VMD134 Calligraphy Grendl Löfkvist • Instructor CCSF CALLIGRAPHY [VMD134] O COURSE WEBSITE grph151.wordpress.com YAHOO GROUP [email protected] CLASS MEETINGS Ocean Campus, VART Room 142 Mondays, August 21 – October 23, 2017 6:00 p.m. – 8:50 p.m. INSTRUCTOR Grendl Löfkvist [email protected] OFFICE HOURS Mondays, 5:30 p.m. – 5:50 p.m. COURSE REQUIREMENTS COURSE This class is a fun and exciting hands-on introduction to various techniques and styles of DESCRIPTION handlettering and calligraphy. At the end of this course, you should have an appreciation for the written letterform and its history, an understanding of how it relates to type design, and the resources to further pursue the study and practice of scripts and letterforms. CLASS This class meets for 8 class sessions from 6:00 – 8:50 p.m. Class time will include hands- MEETINGS on practice as well as demonstrations, critiques, and discussions. If you need to miss more than one class/homework deadline in a row, please contact me in advance to avoid being dropped from the class. LEARNING Upon completion of this course, students will be able to identify and discuss historical and OUTCOMES contemporary styles of calligraphy, prepare a surface and work environment for calligraphy practice, demonstrate various styles of calligraphy such as Rustic Roman, Uncials, and Copperplate, use an iterative process to create a calligraphic layout, and demonstrate the use of various calligraphic tools and materials. TEXTBOOKS AND REQUIRED COURSE READER AND SYLLABUS assembled by Grendl Löfkvist (bring to class!) READINGS SUPPLEMENTARY (OPTIONAL) READINGS: supplementary handouts and specimen sheets available on the course website, and a bibliography of recommended readings is provided along with the course reader. GRADING Creative projects will be graded based on skill in craftsmanship, concepts, originality, BREAKDOWN execution, and completion. Class participation 200 points A: 900 – 1000 Weekly assignments 50 points each [300 total] B: 800 – 899 Final Project 300 points C: 700 – 799 Quizzes 100 points each [200 total] D: 600 – 699 F: 0 – 599 TOTAL POSSIBLE 1000 points SPECIAL NEEDS If you need classroom or testing accommodations because of a disability, or have emergency medical information to share with me, or need special arrangements in case the building needs to be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. Students seeking disability related accommodations are encouraged to also register with Disabled Students Programs and Services located in Room 323 of the Rosenberg Library, (415) 452-5481. TOOLS AND MATERIALS BASIC TOOLKIT BRING THIS BASIC TOOLKIT to class every meeting: (REQUIRED) portfolio 18” ruler with metric and inches pencil pencil sharpener eraser one or two small cups for ink, with caps a used toothbrush for cleanup pens, nibs, and/or brushes MATERIALS PAPERS: (REQUIRED) pad of good drawing paper, e.g. John Neal Books, Sennelier, Canson, etc., 8.5 x 11 minimum size lots of scratch paper for sketching, inking, padding, etc. INKS: bottle of sumi ink or other quality ink such as Private Reserve ink stick and grinding stone (optional, but highly recommended) eyedropper and water cup gouache or watercolor set PENS, NIBS, BRUSHES: 5mm chisel edged marker, metal nibs (e.g. Brause 3 mm and 5 mm nibs) and holder pointed pen nib and holder (Gillott 404 or similar) brushes: 1/4” and/or 1/2” firm square brush and pointed brush quill pen, bamboo pen, Tombow brush marker (optional) OPTIONAL EXTRAS (BUT USEFUL) drawing board or 20” x 26” plywood triangle t-square inks in other colors tracing paper transfer paper WHERE TO SHOP, BRICK AND MORTAR ETC. FLAX • 1501 MLK Jr. Way, Oakland • 510.867.2324 • flaxart.com ARCH • 2349 3rd St, San Francisco, CA 94107 • 415.433-2724 • archsupplies.com DICK BLICK • 979 Market Street, SF • 415.441.6075 • dickblick.com CASTLE IN THE AIR • 1805 Fourth St, Berkeley • 510.204.9801 DAISO • 3251 20th Ave., SF • 415.759.2626 • daisojapan.com ONLINE JOHN NEAL • www.johnnealbooks.com PAPER AND INK ARTS • paperinkarts.com OTHER RESOURCES FRIENDS OF CALLIGRAPHY • a society that sponsors classes, workshops, lectures, and exhibitions • friends of calligraphy.org IAMPETH • an organization dedicated to preserving the arts of calligraphy. Online lessons and forums • iampeth.com SYLLABUS F16 WEEK ONE INTRODUCTION/ ROMAN CAPITALS (FOUNDATIONAL HAND) 8.21 IN CLASS intro to curriculum, textbook, online resources, students, instructor READING Introduction, Roman Capitals SLIDES the evolution of writing, Trajan column, inscriptions LAB rule out paper for Roman Capitals, 1:6 stroke to height ratio practice Roman Capitals using: • 5mm chisel marker FOR NEXT TIME read Introduction, Roman Capitals, Roman Rustic in reader • bring tools and materials • memorize anatomy and nomenclature of letterforms • write out your name and an appropriate title in Roman Capitals: i.e. IMPERATOR JULIUS, IMPERATRIX GRENDL, BEATUS DAVID, etc. WEEK TWO ROMAN RUSTIC 8.28 SLIDES Rustic Capitals LAB rule out paper for Rustic Roman, 1:6 stroke to height ratio practice Roman Rustic using: • 5mm chisel marker • brush and ink or gouache FOR NEXT TIME read Uncial in reader • write a short Latin phrase in Roman Rustic, i.e. “TEMPUS FUGIT,” “VENI, VIDI, VICI,” “ALEA IACTA EST” “MEMENTO MORI,” etc. • study for QUIZ on anatomy/nomenclature, Roman Capitals, Roman Rustic [WEEK THREE] NO CLASS — LABOR DAY HOLIDAY 9.4 WEEK FOUR UNCIAL 9.11 QUIZ on anatomy/nomenclature, Roman Capitals, Roman Rustic SLIDES Greek Uncial, Roman Uncial, Half Uncial, Artificial Uncial, Insular Majuscule LAB rule out paper for Uncial, 1:4 stroke to height ratio practice Uncial using: • 5mm chisel marker • Brause 5mm nib and ink FOR NEXT TIME read Carolingian in reader • write out a short salutation, i.e., “ALL ARE WELCOME,” etc. in Uncial • bring ideas for Final Project SYLLABUS F16 WEEK FIVE CAROLINGIAN 9.18 SLIDES historical examples of Caroline Minuscule (Carolingian) LAB rule out for Carolingian, 1:3 stroke to height ratio practice Carolingian using: • 3mm chisel marker • Brause 3mm nib FOR NEXT TIME read Gothic Textura in reader • do a pangram (i.e.,“Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow,”) or a proverb in Carolingian WEEK SIX GOTHIC TEXTURA 9.25 SLIDES discuss evolution of Textura and other Blackletter forms LAB rule out for Textura, 1:4 stroke to height ratio practice Gothic Textura using: • 5mm chisel edged marker • Brause 5mm FOR NEXT TIME read Copperplate/Roundhand in reader • write out a scribal curse in Gothic Textura • roughs for Final Project due • study for QUIZ on Uncial, Carolingian, Gothic Textura WEEK SEVEN COPPERPLATE/ROUNDHAND 10.2 QUIZ on Uncial, Carolingian, Gothic Textura SLIDES historical examples, discuss pressure techniques with Copperplate nib LAB use pre-ruled sheets practice using Copperplate nib FOR NEXT TIME read Humanist/Foundational in reader • write a love note in Copperplate [WEEK EIGHT] NO CLASS — FLEX DAY 10.9 WEEK NINE HUMANIST MINUSCULE/FOUNDATIONAL HAND 10.16 SLIDES historical and early 20th century examples LAB rule out for Foundational, 1:4 stroke to height minim, 1:2.5 ascenders/descenders practice Humanist Minuscule using: • 5mm chisel edged marker • Brause 5mm FOR NEXT TIME PROJECTS DUE! [extra credit: write a favorite quotation or saying combining Foundational minuscules and majuscules] WEEK TEN PROJECTS DUE 10.23 IN-CLASS PRESENTATIONS and CRITIQUE BIBLIOGRAPHY TEXTBOOK: Course reader and handouts, prepared by Grendl Löfkvist Handouts taken with permission from DK publishing: Harris, David. The Art of Calligraphy: A Practical Guide to the Skills and Techniques. DK Publishing, New York, NY, 1995. MATERIALS ON THE HISTORY OF WRITING Jean, Georges. Writing: The Story of Alphabets and Scripts. Harry N. Abrams, Inc., NY, NY, 1992. Fobinson, Andrew. Lost Languages: The Enigma of the World’s Undeciphered Scripts. BCA, NY, NY, 2002. Katzner, Kenneth. The Languages of the World. Routledge, NY, NY, 2002. Sacks, David. Letter Perfect: The Marvelous History of our Alphabet from A to Z. Broadway Books, NY, NY, 2003. CALLIGRAPHY AND ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT REFERENCE MATERIALS Anderson, Donald. Calligraphy: The Art of Written Forms. Dover Publications, Minneola, NY, 1969. De Hamel, Christopher, A History of Illuminated Manuscripts. Phaidon Press, London, England, 1994. Drogin, Mark. Calligraphy of the Middle Ages and How to Do It. Dover Publications, Minneola, NY, 1982. Drogin, Mark. Medieval Calligraphy: Its History and Technique. Dover Publications, Minneola, NY, 1980. Gourdie, Tom. Mastering Calligraphy. Watson-Guptill, NY, NY, 1986. Gullick, Michael. Calligraphy: The Treasury of Decorative Art. Moyer Bell, Wakefield, RI, 1996. Khan, Gabriel Mandel. Arabic Calligraphy. Abbeville Press, NY, NY, 2001. Knight, Stan. Historical Scripts: From Classical Times to the Renaissance. Oak Knoll Press, Newcastle, DE, 2003. Harris, David. The Calligrapher’s Bible. Barron’s, Hauppage, NY, 2003. Fingernagel, Andreas. In the Beginning was the Word: The Power and Glory of Illuminated Bibles. Taschen, Köln, Germany, 2003. Seligman, Patricia, and Noad, Timothy. The Illuminated Alphabet: An Inspirational Introduction to Creating Decorative Calligraphy. Sterling Publishing, NY, NY, 2004. TYPE AND TYPOGRAPHY REFERENCE MATERIALS Biggs, John. Basic Typography. Blandford Press, Dorset, England, 1977. Biggs, John. Lettercraft. Watson-Guptill Publications, NY, NY, 1968. Biggs, John. Letterforms and Lettering. Blandford Press, Dorset, England, 1977. Blackwell, Lewis. 20th Century Type [remix].