Planning Ahead

As a teacher, new sessions are needed to be prepared continuously and half the joy of teaching is preparing new and stimulating exercises for students.

Through teaching I have meandered many varied paths which have been both challenging and exciting. 

Denys Taipele started many of us on a painting path and I have my 'water-colour bible' filled with many exercises which helped expand my creative journey exponentially. 

With numerous teachers and varied teaching methods over many years I have built a creative repertoire of skills to pass onto my students and create moments of awakening and delight. 

At the moment I am about to tutor someone in watercolours who has never done art before apart from school art. If his experience of school art was anything like mine, I am surprised he wants to embark on this journey. The interesting thing is that instead of trusting the teacher's guidance and suggestions on materials he has a question for every instruction and request. While it is admirable to be inquisitive, to question every detail at every turn can become exhausting-and this is before sessions have started. Instead of believing in the process, he seems to be putting up road blocks at every turn. So this will be a challenging journey in many aspects but hopefully some great positive will result.

Experimenting with Water-Colour

An unusual combination

New sessions planned for August

Using the Letters and Ideas from previous Courses we will create a 26 letter Book of Days with a theme using appropriate quotes and letterforms. 

16 Weeks long: R700 every 4 sessions

This will incorporate letter form, painting, design and layout.

Booking essential

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Proposed Dates:

Tuesday: 3, 17, 24, 31 August, 7, 14, 21, 28 September, 4, 11, 18, 25 October

Thursday: 5, 12, 19, 26 August, 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 September, 14, 21, 28 October

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I will be planning a small book of days with various A-Z names for my two littlest grandchildren.

This is the small A6 book with watercolour paper pages which I have already evenly divided into pages which I shall write on and illustrate. I think this will be a great project to end the year. 

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November: Colour in Calligraphy

Four weeks of creative inspiration

Tuesday: 2, 9, 16, 23

Thursday: 4, 11, 18, 25

Five Minute Challenge

 With so much time spent at home and in my new studio space upstairs I am able to compartmentalise time. Perhaps more efficiently because I am not 'popping here and popping there' for a coffee, chat or visit.  So time is spent (usually) in a more orderly fashion. 

I've done over 365 daily quotes over the past year or so and use various techniques from watercolour to graphite. Pen and brush. Pencil crayon to fine drawing and have loved all the techniques I've rediscovered.

I often set myself 5 minute challenges and suggest it is a wonderful way to make goals for both new ideas in lettering, technique and creativity:

Materials: Good paper, selected pens nibs: round and fine. Colour. In this piece I used Faber Castell, Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils which give vibrant colour and can be wet to create a 'water-colour' mixing effect. 

With Pen and without

I used a pencil to outline the design. Added marks with the B series round nib. Drew the designs with a fine nib and then, once dry added coloured pencil marks. I then used a paintbrush to brighten the colours.

Set yourself time to complete this. Before you start, be aware of how your materials so that everything is at hand. Be focussed and as ever always remember to breathe. 

Create more of these exercises to do. You will be delighted by the creative moments you will enjoy.

 After many days, months, years, I am resuscitating this blog which I'm sad to say I'd forgotten I'd started and found by accident recently.  

For the meantime I will add my upcoming classes which will be fun and enjoyable as we discover and collect beautiful letters to make up an alphabet that each person will collect and cherish. 

An 8 week course on The Development of Letterform: 

Creating a Perfect Alphabet Letter by Letter.

Tuesday morning & Thursday evening

Both groups will be doing The Mystery of the Alpha Bet. 

R700 for 4 sessions payable in advance.

Tuesday morning 10h00 to 11h30: 

11, 18, 25 May 1 June & 8, 15, 22, 29 June

Thursday evening 17h00 to 18h30 

13, 20, 27 May, 10 June & 17, 24 June 1 July

This will be an interesting and enjoyable journey as we explore the development of letter form & how to create our own 'Perfect Alphabet'.

We will re-look at various alphabets and hone our skills using 2 weeks each for Uncial, Foundational, Gothic & Neuland, Italic & Modern. 

An understanding of letterform and calligraphy is recommended.

As always booking or confirmation is essential. All notes and connections will be sent before each session. 

On a book sale some time ago, I found a fascinating book on the alphabet (well how can you resist a book about letters?) called appropriately Letter by Letter with a sub-title An Alphabet miscellany. The ideal book to dig and delve into to find a perfect letterform. Each letter is discussed and tracked from the origins and is rather fascinating. We all know that Aleph is the first letter (in the Western world anyway - don't let's even consider going further than the Mesopotamian valley. And the book just adds bits of knowledge with beautiful letters to marvel over.

In time I will add creative challenges, calligraphy bits and pieces and some added information as I discover something new and different. 

In the meantime enjoy a break and always remember to breathe.