September Calliarts - Bend it like Bernd with Cherrie Grant

 Dear Members and Followers,

This September sees us looking at the designs of Adolf Bernd, a German born in 1909.

Fans of his designs are attracted to modern letter forms with decorative elements. He didn't use masking fluid but got a similar effect and with water colours there is a fresh result. 

His three main elements in his designs are:

• Subtle colours.
• White interlinear lines.
• The patters in the surrounding areas.

Materials List

Scripts – Neuland, Art Deco or Art Nouveau. Alphabets which have more weight to them – or look in our fabulous alphabet book in the library

Tracing paper – Office works has a Study Mate branded pad for under $5

0.5 – 1.0 Copic/Uni/Staedtler fine line marker / permanent fine liner black

Pencils – 2H, HB or F and pencil sharpener

Kneadable eraser & tombow eraser

Ruler

A3 x 300 gsm Smooth/Hot Pressed Watercolour (Arches, Fabriano, Hanumuele etc) . or 2 x A4 sheets we will leave a 2.5cm margin on the left hand margin. For binding into a book, if we have time.

Watercolour pencils / water-soluble graphite pencils (Derwent Graphitint) + plus colour swatches (if you have them)

Boku-Undo E-sumi Japanesque watercolour & plus colour swatch (if you have them)

Watercolour tubes or pans – professional/designer/artist grade is best especially when it comes to pigment. 3 warm & 3 cool colours. If you don’t know if they are warm or cool – in your internet browser search  …<is name of your paint colour a warm/cool colour?> if that fails feel free to contact me

some Colour suggestions are

Warm > Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow, Phthalo or Winsor Blue

Cool > Alizarin Red, Lemon Yellow, Ultramarine Blue

 

White ice block tray &  Palette

Water containers x 2

pipettes

Pointed brushes sizes 1, 2, 4 and 6 & mixing brushes

Rag or paper towel

Light pad

Bookings - southscribes@yahoo.com.au 

Paper, Scissors, Rock - Calligraphy Exhibition - Gallery on Track Goulburn

  Dear Members and Followers,

Come join us for our October 2025 exhibition and various workshops.

Opening 1pm Saturday 4th October 2025

All classes bookings via Eventbrite

 Uncial with Cathy Sayer – Saturday 4 October - 10am to 3pm

Bookings close – 27 September 2025 – Minimum of 6 people for the class to run.

 Uncial is a great hand to have in your skill set as the opportunities to use Uncial are endless, cards,   wrapping paper, etc. 

Participants in this class, will need blank paper (computer paper or a bleed-proof   A4 pad), ruler, pencil, eraser, coloured pencils, and a couple of sheets of tracing paper.

Most importantly an Artline Calligraphy Pen 3.0mm (available from Officeworks https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/artline-241-calligraphy-pen-3-0mm-black-pe124301

Weaver Style Writing workshop with Glenis Sheather - Sunday 5 October - 10am to 3pm

Bookings close – 28 September 2025 – Minimum of 6 people for the class to run.

This lettering is my monoline variation of Weaver Script, which is based on the script designed by American calligrapher, the late Gwen Weaver.  There are only 26 letters in this script (no capitals) so can be easily learnt in a four-hour workshop and is suitable for all skill levels.  The aim of the workshop is to have fun playing with some interesting letters, which can then be used to create a small piece of work.

Participants should bring with them the following:

Fine liner/s, such as Staedtler pigment liner, Stabilo point, Unipin, etc. in sizes between 0.1 - 0.5.

A4 layout pad or A4 computer paper

A sheet of tracing paper

HB pencil

Plastic ruler

Coloured pencils (optional)

Celebrating Calligraphy Workshop with Cherrie Grant - Saturday 11 October 2025 - 10am to 4pm

Bookings close – 3 October 2025 – Minimum of 6 people for the class to run.

This is a hands on workshop, we’ll be creating gift ideas and celebration cards for those special events for our loved ones, including the christmas workplace party, birthdays, dinner parties or that special thank you gift to brighten someones’ day. Acts of kindness never go astray or get old.

Students can choose to use either Akim or Art Deco script for their calligraphy. These are monoline scripts and easily to learn.

Participants should bring with them the following:

• Lunch and cushion
• Cutting mat
• Steel ruler
• Craft knifr/cutter and scissors
• A pair of compasses - geometric
• 0.5 - 1.0 copic/uni/staedtler fine liner marker - permanent black fine liner
• Gel pens, white pen, metallic pens
• Pencils - 2H, HB or F and pencil sharpener
• Kneadable eraser (rubber)
• Coloured envelopes
• Double sided tape and tweezers
• Washi tape
• Favourite one liners - limited to 10 words.

Krafty Kersals Workshop with Cherrie Grant - Sunday 12 October 2025 - 10am to 4pm

Bookings close – 3 October 2025 – Minimum of 6 people for the class to run.

We’ll look at krafting a Kersal, and adding a monoline script which can be used for a Name, celebration event or poem. We can look at your own handwriting and work on it so you can expand upon it. Have some fun creating your own script.

Participants should bring with them the following:

• Lunch and cushion
• Watercolour pencils / water-soluble graphite pencils (Derwent Graphitint) + plus colour swatches
•  Gold watercolour or Coliro/Finetec Metallic watercolours
• Tracing paper 
•  0.5 – 1.0 Copic/Uni/Staedtler fine line marker / permanent fine liner black 
• Pencils – 2H, HB or F and pencil sharpener
• Kneadable eraser/rubber
• 2 A3 size sheets of 300 gsm Smooth/Hot Pressed Watercolour paper 100% cotton (Arches, Fabriano, Hanumuele etc)
• Palette or White ice block tray
• 2 Water containers
• pipettes
• Pointed brushes sizes 1, 2, 4 and 6 & mixing brushes 
• Rag or paper towel 
•  Double sided tape & tweezers

Bend it like Bernd 2-day Workshop with Cherrie Grant on 18-19 October 2025 - 10am to 4pm

Bookings close – 10 October 2025 – Minimum of 6 people for the class to run.

 Adolf Bernd used the colour from his wife's flower garden as his palette. He started making decorated letters from the age of 58 until his death in 1994.

Participants should bring with them the following:

• Lunch and cushion
• Tracing paper
• 0.5 – 1.0 Copic/Uni/Staedtler fine line marker / permanent fine liner black
• Pencils – 2H, HB or F and pencil sharpener & Ruler
• Kneadable eraser & Tombow eraser
• 300 gsm Smooth/Hot Pressed Watercolour paper 100% cotton (Arches, Fabriano, Hanumuele etc). 4xA3 or 8xA4 sheets we will leave a 2.5cm margin on the left-hand margin. For binding into a book.
• Watercolour pencils / water-soluble graphite pencils (Derwent Graphitint) + plus colour swatches
• Watercolour tubes or pans – professional/designer/artist grade is best 3 warm & 3 cool colours.
• White ice block tray or Palette
• 2 Water containers, pipettes & Rag or paper towel
• Pointed brushes sizes 1, 2, 4 and 6 & mixing brushes
• Light pad
• Double sided tape & tweezers

Vivacious Versals Workshop with Valerie Keevers - Saturday 25 October - 10am to 4pm

Bookings close – 17 October 2025 – Minimum of 6 people for the class to run.

Versals are the capital letters that were used to begin a new chapter or paragraph in manuscripts.  This workshop will show you how to modernise capitals for our time.  They can be vibrant, colourful, and fun to do.  Come and see where your imagination will take you as we look at many different ways of drawing letters.  Class suitable for every skill level, from people who have never drawn a letter to those who have great experience.

Please bring: An A4 plain paper pad OR some A4 Computer paper.

Alternatively bring some A5 size pieces of watercolour type paper.

HB Pencil, eraser and ruler.

Coloured pencils OR watercolour paints.

If using watercolour paints you will need a small pointed brush, mixing brush and water jar.

Black outliner pen.

Know Your Line with Sharon Barker - Saturday 26 October - 10am to 4pm

Bookings close – 17 October 2025 – Minimum of 6 people for the class to run.

In this workshop we will study line, looking at historical examples for inspiration to find patterns of line, geometric structure, rhythm, gesture and quality of line.

We will explore the relationship lines have with each other, using various tools and mediums both traditional and experimental.

August Calliarts - Monoline and Single Line Lettering

 Dear Members and Followers,

This month we appear to be on the straight and narrow while we investigate the world of Monoline and Single Line Lettering with Valerie Keevers.

Monoline and Single Line are modern alphabets used for fun sayings, a name, cards, small quotes, posters etc.  They are fun and relaxing to do; nothing hard just playing with letters. 

We will look at different styles in this Calliart afternoon.

Requirements

·       Any monoline nib and pen holder you have.  Monoline nibs are round and come in many sizes, the small ones are suitable for the class.  (The square variety are much harder to use.)

·       If using the monoline nibs you will need to bring ink or paints.

·       Back Fine Liners 0.05.  Staedtler, Coptic, Uni-Pin or any other type you have.

·       Coloured Fine Liners are optional.  Officeworks carry Staedtler Triplus Fineliners in multiple colours.

·       Pencils HB and 2B.

·       Coloured pencils are optional.

·       Ruler and eraser.

·       A4 or A3 practice pad and a few A5 pieces of watercolour smooth or rough.

·       Short quotes.

Information for workshop:

Date:                          Saturday, 9 August

Time:                         12.30pm – 4.00pm

Cost:                          $20.00 – Members, $25.00 – Non-Members

Place:                        Sylvania Community Centre - Canberra Road, Sylvania

(near Southgate Shopping Centre)

 

Bookings Essential: southscribes@yahoo.com.au

 

Payment Options: Direct Deposit, Cash on the day or Cheque.  When booking, please advise which payment option you will be making.

June Calliarts - Italic Capitals

 Dear Members and Followers,

To quote a famous song "I simply must go, baby it's cold outside" is the perfect segway to our June Calliarts. It's cold outside so you simply must go to our afternoon of calligraphy. 

As a follow-up to  previous Italic calliarts, our afternoon this month will be centred on Italic capitals with Gloria Scott.

We will look at:

1) the basic capital letters

2) a subdued flourished entry as an alternate choice. 

Requirements

·       Usual calligraphy equipment (ruler, pencil, water etc)

       but particularly:

·       A3 bleed-proof paper pad.

·       Broad (chisel) edged nib pens either Speedball (or other brand) nib sizes 1, 2 or 3.

·       Ink or gouache, water pot, paper towel.

·       Coloured felt tip pens, felt tip broad edge pens.

·       Most importantly, your slope board (if you don’t have one, they are available at the hall).

Time: 12.30pm – 4.00pm

Date: 14 June 2025

Cost: $20.00 – Members, $25.00 – Non-Members

Place:   Sylvania Community Centre - Canberra Road, Sylvania

(near Southgate Shopping Centre)

 

Bookings Essential: southscribes@yahoo.com.au

 

Payment Options: Direct Deposit, Cash on the day or Cheque.  When booking, please advise which payment option you will be making.

April Calliarts - Art Deco and All That Jazz!

 Dear Members and Followers,

I dare anyone to admit that they don't like Art Deco in any shape or form. With that in mind Calligraphy Southscribes, Inc. for the April Calliarts session is bringing to you Art Deco with Glenis Sheather.

Elegant, geometric and streamlined are adjectives that epitomize the Art Deco period, and

in this workshop we will be looking at some Art Deco inspired monoline scripts. Monoline

means a single line so every stroke in the lettering is the same width. You can use many

tools to create monoline letters, e.g. ball point pens, gel pens, pencils etc., but using

Speedball B series nibs will be our main focus. We will also look at some Art Deco style

decorations to use with the scripts, which will be suitable for cards, bookmarks etc.

Materials List:

• Speedball Series B nibs (or similar) preferably within the 4-6 size range.

• Inks/gouache/watercolour paint of your choice.

• Any of the following: ball point pens, gel pens, fine liners, round end felt tip pens,

pencils (graphite and/or coloured).

• Layout Pad.

• Ruler (essential for drawing geometric patterns).

• Coloured pencils, water colour pencils, water colour paint or gouache if you wish to

colour decorations.

• Better quality paper if you wish to complete a piece of work or make a card.

• If you wish to do a quote, find a suitable quote from writers of the period, e.g. Oscar

Wilde, J Scott Fitzgerald, etc.

• Usual calligraphy gear.

If any of you have Speedball Series A nibs, bring them along because I have an exemplar that

suits them. However, this is only if you have them, as I think Speedball has ceased making

them.

Date:     Saturday, 12th April, 2025  

Time:     12.30pm – 4.00pm  

Cost:      $20.00 – Members, $25.00 – Non-Members  

Place:    Sylvania Community Centre - Canberra Road, Sylvania  

              (Near Southgate Shopping Centre)  

              Bookings Essential: southscribes@yahoo.com.au 

Payment Options: Direct Deposit, Cash on the day or Cheque. When booking, please advise which payment option you will be making. 

Calliarts - March - Nibs, Tools and Fun

 Dear Members and Followers,

How often do you look at a tool or a piece of equipment you own or see in store or online and

wonder, “How do I use that” or “What on earth is that for” then this afternoon is for you.

Bring along everything to you want to find out about, how to get the best results from or just

how to use. Think wide and far, from pen nibs to anything you can make a mark with (balsa

wood, coke pens, etc). The tutors this afternoon will be sharing their experience and answering

all your questions.

Materials List:

• Anything you do not know how to use
• A3 bleedproof pad
• Ink
• Gouache
• Graphite Pencil, ruler, eraser
• Scraps of paper

The Calligraphy Southscribes, Inc. 2025 Challenge

 Dear Members and Followers,

In 2025 we are taking a different approach to our yearly Challenge. We will be creating concertina fold

books, again, each month will have a different theme and we will each have a 10cm x 10cm page

on which to work.

This approach might appeal to some newer members, as fitting your own work onto an

increasingly full page can be a little tricky. This is also a way you might try some of the ideas from

our Saturday afternoon workshops.

Be sure to add your name to the Challenge list by the February meeting. 2025 is the year of the

Snake, associated with wisdom, charm and elegance - sounds just like us!!!

Monthly Theme

• March Humorous. Fractured Nursery Rhymes, Fairy Tales and anything humorous
• April Humorous. Fractured Nursery Rhymes, Fairy Tales and anything humorous
• May Humorous. Fractured Nursery Rhymes, Fairy Tales and anything humorous
• June Animals
• July Animals
• August Animals
• September Inspirational words and/or quotes
• October Inspirational words and/or quotes
• November Inspirational words and/or quotes

Calliarts - February 2024

 Dear Members and Followers,

To begin the year, we revisit Uncial, which is great hand to have in your skill set. The opportunities to use Uncial are endless, cards, wrapping paper, etc.

When we think Uncial, we think the Book of Kells https://www.tcd.ie/library/research-collections/book-of-kells.php

Uncial is a majuscule script (what we now know as capitals) commonly used from the 4^th to 8^th centuries AD. Over time the lettering has evolved into the modern variations we see today.  It’s a script that remains popular because of its ease of writing and legibility, making it an ideal script for our new members to learn.

  Materials List:

·        A3 bleed proof layout pad

·        Broad-edged pens (nibs and holders) – different sizes

·        Ink or gouache of choice (colours please)

·        Water jar

·        Fine paint brushes

·        Ruler

·        Graphite pencil

·        Tracing paper

·        Coloured felt tip broad-edged pens – great for beginners and our mini project i.e. duo

·        Slope board if you have one (some on site for the day’s loan)

Date:     Saturday, 8^th February, 2025  

Time:     12.30pm – 4.00pm  

Cost:      $20.00 – Members, $25.00 – Non-Members  

Place:    Sylvania Community Centre - Canberra Road, Sylvania  

              (Near Southgate Shopping Centre)  

              Bookings Essential: southscribes@yahoo.com.au 

Payment Options: Direct Deposit, Cash on the day or Cheque. When booking, please advise which payment option you will be making. 

Calliarts - Untangled Letters - November 2024

 Dear Members and Followers,

This calliarts will see us decorating our letters to use for gift tags, bookmarks, cards with the idea of developing ideas for Christmas.

Materials List:

• Tracing paper.

• Graphite pencil/s (propelling great).

• Coloured and/or watercolour pencils.

• Fineliners (I use pigma micron black) – MUST be waterproof.

• Eraser.

• Ruler.

• Fine pointed brushes - 000, 00, 0, 1, 2 (whatever you have, don't rush and buy them).

• Water jar.

• Paper stump or cotton buds.

• Watercolour paper – bookmark size pieces and coaster size pieces (bring several).

C.J. Sayer

Date:     Saturday, 9^th November, 2024  

Time:     12.30pm – 4.00pm  

Cost:      $20.00 – Members, $25.00 – Non-Members  

Place:    Sylvania Community Centre - Canberra Road, Sylvania  

              (Near Southgate Shopping Centre)  

              Bookings Essential: southscribes@yahoo.com.au 

Payment Options: Direct Deposit, Cash on the day or Cheque. When booking, please advise which payment option you will be making. 

Calliarts - October 2024 - Japanese Stab Book Binding

 Dear Members and Followers,

This month Valerie is going to show us how to make small notebooks finished off with Japanese Stab Binding.

Traditional Japanese Stab Binding was made with a material cover.  Today we are going to make a small non-traditional book with a paper covered card cover, or possibly just the light card cover, the choice will be yours.  These little books are great gifts as notebooks, personal jotters or just for filling with your notes, alphabet designs or drawings.

N.B. Unless you choose to make the pages in light watercolour paper they are not really suitable to wet paint designs.

Materials Requirements:

PAPER:  for the pages you will need 3-4 sheets of A4 size computer paper about 90 gsm. Or any light weight paper any colour.  (Watercolour paper see note above.)

LIGHT CARD:  For the book cover you will need Ix A4 piece of light card any colour.

WRAPPING PAPER:  For the book covering you will need 1x A4 wrapping paper, paste paper etc. any colour or design.  (Colour co-ordinated to page colour looks nice.)

NEEDLE:  1 strong sewing needle with a largish eye that can take the thread you use.

THREAD:  Fine crochet cotton, Cordonet twisted thread, Linen thread etc.  Thread can be any colour to match book or as contrast.  Thread needs to be fairly strong but not too bulky to pass through the holes.

GLUE STICK:  To glue wrapping paper to cover etc.

OTHER THINGS:  Cutting mat, sharp craft knife or Stanley knife, steel ruler, pencil.

Bring what you have of the following:

1.      Pin awl or carpenter awl.

2.      2 bull dog clips with jaws that will open about 1cm or more.

3.      Bees wax.

4.      Beads to decorate optional.

Date:     Saturday, 12^th October, 2024  

Time:     12.30pm – 4.00pm  

Cost:      $20.00 – Members, $25.00 – Non-Members  

Place:    Sylvania Community Centre - Canberra Road, Sylvania  

              (Near Southgate Shopping Centre)  

              Bookings Essential: southscribes@yahoo.com.au 

Payment Options: Direct Deposit, Cash on the day or Cheque. When booking, please advise which payment option you will be making. 

Sacred Technologies: Calligraphy and Illumination in Practice

 Dear Members and Followers,

A free Keynote Lecture for the Vancouver School of Theology's 2024 Inter-Religious Studies Conference by Lettering Artist Georgia Angelopoulos.

Sacred Technologies: Calligraphy and Illumination in Practice

Tuesday, 21 May, 7 - 8:30pm PDT

(for us in eastern Australia, this is Wednesday, 22 May at 12 midday to 1:30 pm)

This presentation will be speaking to sacred writing traditions from the ancient Greek, early Christian and Byzantine worlds. The main premise is to illustrate threads of continuity in the writing of peoples, from antiquity to contemporary practices. In this lecture, Georgia will demonstrate how writing, or calligraphy, is art and how it, like illumination and the arts in general, have an ancient and beautiful lineage worthy of safeguarding at a time when modern technologies are quickly racing forward.

For more information or to register for the Zoom link visit:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/sacred-technologies-calligraphy-and-illumination-in-practice-tickets-861710107127

Lecture abstract:

This presentation will be speaking to sacred writing traditions from the ancient Greek, early Christian and Byzantine worlds. My main premise is to illustrate threads of continuity in the writing of peoples, from antiquity to contemporary practices. In this lecture, I will demonstrate how writing, or calligraphy, is art and how it, like illumination and the arts in general, have an ancient and beautiful lineage worthy of safeguarding at a time when modern technologies are quickly racing forward. My discussion hopes to kindle a re-enchantment of this most important of cultural tools, showing how writing is still relevant even in a digital world. For example, many of the typefaces we use are designed by calligraphers and the practice of calligraphy, though always a niche activity, continues to grow in popularity. The importance of preserving handwriting is highlighted in schools, where children often learn to write with computers rather than with a pencil and paper. The loss of writing by hand raises some concerns about what kind of culture we would be advancing and what may be lost in our haste to give up the pen for the keyboard.

About Georgia Angelopoulos:

Georgia was introduced early on to calligraphy and illumination by schoolteachers in the British Arts & Crafts Revival Tradition and by family in Greece involved in the Arts. She is interested in historical letterforms, iconography and gilding. With a background in art history, Georgia considers writing practices as technologies that talk about the cultures that developed them. Her research enriches and deepens her practice as well as exploring and bridging the richness of cultural identity.

May Calliarts - Rotunda with Valerie and Gloria

 Dear Members and Followers,

This May we explore the blackletter script of Rotunda with Valerie and Gloria, who are both well versed in the script.

The Rotunda is a specific medieval blackletter script. It originates in Carolingian minuscule. Sometimes, it is not considered a blackletter script, but a script on its own. It was used mainly in southern Europe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotunda_(script) 

One of the key differences between Rotunda and other blackletter scripts is that broken bows appear only in a few letters such as d.

Materials List :

*     Any chisel pens.

*     Ruler, pencil, eraser.

*     A3 or A4 pad.

*    Ink or Watercolours. Brush

*    Small quote.

Date:     Saturday, 11 May 2024  

Time:     12.30pm – 4.00pm  

Cost:      $20.00 – Members, $25.00 – Non-Members  

Place:    Sylvania Community Centre - Canberra Road, Sylvania  

                        (near Southgate Shopping Centre)  

         Bookings Essential: southscribes@yahoo.com.au 

Payment Options: Direct Deposit, Cash on the day or Cheque. When booking, please advise which payment option you will be making.