May Calliarts - Unlocking the Majesty of Uncial - Part 2

 Dear Members and Followers,

Please join us for part 2 of Unlocking the Majesty of Uncial calliarts.

This month after a warm up of our letters and writing a few short words, we will be exploring how to use your Uncial. 

Come along for a creative afternoon. 

You must bring:

A4 paper

A3 paper (minimum of 2 sheets)

Pens, Nibs, Coloured gouache, etc. (water jar, palate, brushes) or

Coloured calligraphy/felt calligraphy pens

Ruler

Eraser

Graphite pencils

Geometric compass

Tracing paper

Usual calligraphy gear.

 

It is essential you book in no later than the Thursday night before class, so the tutor has photocopies for you. 

When: 9 May 2026

Where: Sylvania Community Centre - Canberra Road, Sylvania

Time: 12.30pm - 3.30pm

Cost: Members - $20.00, Visitors - $25.00

Bookings - email southscribes@yahoo.com.au

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.  

Brush Up - Revisiting Using Your Brushes - May Calliarts

Dear Members and Followers, 

This play and practise Calliarts session in May will introduce you or re-introduce you to your brushes, how they react and what you can do with them on paper. We will look at various calligraphic letterforms and how they can be manipulated, depending on brush type, paint, ink and paper. Join Valerie Keevers for a fun afternoon. 

 Requirements list: 

 Please bring any type of brushes you have, do not buy any new ones. The brushes being discussed will include: 

 Materials List: • Round pointed hair brushes 000 to size 16 • Dagger brushes, Mop brushes, Chinese Brushes, Rigger Brush • ½inch Flat brush, hair and bristle • 1inch flat brush, hair or bristle• House painting brush and stippling brush

You Will Also Need: • A3 pad, any paper pieces about A3 size any colour OR brown paper roll / plus some newspaper • Gouache, Paint, Watercolour or Acrylic, ink etc. Bring what you have • Mixing brushes, water jars and tissue or rag • Some white plastic paper plates or palette with large holes that can be used with big brush • Pencil and ruler 

Bookings Essential. Direct Deposit perferred - email the workshop co-ordinator - southscribes@yahoo.com.au or cash/cheque on the day. 

Date: Saturday, 13th May 2023 

Time: 1.00pm – 4.00pm 

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

Place: Sylvania Community Centre - Canberra Road, Sylvania (Near Southgate Shopping Centre)

Words Paint a Picture - May Calliarts - Calligrams

 Dear Members and Followers,

A calligram is a picture or design that is created by arranging words or lines to fill or form an image.  Usually, the words relate to the image.  The most basic example is a single outline filled with written texture to create the image, or to form the outline of the image.

There are no hard and fast rules, e.g. letter height, line spacing, pen, nib size, to create a calligram.  However, calligrams require good planning and practice with trials of roughs and the selected image before attempting the final image.

With an easily identified shape a loose style of lettering can be used, e.g. a leaf shape can be simply formed by repeating the word “leaf” over and over again in a freely written script.

Extract from The Encyclopedia of Calligraphic Techniques.

“If text (words) are to be read, more time is needed to fit words into the shape.  Some possible ideas (solutions) could be to include different styles of letterforms and/or different weights.  Don’t forget variations of texture, nib or lettering size and colour variation can be adopted to give added form or definition to the shape.”

Materials List:

A3 or A4 pad

Usual calligraphy gear

One piece tracing paper A3 or A5

Pilot fine line pen, 0.4 or 0.5

Pen, nibs William Mitchell or Brause 2½, 3 or 4

Optional Materials:

Water colour paints. Or Gouache mixed to ink consistency

Two water jars

Coloured pencils

 Date:       Saturday, 14 May 2022

Time:      1.00pm - 4.00pm

Tutor:      Gloria Scott

Cost:        $15.00 – Members.  $20.00 – Non-Members

Place:      Sylvania Community Centre - Canberra Road, Sylvania (near Southgate Shopping Centre) 

Bookings Essential: southscribes@yahoo.com.au

  

Looking forward to seeing you!

Forget Cooler Days - Italic is All the Go this May

 Dear Members and Followers,

This May we are diving into Italic with Patricia Moody for both a Calliarts and a Workshop. Patricia is renowned for her Italic calligraphy works so take advantage of these days.

Calliart; Getting to grips with Italic - Saturday 8 May 2021

This will not be a structured afternoon dealing with all of the many problems individual scripts can present. Rather it will be a few hours of revision, with maybe a variation or two for those who might want to hone some rusty pen skills. Or, a basic beginners guide to letterform, pen angles, X heights etc for members new to the Italic hand.

There will be no pressure to achieve a finished piece during our 3 hours together, instead it will be a few hours spent among friends while playing with pen and ink.

Materials List: Bring whatever you have, or feel comfortable using. Larger pens, ie Speedball no 2 or even double pencils for the less experienced. A3 layout pad, eraser, ruler, pencil, and either ink or paint of your choice. (If the latter, don’t forget a mixing palette & brushes, water jar and rags/ paper towel) 

When: 8 May 2021

Time: 1pm to 4pm

Where: Sylvania Community Hall, Canberra Road, Sylvania NSW

Cost: $15.00 - payment before the afternoon via direct deposit

Bookings: Essential - email southscribes@yahoo.com.au to book and banking details.

The Making of Folded Boxes

Dear Members and Followers,

The calliarts for May sees us making boxes that you will be able to eventually calligraphy on. The afternoon is run by box maker extraordinaire Kath McEwen.

You will need:

2 Pieces per box each, of 150 – 180 gsm card for each proposed box, ranging in size

from A6 to about A4

Cutting Board

Metal Ruler (in Cm)

Pencil, Eraser

Bone Folder

UHU good quality glue

Plastic coated paper clips

Metal scorer (or bone folder) a dead biro works well.

Sharp Craft Knife

Scissors

Old glossy magazines for glue-paper to throw away.

We will be at Sylvania Community Hall, Canberra Rd, Sylvania from 1 - 4pm. May 13th 2017

Cost $10.00.

Remember to bring your coffee or tea cup with you if you would like afternoon tea.

State Library New South Wales and Carrying Tradition in a Digital World with Denis Brown

Dear Members and Followers,

If you are in Sydney this should be interesting.


http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/events/carrying-tradition-digital-world-denis-brown

May Summary

CALLIGRAPHY SOUTHSCRIBES SUMMARY for MAY 2015

Workshops:  The continuation of the Italic Lettering Course is proceeding well with 8   participants. There have been no other bookings for future workshops at this time, Meril will send out an email reminder and Gloria will encourage her evening class to participate in Calliart and workshops.

The next workshop, Modern Carolingian with Pat Moody, will be at the SUSS Club at Sutherland on the 20^th June 10am to 4pm.

Please consider booking in for some workshops and attending the Calliart afternoons, it is your society and we need

your support to keep it viable.

Workshop Bookings: Please email your booking and payment information (including the code) to Meril Bowyer at

meril@bowyer.com.au or post to PO Box 714 Caringbah 1495. Direct debit details are available if you prefer to pay electronically.

Magazine It was decided that we would try to maintain a basic newsletter to go out bi- monthly, with eg the presidents report, workshop information and reports and some photos. Those without email will receive a hard copy as before. It is anticipated that the first newsletter will be out in the first week of June. This will only be sent to those who have renewed their membership

Membership: Our current membership stands at 20 financial members and 5 life members. It is pleasing to report that we have 3 new members, 2 from Pat’s Community College class and one from Gloria’s Italic Lettering Course. However it is disappointing that so far only 17 members have renewed their membership. Glenis has sent reminders and membership renewal forms to those members who have not as yet renewed their membership in the hope that they will do so.  For those who do not renew their membership this will be the last summary you will receive.

Social Activities: We have received an email from the Maritime Museum regarding the Mary Rose Exhibition. The social secretary may consider organising a visit. More details when they become available.

Hazelhurst Exhibition. This was a resounding success with many compliments, such as “one of the best exhibitions I have ever seen” from one visitor and similar. The subject seemed to strike a chord with many people. Fifteen calligraphers produced 36 pieces of work which was a wonderful effort and 10 were sold. The President of the ASC mentioned what a great exhibition it was at their committee meeting. A very big thank you to all those who worked so hard to submit pieces and to “mind the shop” at the exhibition in spite of the appalling weather on a couple of days.

We are putting in a submission to move the exhibition to the Dragon’s Lair next year. There is a possibility that we may be able to hang some extra pieces so keep thinking of anything else you may wish to do.

Calliart: A fun afternoon was had by all making paste paper with Kath McEwen. It was very pleasing to see a new member and two guests who participated and another new member who came in to meet us. A big thank you to Kath who spent a great deal of time in meticulous preparation of all the materials.

Next Committee meeting:  Saturday 13^th June.