Modern Carolingian Workshop Report

Dear Members and Followers,

Glenis provides us with a great report on the full workshop in June:

MODERN CAROLINGIAN WORKSHOP

Saturday, 20 June 2015

Tutor:  Patricia Moody

On a cool, winter day 14 students were very snug inside a small function room at Sutherland’s Club on East, where we spent the day exploring the Carolingian hand and some script variations.

Pat started the workshop by giving us a brief history of the script and showing us examples from books, as well as her own pieces and those of members Valerie Keevers and Penny Laver.

Then it was time for us to start practising a French style Carolingian, complete with the characteristic small body height, tall ascenders, heavy clubbed serifs and wider interlinear spacing.  This was followed by making our x-height slightly larger and using small entry serifs.  Writing with a 10^o slope I found myself lapsing into Italic letters at this stage.  More concentration needed!  Our final variation was to write the letters sans serif, with the suggestion that we also compress or extend the letters.  These combinations gave a modern look to the script.

With time running out we wrote some prose on better quality paper.  Our show and tell display gave us all a chance to see what everyone else had been doing.  Carolingian written on paper with washed backgrounds looked particularly effective.

Armed with a large supply of handouts we have no excuse for not continuing to play with further variations at home, including trying English Carolingian on which the modern Foundational hand is based.

Thank you Pat for an enjoyable workshop and for introducing some, and reacquainting others, with this lovely, versatile script.

Glenis Sheather

Calligraphy Southscribes, Inc. is kindly supported by Sutherland Shire Council 

Modern Carolingian Workshop Report

Dear Members and Followers,

Glenis provides us with a great report on the full workshop in June:

MODERN CAROLINGIAN WORKSHOP

Saturday, 20 June 2015

Tutor:  Patricia Moody

On a cool, winter day 14 students were very snug inside a small function room at Sutherland’s Club on East, where we spent the day exploring the Carolingian hand and some script variations.

Pat started the workshop by giving us a brief history of the script and showing us examples from books, as well as her own pieces and those of members Valerie Keevers and Penny Laver.

Then it was time for us to start practising a French style Carolingian, complete with the characteristic small body height, tall ascenders, heavy clubbed serifs and wider interlinear spacing.  This was followed by making our x-height slightly larger and using small entry serifs.  Writing with a 10^o slope I found myself lapsing into Italic letters at this stage.  More concentration needed!  Our final variation was to write the letters sans serif, with the suggestion that we also compress or extend the letters.  These combinations gave a modern look to the script.

With time running out we wrote some prose on better quality paper.  Our show and tell display gave us all a chance to see what everyone else had been doing.  Carolingian written on paper with washed backgrounds looked particularly effective.

Armed with a large supply of handouts we have no excuse for not continuing to play with further variations at home, including trying English Carolingian on which the modern Foundational hand is based.

Thank you Pat for an enjoyable workshop and for introducing some, and reacquainting others, with this lovely, versatile script.

Glenis Sheather

Calligraphy Southscribes, Inc. is kindly supported by Sutherland Shire Council 

Modern Carolingian Workshop 20 June 2015

Dear Members and Followers,

We venture to Sutherland for our next full day workshop, so take advantage of a warm room, good company and come along for a great day of calligraphy.

SUTHERLAND UNITED SERVICES CLUB. EAST PARADE SUTHERLAND.   10AM – 4PM

Used from the 8^th to the  mid  12^th Centuries, Carolingian is the first true minuscule script. 

It is characterised by simple, compact, round letterforms with long ascenders & descenders and extra wide interlinear spacing.

We will modernise this pretty, and useful script by increasing the X height, adjusting the pen angle used, and shortening the ascenders & descenders.

Decoration, kept to a minimum, can be anything you like, and simple Roman Caps or Versals, can be used to good effect.

WHAT TO BRING.

·         Usual Calligraphy gear, with a variety of nibs if possible.

·         Layout pad.

·         Ink or gouache to write with.

·         Colour pencils or gouache for your decoration.

·         Water jar, brushes, rags for clean up, etc, if you are using paint.

·         A3 size of better quality paper for ‘finished ‘piece. Lana, or Canson Mi-Tientes will be fine.

·         Piece of prose or a verse for approx. 10 lines of finished writing.

·         NB: A simple background wash (if you have one just hanging around) looks good with this style.

Contact Meril for more details meril@bowyer.com.au or southscribes@yahoo.com.au