A 2020 RECAP!

Our January meeting was cancelled to ensure the safety of all of our members. While the main roads were clear, side roads in our area were still icy and who wants to take that chance?!

February was our last 'normal' meeting. Using Stonehenge paper, we were looking to eventually construct a book structure with our pages of mark making. Examples were taken from previous classes some of us have taken with Yukimi Annand and also from the works of Denise Lach. 

Shortly after many members were able to enjoy the annual retreat to Yellow Point Lodge with the Fairbank Calligraphy Society, then Covid-19 problems began...


Not active together but we have been busy behind the scenes, all the while hoping we can get back to meeting in the not tooooo distant future!  Roll out those vaccines!

We started in March, giving suggestions for members to stay with lettering practice and different things to try. We had hoped to have gathered all the examples of work in a virtual newsletter but serious health issues got in the way of that for now. We wish our newsletter editor’s husband well and a speedy recovery and know that when life is back to normal, we will be able to see it all in full colour!

March was a chance to look at the Macclesfield Alphabet – do you own the book? Interesting drawn letters and members received one to work with.

 

April was a look at Greek Uncial. We were to look it up on the internet, choose a style (there seemed to be several) to work with and letter one of the suggested quotes. Remembering, when studying a ‘new’ hand to think of Edward Johnston’s analysis points:

1.       Angle of the pen

2.       Weight of the pen strokes in relation to the height of the letter

3.       The form and structure of the letters

4.       The number of strokes in the letter

5.       The order of the strokes used to make the letter

6.       The direction of the pen strokes

7.       The speed at which it was written

 

May suggestions were to design a monogram for Mother’s Day and/or to try our hand at dyeing paper using tea bags.

 

June  On your favourite 4”X4” square of paper, write your favourite short quote, using your favourite lettering style, your favourite tool with your favourite colour combination to participate in a ‘favourites quilt’ for the newsletter.

July  Sherry put together a fun packet pf pointed pen exercises. It was to aid in familiarizing members with pointed pen work.

September  Nan had been going to present her alphabet that she learned in a class several years ago with Jean Formo. It is a lower case, drawn alphabet – a challenge! The letters can be:

tall and skinny            short and wide             have a rounded look          

 or         have a squared shape

Consistency is the key!!

October  was a mail out challenge….. hoping we will see the results in the newsletter…..

November   Nan, again, had prepared an exemplar of funky, no pen lift letters.

 Which brings us to December and our first Zoom meeting! And the sharing of our Christmas cards which we usually exchange at our luncheon. Looking forward to Saturday!