CLAS Festival of Calligraphy
The annual CLAS Festival of Calligraphy gives everyone a chance to indulge in letters and lettering. World class tutors teach a variety of courses in lettering and associated arts such as colour, bookbinding, manuscript illumination and so on. It is also a chance to meet like-minded people and make new friends. And, it is FUN!
Make sure that you're one of the first to apply by being a CLAS member.
This year's event
2011 Festival at Durham was a delight and marked a very worthy end to Marlene Grey's and Kathy Sedar's tenure as Festival officers. The venue was as excellent as it was in 2009 - but the weather was better this time!
Delegates came from as far as Australia, Canada and a big contingent from South Africa, as well as our home grown ones, both regular and new.
A good time was had by all who enjoyed the variety of subjects taught by Patricia Lovett, Christopher Austin, David Price, Cherrell Avery, Jan Ascoli and Marion McKenzie. New skills and techniques were learnt while new scripts were popping up everywhere. Challenges were posed and met with enthusiasm.
Malvern, 17th - 23rd August 2012
Elim Conference Centre, De Walden Road, West Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 4DF
The 2012 Festival has an excellent line-up of tutors and the workshops are booking up fast. Ewan Clayton, Gaynor Goffe, Yves Leterme, Celia Lister, Helen Scholes and Mick Paine will be sharing their calligraphic knowledge in a glorious setting that is within easy access of Hereford Cathedral and Worcester Cathedral if a walk in the college gardens or up the Malvern Hills doesn't appeal.
The 2012 Festival is proving extremely popular. If you are wishing to attend, please contact to check on availability.
Details of courses and tutors
Ewan Clayton
Ewan lives in Brighton where he runs his own calligraphy studio. He is Professor of Design at the University of Sunderland. Growing up near Ditchling, Sussex, he and his family worked in a guild of craftspeople founded by Eric Gill. Ewan enjoys working with his fellow calligraphers with heart and spirit as well as technical excellence.
A workshop on the letter making of Ben Shahn (1898-1968). Amongst American lettering artists of the twentieth century Ben Shahn holds a special place. He was a painter, printmaker and photographer, as well as one of the most creative inventors of letterforms. In this workshop we will look at his modern versal and hand drawn letters and his working process as a source of inspiration for our own letter shapes.
Session 2 One word calligraphy, writing mindfully All Levels
This workshop is about slowing down and attending to detail. We will write just one word (your choice), looking carefully at it and practicing until we are fluent in our writing. We will then move on to a variety of scripts of your own choice. Our work will be based around the kinds of words one might use on a greetings card. At the end of the class we will make 100 written copies of the words we have designed (it’s an amazing experience!). This kind of practice can help improve basic conditions of penmanship, pen hold, spacing, letterform and serif formation on any script. This class is a kind of health spa for letters (and scribes)!!
GAYNOR GOFFE
A fellow of CLAS and the SSI, has been a professional calligrapher for over 30 years, and has taught widely in the UK and abroad including 1982-1997 at the Roehampton Institute, and later at Reigate School of Art and Design, where she trained, followed by 3 years as apprentice to Donald Jackson.Session 1 Experimenting with Italic Variations Near-beginners to Advanced
Italic is an exciting script to explore whatever your level of calligraphic experience. Whether you want to learn/improve a basic italic, develop a more rhythmical and/or flourished italic, or experiment developing personal italic variations this workshop will accommodate all these aspects. Through tutor-led exercises, and plenty of group demonstrations and individual help, you will be guided to produce good quality and interesting letterforms culminating in finished pieces with brief texts, using colour in the pen and background.
Session 2 Experimenting with Versal VariationsAll levels except complete beginners
Versals are very helpful in building technical skill in penmanship. In addition to being used for verse beginnings, there are many exciting possibilities using them creatively for texts in contemporary work. In this workshop a variety of forms will be explored, ranging from basic versals with roman capital proportions to many personal experimental forms. Through a series of structured, tutor-led exercises with group demonstrations and plenty of individual help, samples of different versals will be produced and selected forms will be carried through using brief texts into finished works using colour in the pen and background.
YVES LETERME
Yves began calligraphy in 1991, becoming a close student of Brody Neuenschwander, who influenced his vision on contemporary calligraphy. He is widely known for his gestural style as well as well as his carefully drawn capitals and unusual compositions on richly textured backgrounds. He has travelled widely to teach his specific approach to lettering and calligraphy. Visit his website on www.yleterme.be
Session 1 Gestural Writing Class Intermediate to advanced
This workshop will be an eye-opener and a hand-trainer. Pen angles, pen lifts, polyrhythm, pressure, proportions, patterns, premeditation, pointed brush, paralyzing panic... (to name only the p-words): we'll dissect, demonstrate and discuss all these items followed by carefully selected exercises to train hand and eye towards better letterforms and compositions. The road we're taking is certainly not an easy one, but the sights along the way are so rewarding. There's a whole new world out there to explore.
Session 2 Experimental Layout Intermediate to Advanced
In this workshop we will leave behind the rules of traditional layout, as they may paralyze or confine the student who wants to leave the beaten paths of calligraphy.
A series of exercises will show how, by experimenting fearlessly, we can think of new and original compositions. This way of working allows us to stay alert at what happens on the paper and prompts us to find solutions to problems that keep appearing. Gradually, we will sharpen our graphic eye and learn about the hidden rules of experimental layout.
Believe me, having no preconceived ideas about the work has nothing but advantages.
Celia Lister
Celia lives and works in Cornwall, with a graphic design background, she has taught and worked with calligraphy and lettering art for over 20 years. Her work has been widely exhibited.Celia’s personal creative journey explores the expressive qualities of text, colour and illustration often inspired by the countryside and sea of the West Country.
Session 1 Illustration, materials and writing Beginners and intermediate
Have you ever wanted combine illustration to enhance and add life to your lettering design but not known how to start? Or been unsure of how to use a range of materials?
In this practical workshop we will explore a variety of basic illustration/drawing techniques covering pencil, coloured pencils and watercolour. Considering the properties associated with each medium, different ways you can combine illustration and drawing with your writing, and the papers you can use. Drawing experience is not necessary!
Session 2 Texture, colour and pattern Intermediate and advanced
This workshop is about exploration, and the only requirement is an adventurous spirit! Starting with drawn Roman Capitals, we will explore developing and changing shapes, taking inspiration from both the historical and contemporary, to create linear calligraphic patterns considering shape, tone and space.
Using your calligraphic pattern as a foundation to work with we will experiment adding colour to create texture, with watercolour pencils, watercolour and gouache, with a practical reminder of the properties of each medium, and the different papers and brushes that you can use.
HELEN SCHOLES
Helen is a new fellow of CLAS, an accredited tutor and an Art teacher with many years experience. With a background in illustration she is a firm believer that drawing can be taught and is not just the preserve of the talented few.
Session 1 Drawn again to Letters All Levels
If in doubt do it in pencil! So much safer than ink – you can even rub it out if you make a mistake.
Whilst pencils are suited to work on an intimate scale they can be used to create dramatic effect and larger works.
Helen will teach how to use all kinds of pencils, from lead through charcoal to coloured to build up intensity, subtlety and hue, to mix the desired colour and to create strong graphic images. We might have some exercises to build up confidence and use historical influences to create contemporary designs starting with individual letters, then single words and onto short phrases or quotes.
MICK PAINE
Mick has spent many years studying calligraphy and lettering, [completing the SSI’s Advanced Training Scheme in 2004]*. He has been particularly interested to explore how contemporary calligraphy might relate to other visual and literary arts. Mick has taught calligraphy in numerous contexts alongside producing work for various exhibitions and private and public commissions.
Session 2 Collage for Calligraphers: Playing with Rules and Randomness All levels
Collage is becoming an increasingly popular way of working for many calligraphers and lettering artists. In this workshop we will explore the basic tools, materials and techniques involved in combining calligraphy and collage. Working with text and collage is wonderfully liberating and open-ended and this is undoubtedly one of its most appealing aspects. Unfortunately, it can also sometimes lead to results that are chaotic, weak or predictable. In order that we might try our best to avoid these things, Mick will suggest a variety of exciting ways of approaching calligraphic collage that can help us keep order and structure in the mix with spontaneity and freedom.
Workshops
The workshops take place during two 2½ day sessions with a free afternoon, Monday, in between. Registration is on Friday afternoon with tuition starting early on Saturday morning. There will be a meet-the-tutor session on Friday evening. Evening lectures and sales opportunities are also planned.
Accommodation
Accommodation is in single student rooms with en-suite facilities. There are also a limited number of twin en-suite rooms, so if you are bringing a partner, please indicate this preference on the booking form. If you would like a ground floor room for medical reasons, please indicate this on the booking form. Tuition, all meals, tea and coffee are included in the residential price. The non-residential price includes tuition, lunch, tea and coffee and dinner on the Friday and Wednesday evenings.
Booking
The 2012 Festival is proving extremely popular. If you are wishing to attend, please contact to check on availability.
Early booking is recommended to secure the workshops of your choice and this
enables the Society to place the necessary deposit to reserve the accommodation
and classrooms. Draws will take place for any workshops that are oversubscribed, but for any that are not, you are welcome to book later – check for availability.
You are asked to indicate your first, second and third choice of workshop from the
list of five, for each session. Please do not limit yourself to only one choice as we
cannot guarantee your first choice.
To book and reserve your workshop places, please complete and return the booking
form, enclosing payment, to
CLAS Festival 2012, 11 Crutchfield Lane, Walton on Thames KT12 2QY, United Kingdom
Payment is as follows
- Non-refundable deposit of £50 per person, payable on booking;
- For UK participants, the balance may be by cheque enclosed with deposit, post-dated to 1 May 2012, or PayPal.
- Payments from overseas should be by PayPal.
Please make cheques payable to CLAS or follow this link for PayPal.
Festival contacts are Viva Lloyd (01932 229561), Marion McKenzie (02380 848020)
and Deborah Morton (01905 612816)
Or E-mail –
To reduce postage costs, e-mail will be used for correspondence whenever possible.
Fees
RESIDENTIAL Includes 6 nights accommodation from Friday 17th August, tuition, all meals, teas and coffees.
| CLAS members | £540 |
| Non-CLAS members | £580 |
| Non-participants (ie no tuition) | £410 |
NON-RESIDENTIAL Includes tuition, lunches, teas and coffees, and dinner on Friday August 17th and Wednesday 22nd August.
| CLAS members | £370 |
| Non-CLAS members | £410 |
Cancellations: if notified to us before 1st May 2012 your post-dated cheque will be returned. Should you have to cancel, please notify us as soon as possible, in order that we may offer your place to another. We regret that cancellations after 1st May cannot be refunded, so you are advised to take out ‘holiday’ insurance to cover this possibility.
Printable booking forms
The Calligraphy and Lettering Arts Society, 54 Boileau Road, London SW13 9BL England