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*A huge thank-you to John Neal Books for offering Imaginarium students a 5% discount on art supplies! Use the code below at checkout to claim your savings: https://www.johnnealbooks.com/?aff=16

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2-day online workshop

Saturday & Sunday, May 2 & 3, 2026

9am to 3pm PST

$150 USD

All classes recorded for later viewing and available for 90 days after last day of class!

Creating tiny delicate Roman Capitals and allowing their placement to become a major part of the design is the focus of this workshop. First let’s look at mono-line Roman Capitals – working through their basic shapes and proportions. Next we will dress them up with delicate serifs and last, but not least, creating lovely waisted strokes. As we begin using the pointed pen, we will talk about scaling down our letterforms as we breathe life into them. With a series of carefully planned exercises we will take these capitals on a ride by taking off their training wheels (guidelines)…and letting them fly! By carefully thinking about the axis of each letterform you will create a visual texture of cascading, trickling and thoughtful scattering of letters. These will be based off your design. We will also use color and mica in our lettering designs. At the end of this workshop you will walk away with a great resource booklet that will record all of your ideas and notes.

SUPPLIES: Basic calligraphic tool box, including:

• .07 mechanical pencil (I will be using a (HB) 2mm drafting pencil)

• 12” metal ruler/Xacto knife/small cutting mat/two (2) medium binder clips glue stick/scissors/bone folder

• black fine line pen (pigma or micron)

• pen wipes/water container/dropper or pipette

• mixing palette (6 well is plenty),

• “Natural bristle” mixing brush (I prefer a #4 square found at either PIA or JNB)

• low tack(re-positional) tape or simply wash tape (I prefer the YELLOW Frog tape)

• painters tape

• sleeve protecter…they are easily peeled off in class

• Pointed nib – like Hunt 56 (somewhat flexible) or Nikko G (stiffer) in a straight pen holder.

• Black: Gouache (or similar) or Sumi ink or stick.

• White: such as Dr Ph Martins Bleedproof or Pen-White. Watercolors of your choice: either tube or pans

• Round WC brush….size 6 or 8.

• Gum Arabic

PAPER:

• Pad of Strathmore Drawing paper – trim down to 8.5X11” (300 series is fine). Tracing paper. Several smaller size papers such as Arches Text Wove/MBM/Ingress (approx: 8X5”or smaller).

• One sheet black paper (Canson Mi-Teintes Black /Fabriano Black/Black approx: 8X5” or smaller).

LAST SESSION:

• Cutting mat/12” metal ruler/Xacto knife, Binder clips (2), Glue Stick (I prefer UHU), Bone Folder, One (1) large sheet of decorative paper no small than 9X12”, (2) cut peices of scrap mat board or cardboard 7-8X1”,

Gold Pearl EX powder (be sure to have gum arabic), favorite quotes or poems.

***OPTIONAL: Your favorite quotes or poems. Gold Pearl EX powder (be sure to have gum arabic)

Creating tiny delicate Roman Capitals and allowing their placement to become a major part of the design is the focus of this workshop. First let’s look at mono-line Roman Capitals – working through their basic shapes and proportions. Next we will dress them up with delicate serifs and last, but not least, creating lovely waisted strokes. As we begin using the pointed pen, we will talk about scaling down our letterforms as we breathe life into them. With a series of carefully planned exercises we will take these capitals on a ride by taking off their training wheels (guidelines)…and letting them fly! By carefully thinking about the axis of each letterform you will create a visual texture of cascading, trickling and thoughtful scattering of letters. These will be based off your design. We will also use color and mica in our lettering designs. At the end of this workshop you will walk away with a great resource booklet that will record all of your ideas and notes.

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April class postponed to a later date…

The Silent Movie era produced lettering for Title cards and also dialogue, or intertitles. When the lettering was completed by hand, it evolved into a unique style called Eccentric Title. The course will begin with history of this unique lettering, and will survey selected hand lettered intertitles of the Silent Movie era.

We will then focus on exploring a split-script style of Eccentric title based on an original lettering plate published in the Speedball Textbook of 1918 by William Hugh Gordon.

In addition to the unique characteristics of early 1900s lettering, participants should expect to learn aspects of lettering that include pressure and release, pen manipulation, riding the corner, and specific branching principles.

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Past 1/2-day Workshops:

$95 Now available Pre-recorded class for $80 USD

Learn the Bungalow style of Charles Rennie Mackintosh using the B-nib. Discover how to transform counters and letter spaces into vibrant, colorful design elements for eye-catching Art Nouveau–inspired compositions.

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The world needs a bit more sparkle and magic in it…so why not use mica to brighten it up? It is such a versatile medium and adds a touch of elegance to all that we do. Since mica can be used in numerous applications, we will focus on how it can suit our needs as calligraphers/artists…including lettering, design work and sometimes just adding a touch of elegance in the work we are doing. This will include practicality and elements of design.

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