, please call 860-413-9041 to make sure space is still available and mail a $20 deposit to Debby Reelitz; 24 Silkey Road; North Granby CT 06060. The remaining amount is due by 2 weeks before class. REGISTRATION FORM for CLASSES

LEFTIES

If you are left-handed and interested in doing calligraphy, you CAN do it. There are left-handed professional calligraphers out there.

Yes, there are challenges to being left-handed and using the broad edged tool, but there are many tricks to get around them. To be honest, it does mean extra time and experimentation to learn what works best for you. So, what I like to do for lefties is send them a small booklet to read before coming to class so you can get a preview on some of the tricks of the trade. When you register, just let me know you are left-handed so I can send you the book. I do ask that it be returned for future lefties taking classes. Here's some basic ideas to start:

http://www.clas.co.uk/left-handers.html