Italic Class+Variations | John Stevens
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The class will focus on Italic Letterforms, specifically their finer points and variations. Italic is one of the easiest hands to grasp initially yet arguably one of the most versatile.
Finer points: the design and little touches to refine your Italic. A more progressive, technically challenging approach than the familiar “beginning Italic” as handwriting, will be presented, with advanced ideas toward letter design and page design.
The Basic curriculum of this class
The class starts with an overview to define the range of “Italic” … stretching far beyond the mere copying of a manuscript from the past. There will be three structures/goals to guide our work: a base model, a more vertical model (variation one), and a casual model (variation two). In each class, I will be sharing my “model” of calligraphy; how I address a quote or design and writing in general. This is predominantly a pen class. There will be assignments given for each class.
Session 1: Overview of class, set up, work on the base alphabet (formal-yet contemporary alphabet), and the essential techniques/strokes. Define the shape, working towards consistency and flow.
The assignment will be given.
Session 2: Add refinements to the letters, define our approach. Address questions and work submitted. Add swash strokes. Rhythm. Introduce Capitals: first, a simpler, all-purpose version, and then Swash Capitals. Q&A.
You will upload the previous assignment.
Session 3: Work at text (smaller) sizes. The challenges that come up between lettering a word, a title, a phrase, and long texts. Consistency in writing text hand balanced against designing a 2-4 words’ title. Q&A and tooltips.
You will upload the previous assignment.
Session 4: Expand to variation two of our structures. There will be demonstrations. Introduce some thoughts about letter-design and layout and design—review/notes on the previous assignment(s) that were uploaded. Review our “up to now” progress. Review and delve deeper into layout and design.
You will upload the previous assignment.
Session 5: Introduce variation three, handwriting influence (our third structure), formalizing handwriting (or relaxing formal Italic). At this point, most of the technical aspects have been addressed and can apply to each of the three structures we’ve practiced. It is all a matter of practice. Layout and design will have been discussed, as well as combining scripts. We will consider designing our page with empathy for the words or subject and even talk about “what’s your style and how to develop it further.”
I will share many examples of my work where I have applied what is being presented in this class. You can go to Instagram and see a large body of my works or my website as well. I called this an approximate syllabus because of the pace of the class and level of participants do play a part and I would like the flexibility of adapting to the real circumstances.
Thank you. —John
