NEW CLASS! Whimsical Words (Registration Open, starts Feb 17th)

February 7, 2012

Whimsical Words – Learn to Make Lovely Letters!

Learn to make your own lettering for your journal and art work, without using templates, rulers or guides!

Begins: Friday February 17th 2012 (Registration open NOW!)
Duration: 5 teaching weeks (downloadable materials will go up Fridays)
Cost: £40 (approx $63-65)

Stop thinking of letters as ‘writing’. Think of them as little works of art.

Let go of the need to have everything straight, uniform and regular.
Lettering can bring a whole new dimension to whatever you create, from scrapbooks and journals to canvas paintings & fabric art. All you need is a few simple tools, a little know how and a dash of creative mojo.

This class is not just about doodling with a pen, this is mixed media!

SIGN UP NOW!

£40 (approx $65)

General Information

Level: Absolute Beginner through Intermediate & Advanced

No prior knowledge required.
If you have knowledge of other mediums and want to experiment you are free to do so.
We’re a very diverse, multicultural group on Willowing.ning.com. If you know how to write in Japanese or Chinese kanji, Russian Cyrilic, Nasta’liq script, or just another language, use the skills you already have & apply the techniques.

Suitable for: Anyone.

The techniques can be applied to canvas, illustration, journal art, even fabric art!
You do not need to be ‘good at art’ to do lettering.
It also doesn’t matter whether you have beautiful calligraphic handwriting or the diabolical scrawl of a drunk spider that walked through an ink puddle backwards on rollerskates.
This is not about ‘calligraphy’ or improving your handwriting; this is about embracing its uniqueness to create your own style.

Techniques

I will show you a variety of lettering techniques using pencil, pen, and watercolour mediums on paper, but they can be translated to other mediums provided you have the skill to ‘blend’ two colours together and/or add shadows.
If you feel in any way unsure about your ‘art’ skills, use watercolour mediums; they are more forgiving.

Supplies list (PDF download)

COURSE OUTLINE

WEEK 1 – Pretty Pencil

Techniques

Basic letters

Getting comfortable with your own scrawl

Simple embellishments for your own handwriting

Outline of the class

Using our own handwriting, we’ll create basic letters and use graphite and coloured pencil to achieve different effects

WEEK 2 – Put Pen To Paper

Techniques

Basic 3D letters

Adding shadows

Outline of the Class

Building on our techniques from week one, we’ll start to create basic 3D lettering with shadows and blocks.

WEEK 3 – Pretty in Paint

Techniques

Learning to draw letters

Creating picture letters

Outline of the Class

Learning to treat letters like miniature drawings rather than ‘letters’ and seeing how you can extend the theme of your art work or journal page into your letters and titles.

WEEK 4 – Paper Can Pop!

Techniques

Basic cut out paper letters

Pop up letters

Outline of the Class

We’ll be making our own paper letters and cutting them out, as well as using our paper letters in a 3D format to create a pop up card or journal page.

WEEK 5 – Pick ‘n’ Mixed Media

Techniques

There will be no ‘new’ techniques taught this week

I will create a piece to show you how to mix the techniques together with different media to create something in your own style.

Outline of the class

Using the techniques from week 1-4, mix and match to create a piece of art with lettering on it.

Project Suggestions:

These are ONLY suggestions to show you how to apply lettering techniques to your own projects and hobbies. Remember, this is about the letters, not the techniques.

Journal artists – Cover your journal and make a decorative title, or make a journal page and add your favourite song lyrics or quote

Crafters – Create a fun nameplate for a child’s door, decorate a box or photo frame, make a title on a scrapbook page

Artists – Decorate a canvas with a special word or quote to hang in your art room, or add meaningful words to a painting

Fabric artists – Use Inktense or fabric paints on canvas or cotton to make your own ‘word/letter’ fabric and turn it into a small item like a book cover or simple tote.