This week I started tracking all the steps I am taking on a project I am working on as an Easter gift.  A lot of times a small project can be completed start to finish in one session, but a more complicated project can take several sessions to complete.

The piece I started is a rather complicated one, in that it needs to be broken down into stages.  I’m hoping to show that even a beginning calligrapher can accomplish a difficult project by breaking it down into manageable steps.

The project involves a watercolor background, a stylized cross in silver leaf, the words “He is Risen” written boldly, and a smaller passage of text on the body of the piece.  In the case of this piece, the idea came first and was complete in my mind, so instead of designing it on paper and then starting on the finished work, I decided to begin by executing the watercolor background.  This was done on a sheet of 9 x 12 Arches cold-press watercolor paper.  I started by laying a wash of Ultramarine Blue from the top of the paper to about 2/3 of the way down.  Then I turned the paper upside down and ran a wash down from the ‘top’ into the blue wash.  I used a combination of Aureolin Yellow and Quinacridone Rose for this second wash, letting it run down the paper and blend freely with the blue wash.  One of the wonderful things about watercolor is the way each color reacts to every other color.  Knowing that yellows (especially Aureolin) push other colors out of their way, I was able to use this trait to my advantage.  The colors blended in a very exciting way, and all that was left for me to do at this point was to watch the paint dry!

…to be continued.

(I will post the complete set of photos on the Member’s Site when the project is complete, along with detailed descriptions of each step of the process, but I wanted to talk on the blog about how to accomplish a difficult project in general.  Stay tuned!)

Let’s assume for a moment that you’ve been studying calligraphy for a while, and doing a lot of practice and writing on your Westwind Pad.  Maybe you’ve tried some of the projects in your Calligraphy in a Box kit, using the papers provided in the kit, and now you need to find more papers for future projects.

The card stock you used for the greeting card projects is white Astroparche, and it can be found at practically any copy center or office supply store.  Astroparche also comes in a nice range of soft colors, and it is acid-free and archival.  It’s very inexpensive, but it’s size is usually limited to the standard office size of 8 1/2″ x 11″.  You may notice that the surface of each side of the paper is slightly different.  I usually prefer to write on the smoother side.

The 9 x 12 piece of heavy white paper is called Bristol board.  The board I included in the kit is smooth Bristol.  You can also get Bristol in a vellum surface which is a tiny bit more toothy than smooth, and is supposed to simulate writing on actual vellum.  A third surface for Bristol is called plate, which is a very slick surface that is good for fine detail work.  Bristol is available in several sizes at art supply stores.

Some other papers to try:

Watercolor paper, which can be tinted with watercolors, gouache or acrylic paints.  Watercolor paper comes in several weights and surfaces. The most useful papers for the beginner might be 140# cold press (slightly toothy) and 140# hot press (very smooth).  The Arches brand is the industry standard.

Canson Mi-Teintes is a charcoal paper with a slight texture.  It comes in a myriad of colors, and is a bit softer than watercolor paper.  Gouache works expecially well on this paper.

Any good drawing paper also works well for calligraphy.  Strathmore is a good brand to buy, but my personal favorite is Meridian Drawing paper, which is made by Pentalic.  It’s a creamy white 100% rag paper, neutral pH, rather heavy stock.  It’s a dream to write on and holds gouache high above the surface of the paper.

I also enjoy using heavy art paper which comes in many colors.  It’s an artist quality construction paper, and good for many projects which don’t have to last for 50 years!

In truth, it’s possible to write on practically any paper, so use these ideas as a guideline, and feel free to experiment on any paper that catches your fancy.  It’s all about fun, and who knows, you may find an exceptional paper in the process.

At Gina Jonas’ workshop, “Living Letters”, we were introduced to a very interesting writing surface.  Gina uses a piece of Gatorboard covered with suede to write on, and everyone was given the opportunity to try it out.

Gatorboard is a thick, high-density foam board, very lightweight, and Gina has stretched a large piece of suede around the board, stretching it very tightly.  This surface is delightful to write on, with just enough ‘give’ to make writing a pleasure.

Most of us pad our writing surfaces with paper, or if we’re lucky, a piece of drafting table cover.  But writing on a suede-covered board is a very sensual experience indeed.  I urge everyone to give it a try.  Finding a piece of suede large enough to cover a board might be a bit tricky and expensive, but I think suedecloth might give a very similar surface.

A member of our guild pointed out at the workshop that antique writing desks often had a beautiful piece of leather imbedded in the surface.  What’s old is new again!

You have a great idea for a new calligraphy piece, or perhaps you got a new commission, and it’s so tempting to start right in with the calligraphy while the excitement and inspiration are fresh in your mind.

Sometimes the immediate approach works, but usually the results of this kind of approach to your work are disappointing.

Just as athletes and musicians warm up before a performance or contest, you as a calligrapher should warm up and practice before beginning your work.

Start with some stretches and arm circles to get the blood flowing and your muscles warm and energized.  Then get out several pieces of practice paper, and before you start forming letters, have a bit of fun with your pen, making marks and swirls, long and short strokes, moving the pen quickly and slowly and observing how each movement feels and which muscles you are using.  When your pen feels secure on the paper and you feel that your movements are fluid and full of controlled energy, it’s time to start making letters – practicing the words and phrases you will be using in your finished piece.

Watch as your lines of practice become fluid and rhythmic.  Pay attention to your breathing, your muscles and your state of mind.  There will come a point in your practice when everything is going right – you will feel energized and in control, and the words will be flowing without effort.  You might also feel as if you are in a calm zen-like state, almost a trance.  This is the time you are waiting for, and you will know it when it comes.

Those of you who have been following my efforts to get my calligraphy studio back in order (see “Nightmare in Ellensburg”), might find yourseves inspired to do a little cleaning and spiffing up of your own workspaces.

Today I was cleaning out the inside of the small watercolor desk in my calligraphy studio.  I keep an assortment of paints and small paint palettes there because I love to write with gouache and transparent watercolor, and you just neve know when a calligraphy piece might find itself in need of a painting.

I decided to wash all the palettes and start fresh, so I left them soaking in a bucket of hot soapy water while I organized the inside of the desk.  Some of the palettes are plastic, but others are white porcelain, and the thought crossed my mind that it might be easier to just put the porcelain palettes in the dishwasher.

Now, here’s the important part.  Don’t do it!  If you are using artist’s quality paints (and you should be) many of them contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals.  Just because you can’t see any paint left on the container doesn’t mean there are not traces of toxics left.  Do you want that stuff in with your dishes?  I hope not.

Most people are aware of the fact that oil paints can be toxic, as can the mediums used with them, but you would be surprised at how many people think that watercolors and gouache are non-toxic.  In fact, all artist’s quality paints are  made out of the same pigments – only the vehicles carrying the pigments are different.

And here’s one more thing to be aware of.  Cadmium and cobalt, among other metals, can be absorbed through the skin, so use disposable gloves when washing out your containers, and dispose of the water responsibly.  I usually let the water evaporate outdoors, then scrape out the residue and dispose of it at our landfill.  Most landfills have a hazardous waste area, and rules for disposal.

Don’t let any of this keep you from using high quality paints in your work, but it never hurts to be cautious about usage and disposal.  We’re all on this planet together!