Calligraphy for Beginners and Improvers

Course participants can choose a script from the following: Italic, Italic capitals, Foundational hand, Roman capitals, sharpened italic, uncial, Cnutcharter hand, San Vito capitals, copperplate, experimental letterforms, Carolingian, Versals, flourishes, modern pointed pen cursive and learn/tune up the alphabet, letter spacing and then use the script in different sizes in short quotations in ink, and colour or in a variety of layouts.

Gaynor Goffe BA Hons

Gaynor Goffe, BA Hons, London University, Surrey Diploma in Art and Design, is a freelance calligrapher. She spent three years as an assistant to calligrapher Donald Jackson, followed by 16 years teaching on the calligraphy courses at the Roehampton Institute and 3 years teaching at Reigate School of Art and Design. She is a Fellow of the Society of Scribes and Illuminators and also a Fellow of the Calligraphy and Lettering Arts Society. Her two books, Calligraphy Made Easy and Calligraphy Step-by-Step (with Anna Ravenscroft) were published in 1994.

We have four buildings that are used for visitor accommodation. Whilst most rooms are either en-suite or have a dedicated bathroom, there are some rooms in The Mill that share showers and toilets at the end of the hall. If this is un-suitable for you please make the office staff aware upon booking or as soon as possible. Please be aware that you are visiting a Field Centre that caters in the main for school parties; the accommodation is basic and dormitory style, but warm and comfortable.

Arrival Day

Check-in is between 1600-1800, if you are arriving after 1800 please advise us, so we can ensure you are advised of access codes, room key location, and room location.

You will meet the tutor at Dinner, and you will have your first session after Dinner.

• 
  Expert Tuition
• 
  Free Wi-Fi
• 
  Full Board Accommodation
• 
  Hot and Cold Drinks
• 
  Picnic Lunch

Full board accommodation and picnic lunch is available for resident bookings only.
Refreshments are included for all, but non-resident bookings are advised to bring lunch with you.

What to Bring

• A range of Mitchell square cut ‘roundhand’ nibs, especially number 2 (2mm) (left oblique for left-handers)
• Penholders and slip-on reservoirs
• Non-waterproof black calligraphy ink, eg Pelikan 4001 or Sumi liquid ink in tall flat-sided plastic bottle/box (available from www.scribblers.co.uk)
• A3 Winsor & Newton A3 smooth cartridge pad 60,70 or 100lbs weight OR Windsor and Newton drawing, fine grain A3 pad with purple iris on cover.
• Several tubes of Winsor & Newton designer’s gouache (series 1 or 2, which are the cheapest, but not ones labelled ‘primary’ as they don’t flow so well in the pen)
• Mixing palette and brush
• Scissors, cutting knife
• Tape, tissues, HB pencil, ruler, rubber
• Pritt stick (or similar)

NOTE: don’t pay more that £14 for an A3 pad or £7 for ink. You can use Gouache instead of ink if you wish.

Email: [email protected] if you have any queries.
If you wish to do copperplate please bring two Zebra G nib and a bottle of Brian Walker’s copperplate ink (obtainable from www.scribblers.co.uk).

A Small Selection of Recommended Books

You may find the following of interest as background reading:

• The Calligrapher’s Companion by Mary Noble and Janet Mehigan (Collins)
• Colour Calligraphy by Mary Noble and Adrian Waddington (Search Press)
• The Painted Word by Dave Wood
• A Handwriting Manual by Alfred Fairbank (Faber)
• Modern Scribes and Lettering Artists (Trefoil)
• Calligraphy Today ed. Heather Child (Studio Vista)
• The Calligraphers’ Project Book by Suzanne Haines (Collins)
• Calligraphy Masterclass by Diana Hoare (Collins)
• Calligraphy Made Easy by Gaynor Goffe (Paragon/Robinson)
• Calligraphy Step-by-Step by Gaynor Goffe and Anna Ravenscroft (Harper Collins)