Dear Members and Followers,
Calliarts -
April & May 2026 – Unlocking the Majesty of Uncial – Cathy
Step back
to the dominant script from the 4th to the 8th century
and discover the hand that shaped early manuscripts. Uncial is one of the most
beautiful and influential hands, preserving great bibles and early literary
treasures of the west.
This
workshop is designed for anyone who wants to slow down, pick up a pen, and master
the rounded, rhythmic elegance of this classic majuscule script. We will break
the individual letters down, focusing on its signature “roundness” and the
specific pen-angles required to achieve its characteristic weight.
Over the
two months we will:
· Foundations – history of the script,
tool set-up and basic warm-up strokes.
· The Alphabet – Group letters by
shape and practice.
· Refining the Hand – Adjusting the
X-height, alternate letters, etc.
· Work on aspects of decoration and
usage that are associated with the hand.
Who are
these afternoons for?
· Beginners – No prior calligraphy experience
is necessary. Uncial is an excellent starting point for calligraphy as we work
with majuscules and limited slopes.
· Intermediate and More Experienced calligraphers.
Time to refine the hand and add some extras to your uncial.
Materials
List Across the Two Months:
· A3 Bleed proof Paper Pad – (Reeves from
Officeworks, works well or an alternative from Eckersley’s)
· Graphite Pencils – HB and 2B
· Ruler – 40cm
· Eraser
· Penholders and broad edge nibs (chisel)
in a variety of sizes (beginners April – Artline calligraphy markers in
different sizes, again Officeworks)
· Ink and/or Gouache (you will also need
gouache for lettering a piece). Please include a gold gouache.
· Some sort of palate, cheap small
brush, good small brushes (000, 00 and 0 – not expensive), water jar/s, paper
towels or cloth for cleaning
· Black fine liners
· Tracing paper
· Grid paper
· Geometric compass
· Suitable quotes, + one longer piece
(the list
may seem extensive, but I promise we will use everything).
