Glittering Vines and Captivating Curves: Workshop Evolutions

 Happy Easter Weekend dear friends. I hope you are enjoying a beautiful weekend. We had lots of storms here yesterday but today the grass looks green and there are lots of birds at the feeders. The dogwood tree is starting to bud and the hope of Spring is here. The studio desk is cluttered but still my happy place. I am preparing to teach Fainting Fancies for The Gentle Penman next weekend. The updated handouts are completed so I was able to check that off my "to do" list. I look forward to sharing the flourished lettering techniques and hope they bring joy to the students. 

As one task is completed, it opens the way for the next task. As I begin to work on the course Captivating Curves which will open in July for The Gentle Penman, I started to think about how the course evolved. In 2011 I developed the course The Enchanted Letters. That course evolved out of my quest to develop an illuminated letter that would work with script. The letter C here was the one that helped me carve out my vision for these letters. It was one of the first foliate letter forms I created so many years ago.

As I expanded ideas for the letter forms, I wanted to be able to addd cascading foliate extensions that could form borders for the letters. 

When I was able to travel and teach for guilds, the ideal format for presenting these Enchanted Letters with foliate extension was over a 3 day period. That way I could go into all of the details for creating the foliate extensions as well as Leaf Script Letters and the Embedded Letterforms. I would often see students struggle to add the extensions to the letters, so I would teach the Foliate extensions on their own. When I taught the foliate spray as a separate element, I could see that the students grasped the concepts much more readily. My favourite expression of these foliate extensions was based on a delicate Florentine ornamental design which is pictured below.  It has a tiny bit of gilding added to it and remains one of my favourite designs. 

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The concepts for the Florentine Foliate Spray were kept simple but the results were effective. I would be invited back to the same guild many times over the years and the Florentine Foliate Spray was often requested for the entire weekend focus. The guild wanted a deeper exploration of the acanthus designs so I developed a course called Captivating Curves. In the Captivating Curves class, we would look at the acanthus leaves historically and then over the two or three day weekend, we would design borders that were painted with different techniques. It was a way to explore all things acanthus without worrying about a letter form or even a final purpose for the ornamental designs. The designs were rooted in Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts but always had a touch of the Victorian era mixed in. A sketchbook study shows my clustered florals embedded in the Captivating Curves. 

The acanthus as a decorative element provides worlds to explore and the possibilities are absolutely endless. One curve leads to another and as you learn to see and leverage those curves in your designs, you will start to see the world of ornament with new eyes. I remember going out to dinner after the first day of the weekend workshops and watching the students see acanthus designs everywhere. I believe the image below is from a library in Milwaukee. 

The Acanthus is such a delight to explore and I am working on updating the Captivating Curves course to present online for The Gentle Penman in July. Lots of focus will be given on drawing the acanthus and learning how to harness the curves. Workshop info will be posted soon.  I think the curves for Acanthus Foliate designs look best when they are based on circles rather than elongated ovals but we will explore the possibilities of the designs. We will also learn how to paint the designs with an illusion of depth and form. Captivating Curves really singles out the acanthus as a point of study as we develop foliate designs. 

The acanthus shows up in my offhand flourishing, my Enchanted Meadow, my Glittering Vines and my Enchanted Letters. 

With each workshop evolution, I am able to focus more one one detail or the other. The Enchanted Meadow pictured above does a deep dive into the drawing and dry brush painting technique of the animals with only a nod to the foliate setting. The latest workshop evolution of the foliate ornament was Pencil Lines for Glittering Vines. I developed this course first fore Texas Lettering Arts Council when I presented The Glittering Vine for the Legacies Calligraphy Conference last summer. The recording is available up until June of this year. The Glittering Vine lets me share my gilding technique for very delicate designs that can augment pointed pen work. Opulent gilding, delicate colour schemes, filigree and straight lines are featured in this course.  The components that I get to drill into are really the pencil process and the ability to make a curve harness its power when it meets a straight line. The compositions are striking, yet very simple. 

I will be teaching this course online in May for the Edmonton Calligraphic Society. There is a common denominator in all of these courses. Curves create beauty. Curves can be explored in foliate forms. If you understand how to turn a curve into a foliate expression, a whole new world will open up to you. Simple drawing skills augment our calligraphic world and take us to new levels. Gilding puts our work over the top and does not need a complicated approach. You can transform your compositions into glittering pages as you learn these simple skills. All of these skills can be broken down into simple components that you will evolve for you over time Your eye will find ornament everywhere once you start looking for it. Start with one simple step a time and watch your confidence grow as you explore foliate designs. I hope you all have a Happy Easter Weekend. I will close this post with another bunny from The Enchanted Meadow. Stay positive and stay inspired dear friends.

The Story of Fainting Fancies

 

April is here but I feel like I am still waiting for Spring. Migrating birds have returned home and I am watching a little Carolina Wren settle into a small bird house in the oak tree. I look forward to her chattering songs over the summer months. The days at my studio desk have been as busy as ever. I just finished teaching The Artful Flourish for the Pendragons Guild in Kalamazoo through Zoom. I will never get tired of offhand flourishing! Later this month, I will be teaching Fainting Fancies through The Gentle Penman online. Registration info is here. I recognize that the name of the class is strange and I wanted to share the story behind the class.

Harry Potter fans may recognize Fainting Fancies as a confection of the Weasley brothers. Years ago, my local calligraphy guild was hosting a Harry Potter themed retreat. I needed to come up with a clever name for my class about decorated script capitals. Fainting Fancies seemed to work for a Fanciful Script Letter that could be embellished with flourishes that would make you faint! At least that was my idea at the time.  As I continued to develop and teach this class, I realized that the name could play a bigger role than just writing Harry Potter themed words and flourishing within capital letters. 

As I continued to teach the class, the content expanded to more decorative script letter techniques. Foliated or Floriated letters are possible with a very delicate pen etching technique. The soft application of colour can be used for faint highlights in the letter. Although the letters are ornate, the process is subdued. They are a joy to create and I am finding them highly addictive. 

As I continue to explore the letters and possibilities and I am becoming more and more engrossed in the process.

The Victorian in me is having such fun researching letter designs and bringing vintage techniques to a new era.

Research and a sense of play can bring ideas forward. With every flourish of the pointed pen, I appreciate the process of putting ink on paper more and more. The flourish is to play and and grow! Working on small and simple projects can be a welcome pause from the noise around us. Calligraphers wield a lot of power through the pen and an simple name flourish can bring so much joy to a friend. 

Although the techniques are subdued but the effects can be profound. I hope you find time to put pen to paper. Flourish throughout the day and send kind words and thoughts to you friends and family. I will be cheering you on as you work at your desks. Happy April dear friends.

Treading Softly

 

As March seems to race by I notice changes through the studio window each day. Sometimes I am greeted with morning fog, other days there is still bit of frost on the ground and occasionally there is a warmth in the wind which promises Spring will be in bloom. The walk from the house to the studio can be muddy or icy and I am careful of my footsteps. I tread softly asI figure out the pathway.  This season seems to wake up slowly and then surprises me with such joy and life. I have been spending long hours in the studio preparing for classes. Notes need to be written for the new classes that are in the works and artwork is constantly being created.  In person classes are still not a reality for me but I have been continuing to teach small groups, private students, guilds and large classes online. It is working for me and I am happy to continue as well as explore some longer term programs for my students. I tread softly with my students. I have received so many emails from students and friends who are having such difficulty navigating the news and the bombardment of negativity coming their way. Our world has been going through such a difficult time and as we respond with compassion we can get so overwhelmed.  Our work with the pointed pen is delicate and quiet and I am constantly reminded of the need to focus as we work on our projects. For me, the pointed pen, flourishing, drawing and painting  provides a pathway of peace. It is also an outreach as I put pen to paper or flourish an envelope to send to a friend. This tiny act of caring can brighten someone's day and bring a sense of joy, even for a few moments. It's something within our reach, inexpensive, and an outlet for our flourishing, drawing and painting studies. I want to thank all of you for your notes of encouragement through mail and email. Your notes to me have been such a kindness and a blessing. I am so grateful for your kind words and you encourage me to send out notes of my own. Keep treading softly in these delicate days. The thoughts and words that we share can be so powerful. Sending hugs all around. I hope you continue to flourish!!

Welcome March!!!

 I love the month of March. I know it is unpredictable here in Canada. Sometimes it is a stormy, snowy and icy mess and at other times, it just gently unfolds. Already, the garden sounds different as I hear more and more birds. I continue to wait for the ongoing wonder of this season to begin to emerge. 

I feel so grateful to have work to do in my little studio. I have been intensely working on new workshops. This weekend I will release Nature Sings through Acorn Arts classes online. This class will dive into the wonders and beauty of nature expressed through offhand flourishing. I have also been studying the effects of different mediums on paper and how to build luminosity into the flourishes. The butterfly explorations have been so addictive.

There are times when I am amazed at the results on the paper through very simple techniques. My Faber Castell Polychromos pencils continue to bring a lot of delight as I work with them. If you have never experimented with them, I encourage you to give them a try. They layer beautifully and each layer remains transparent. Their quality is excellent. The core pigment is bonded all the way to the bottom of the pencil so you won't have problems with the core colour falling out. I can use these pencils all the way to the bottom if I use a pencil extender. The are excellent quality for the money and can be mixed with watercolour and watercolour pencils. John Neal Booksellers sell an assortment of some of my favourite colours. I always buy these open stock rather than in sets so I can select my favourite colours. Your favourite art store should have these in stock and you can enjoy looking at the wonderful colour range.

I will be using these coloured pencils in my April Fainting Fancies class through The Gentle Penman as well. The piece at the bottom of the post explores some ideas from both Fainting Fancies and Nature Sings. I hope you treat yourselves to a few colours and explore their possibilities. Just looking at them in the pencil case brings a sense of expectation to my work these days. 
Even as I work at my desk, surrounded by bright colours and and a mind filled with hope, the news of what is happening in the world is overwhelming. As artists, we reflect what is in our minds and hearts when we work. I struggled with whether or not to post about the classes that are coming up. There are so many pressures and concerns in the minds of my dear friends, students and colleagues. My hope is that this type of quiet work with your hands will bring you a sense of peace, hope, and focus as we bring beauty to the page.It can't fix the world but it can realign our thoughts and give our minds a haven from the storm. Wherever you are in the world and whatever is surrounding you, I am sharing a gentle message of Hope to our delicate world. Hugs all around. 

Pink is Always a Good Idea

In the midst of dark days of news and an enduring winter I find that anxiety creeps in a little bit. I find I need to dig a little deeper to find a sense  of peace when I work at my desk.  When I worked in the fabric store, just seeing the bright colours of the quilting fabrics lifted my spirits! The shop is long gone but the joy of colour remains with me. This week I came home with the most gorgeous miniature rose. Seeing the pink colour instantly brought a smile to my face. There is joy in colour and for me the colour that releases joy for me is pink. It came up in conversation as I was teaching The Flowering Flourish class this week. Pink is always a good idea, at least for me. 

I don't know what it is about the colour but it just lifts my spirit and brings a sense of calm no matter what is going on around me. As I continue to prepare for the class Nature Sings class, a pink bunny emerged. I guess it was just a matter of time before it happened!

Even the gilded butterfly has hints of pink in it. I can't escape how much joy I find in this colour.

Surround yourself with the colours that bring you joy and see if that can bring you a little lift of happiness even if you are going through something dark or stressful.

I have had some wonderful emails, letters and phone calls from those of you who share the love of special colours and flowers. Pansies are another favourite and I have been exploring them with my private students and will be painting pansy initials as part of the Alphabet Garden course at Ardington. The classes were sold out but we expanded the capacity a little bit to open up a few more seats and take care of the waiting list. So if you would like to join in either March or May, I think you will enjoy the pansy letters and other explorations we can do with a brightly painted Illuminated Letter.

The Ardington classes are kept quite small to allow for more feedback and I have seen some absolutely remarkable work in the Luminous Letter and The Flowering Flourish. My hope is that students will be able to find peace and joy through the work of their hands. If I can play even a small part in bringing them happiness, I will feel so grateful. No matter what happens in external environments and things that are beyond our control, there are small things we can do to nurture peace and joy. Sending hugs all around and I hope you have a beautiful weekend!

 

From Glimmer to Glow

 I wanted to add a quick post to the blog on a bright but cold February afternoon. I taught an intense class yesterday for The Gentle Penman online. We tried an extended single class of 3.5 hours along with an ambitious project called For the Love of Birds. I loved working on the project and trying this teaching approach. It is fun as well as challenging to figure out the best approaches for the online classes and I am learning so much in the process. The project itself was to demonstrate some drawing, inking and painting techniques and I was thrilled to see what students could accomplish.

I could not complete the design in the class time but several people did and I hope they continue to explore the techniques and bring their own vision to the new designs. One of the things that seemed easier to navigate in an online format is having the students in their own homes where they don't compare their work to others. Yes, we miss the energy of the other students in the class, seeing what unique supplies people bring to class and the social interaction that can really add to the experience. But as an introvert in these social settings, my senses could often be overwhelmed and I would find time to take walks outdoors to recalibrate my mind. There can be a pressure on the student to think that they need to be able to absorb content and gain skills at the same rate of the other students. I want to encourage my students and students of any instructor that you are uniquely you!!! You have a vision, voice, instinct and skill set that is yours alone. You hear things your own way, judge things with your own ideas and have a desire to push your skills where you want them to go...or not to go. This journey is for you alone. As we continue to navigate this world that has so much content for us to explore and devour online, I want to encourage you to find the glimmer of joy in each success and even in the  failures along the way. As I was teaching this intense class in this online format, I remembered how different my own experience has been over the years.

I did not have the choices of online classes that are available now. I had images from a book to study, sought out pen pals and mentors, looked for articles to read and if I could find a class that I could attend in person, I would make substantial investments to attend. I failed a lot. But I kept my successful projects and never lost the passion and the peace that the journey was brining to me. Even as I failed at my desk, I was continuing to explore and learn. Always remember, that this is not a race. There is incredible joy to be discovered out of sheer curiosity of a subject. The art work you create as you play and explore would never be created unless you do it. The smallest note that you can write to someone can bring them joy or hope. Whether you design a whole composition or add a rosebud to someone's initial, you have placed your unique signature on the design.  As I continue to work with my students and prepare for new courses I hope you can celebrate the successes and even the failures as your skills begin to shine and glow. Be patient. Honestly, when I see how quickly some people can catch on to these skills I am reminded just how slow I was to learn and catch on. But I have no regrets. I am just grateful to share what helped me learn along the way and then enjoy seeing your unique creations. Happy Saturday dear friends! Enjoy the journey and allow you skills to grow slowly over time. 

Welcome February!

 The calendar page turns and I always adjust my thoughts for the new month ahead. Outside my studio window, the squirrels are digging through lots of snow and don't seem to be the least bit bothered by it. I start to become so hopeful for Spring as soon as I get my first glimpse of February. I have an amaryllis blooming on my desk to keep me company and I continue to bring home flowers from the florist.  I seem to need flowers more and more these days but I appreciate each moment of joy they bring and keep them as long as I can. I have just finished teaching The Enchanted Meadow for The Gentle Penman online.

I was completely overwhelmed with the response to the class and watching new skills come to life for my dear students. Although I continue to teach privately and work individually with my precious students, I am grateful for these larger platforms and watching a community of painters, illuminators and calligraphers continue to hone their skills. I feel genuinely honoured to be part of your journey. This coming Friday night I will teach my For the Love of Birds class for The Gentle Penman.

 I have worked so hard on the course material and the class will be 3.5 hours long online. I am really looking forward to exploring the Cerulean Warbler with this group of students. I am so excited about this class!

Looking forward to March, I will be launching Nature Sings through Acorn Arts online. I don't think the site is ready yet online, but it will be updated shortly. I hope to explore the awakening of the garden through a grisaille technique on dark paper that I have been playing with. The image below is a glimpse at the beginning stage of the technique.

We will explore birds, blooms and pollinators in this class.

I will build on these techniques in another flourishing class for Acorn Arts again in the fall.  As I am creating these courses I find new ways to explore the flourish and bring more luminous techniques to the page. I hope the content will help you grow as an artist. Flourishing is all about possibilities as well as tapping into the peaceful flow of thought that it can bring. It really is the most powerful pointed pen skill that I have in my skill set and I love working with it. Looking ahead to April, I will be sharing my Fainting Fancies class with the Gentle Penman. Any Harry Potter fan will recognize the name Fainting Fancies. I designed this class for my local guild when we offered a full day Harry Potter themed calligraphic retreat. Although the class content has evolved, the name continues to be a fun title! A fanciful script capital letter is embellished with faint or subtle techniques at first and gradually becomes more and more complex. The magic of offhand flourishing can be added to your script lettering in very playful ways. You can create simple embellishments for envelopes or small quotes or work on complex monograms. I hope this class will be the beginning of many hours of personal study. 

Part of the subtle effects of these letters is the use of white on toned paper, There are delicate details that can emerge when we choose a mid-tone paper.  We can also add subtle details on light coloured paper. Honestly, I wish I had weeks to explore all of the possibilities but the online classes are a great starting place for exploration. 

I am so happy to share these classes with you and I am genuinely delighted to see what you are producing,. If you would like my 2022 schedule, please email me at heather@heathervictoriaheld.com. Enjoy the first breath of February and the subtle signs of spring emerging. I have to look a bit deeper right now in the midst of all of this snow but I am grateful for the Hope of Spring. Wherever you are  and whatever circumstances you are facing, I hope you find a glimmer of light that brings you hope and joy and that you can celebrate the work that you do with your hands. I will be cheering you on from my studio desk. Keep looking for signs of Spring!

Always Anything

 Welcome to 2022! January always surprises me as I linger over  the last couple of days of December. Suddenly a new calendar is opened and a fresh year is upon is. I am not one for making resolutions. That has not worked for me. To be honest, as the new year rolls around, nothing much changes for me here in my little studio. I usually have overhanging goals from the year before that still need to be completed so I continue with my work with very little notice of the change. To me, every day, month and year has possibilities. We can always try anything. Just start where you are, with what you have and see what happens. That philosophy has worked better for me than the pressure of resolutions.  

 As I ended December with the Star of Hope, the word Hope continues to be on my mind. I will continue  to send messages of encouragement through the year. I want to reinforce the possibilities that are waiting for you and build your confidence as you explore the things that bring you joy. Even as you patiently build on your skills don't worry about what seems like a slow pace. You are right where you should be on your journey. Take your time!  

I have a lot of classes on the schedule this year starting with Italian Hand this Sunday. I  look forward to sharing the magic of this amazing script with new students. My 2022 teaching schedule can be emailed to you through heather@heathervictoriaheld.com if you are interested in what is coming up or in private Zoom sessions. The Enchanted Meadow is my next large class online and will be presented through The Gentle Penman. Registration is currently still open.

There are also a few spots left for my encore presentation of The Flowering Flourish at the Ardington School Online in June. It seems a long way off but I will be busy working on blooming flourishes very soon here! If you have never studied with the Ardington School, be sure to subscribe to their newsletter. Their classes are very small and they have so many wonderful offerings available. I have loved working with this small school and have appreciated their approach for the classes. 

 Please keep in touch dear friends. I am only ever an email away.  I can't wait to share new courses with you, work with you on your flourishing, script lettering, gilding, painting and drawing sweet little meadow creatures. Let's stay joyful as we work and  hang on to Hope in 2022. 

Star of Hope

Sending all of you around the world a message of Hope as December comes to a close. Many of you will be able to see friends and family in the coming weeks but others may find themselves on their own this season. If you find yourselves with some time on your hands, I filmed a little video that hopefully is simple to follow. My hope is that it brings you a sense of calm and peace during this season as well as a sense of accomplishment. Enjoy the process and let me know how you do! I hope to bring you more video tutorials in the New Year.

If you have time the last week of December and want to take a pencil class for drawing The Glittering Vines, registration will be open a few more days through the Pointed Pen Collective.  We will learn the pencil stage on December 29th and then illuminate and paint the beautiful border vines on January 19th. An earlier blog post explains a bit of my thinking about the pencil process. I really consider the peace that the process brings to me as I work though these special designs. 

Finally, I have had so many questions about Italian Hand. I will be teaching it online through Zoom early this year. My first offering will in January through The Hamilton Calligraphy Guild and registration is very limited for this two session course. If you email me at heather@heathervictoriaheld.com I can send you the registration info. I will also be teaching it through Zoom for Atlanta's Friends of the Alphabet Calligraphy Guild. Registration info is online. If you want to practice on your own from the resource that inspired my own version of Italian Hand, I recommend the inexpensive bool George Bickham's Penmanship Made Easy.

Pages 29 and 32 still make my heart skip a beat when I see the simplicity and beauty of the letterforms.

After dancing with Italian Hand for the past 10 years, it still brings me such a sense of delight and joy.

A truly lighthearted hand that allows you to play and investigate endless possibilities. As this year draws to a close, if we are watching the news closely, uncertainty and fear can easily creep into our minds. I can recover a sense of peace, calm and even hope as I pick up my pen, brush or pencil. So many of you have written to me through in emails, wonderful card,s and letters telling me the same thing. Chase hope this season dear friends. Nurture yourselves. Find a sense of calm and peace. The work you are creating with your own hands is leaving me speechless as I see you reach new heights. Keep going! From my heart to yours dear friends, have a beautiful season. I can't wait to to welcome the New Year with you.