February Meeting

Ribbon Book

20150714_CheeseSand_048

Saturday, February 13, 2016

9:30 am to 1:00 pm

East Bank Regional Library

4747 West Napoleon Ave., Metairie

Book making has always been a much requested topic.  So once again we have called upon Eugenia Uhl to lead us in a hands on demonstration of the construction of a Ribbon Book.

 For the covers of these delightful books, you will need two pieces of thick decorative paper. Eugenia has printed  photographs onto Arches paper using her home printer.

Please be sure to have you paper & ribbons cut to the specified sizes as this will speed up the process.

Materials List

Ribbon 1.5 x 21 inches, cut in 3 equal pieces (7” each) OR thick decorative paper works too

Covers, thick decorative paper, 2 pieces: 9.5 x 8.5 inches

Bookbinding thread 1 ply, 9x height of book (8.5″) = 76.5 inches

Inside pages: 28-8.25 x 9.25 inches, we will fold these to make 7 signatures, use whatever type paper you would like on the inside of your book

Bookbinding needle

Piercing Cradle (a phone book works well) We will have some to share

Bone folder

Awl

Pencil, eraser, extra piece of scrap paper (3×8.5”)

Xacto knife, ruler, cutting board

PVC glue, cheap glue brush, scrap paper (to glue on)

Paper Towels

2 medium book binding clamps

Calligraphy Classes

Several of our members teach calligraphy classes throughout the year.  Roxanne Beard will be teaching “Calligraphy Basics Series-Italic” on March 5th.  Eugenia Uhl teaches several classes in bookbinding and calligraphy at the New Orleans School of Art & Craft.  Please click on Calligraphy Classes in the main menu for contact information on Roxanne and Eugenia and for a listing of current classes at the New Orleans School of Art & Craft.

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January 2016 Meeting

Seastone 3

   Seastones–Adding Ovals to Your Copperplate with Maria Helena Hoksch

Saturday, January 9, 2016

9:30 AM to 5 PM

Carlo Ditta Meeting Room

1445 MacArthur Ave., Harvey

Many great artists borrow inspiration from nature.  Platt Spencer, the father of American penmanship, was no exception.  While visiting Lake Erie, he pocketed numerous small stones which became for him a guide to good form.

Over many years of intense study local calligrapher, Maria Helena Hoksch, has developed her own way of using ovals to enhance her copperplate lettering.  She calls this style Seastones.

Please join us as Maria Helena guides us in exploring this lovely style, turning a lettered page into a beach covered with polished pebbles.  We will then apply the Seastone script to addressing envelopes.

Lined guide sheets will be provided.  Prior knowledge of any pointed pen script is useful but not essential.  For those who don’t feel comfortable with pointed pen, you may work with fine tip markers or sharp pencils.

You may participate in a morning session or stay for a full day of more in depth study.

Workshop Fee

Members–$25 for 1/2 day, $40 for full day

Non members–$35 for 1/2 day, $55 for full day

To register please print out the registration form below & mail in by January 5, 2016.

Seastone 2IMG_1043

Supply List

Hard and soft pencils                                                                                

Sharpener

Ruler                                                                                                                    

Eraser                                                                                                                          

Lighter or Matches                                                                                                  

Fine Black Marker (Sharpie Pen)                                                                       

Oblique Penholder                                                                                                

Hunt 101 nibs, at least two                                                                          

Palace Moon Palace Sumi Ink                                                                   

Winsor Newton Ivory Black Gouache                                                                                                                    

Mixing Brush                                                                                                          

Water Dropper

Water container for cleaning/rinsing the nib

Soft Paper Towel

Little Inkwell or Container, for dipping your pen

Canson Pro Layout Marker Pad, 9″x12″

Drafting Dots or removable tape                                                                                                          

Optional Supplies

Blotting paper for cushion, slant board,Ott light & long extension cord, your favorite pointed nibs, Cranford black paper (smooth, comes in pad), Dr. Martin’s  Bleedproof white, another dipping dish, extra envelopes (smooth & thinner), protractor & old toothbrush

You can obtain supplies from David Art or on line through Paper & Ink Arts or John Neal.

Maria Helena Hoksch registration form

Membership Form 2015-2016

WORKSHOP POLICY

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NOLAA meeting – November 14, 2015

Blackletter Workshop

*Please Note:   New Location We will meet at the North Kenner branch of the library at 630 West Esplanade at 9:30am

November’s meeting will be a hands-on study of blackletter led by Vince Mitchell and Yvette Rutledge of Mystic Blue Signs. We will begin by making the basic forms of this constructed alphabet, then we will follow the video of Reggie Ezell’s version of the same alphabet, step by step. We will use black ink as well as mixing colored gouache and watercolor for use in pens.

blackletterMaterials:   For lettering,  you should bring
 *a broad-edged pen of of your choice:
  a parallel pen size 3.8mm or
  a dip pen like Speedball C1 or Brause #5
  (with bottled ink like Higgins Eternal) or
  a chisel-edge marker 3.5 mm
 *pencil, eraser, ruler, water jar, paper
  towels
 *practice paper–something heavy enough
  that the ink doesn’t bleed through
For working with colored gouache or watercolor,  please bring
 *a mixing tray, a small brush, a tube of
  watercolor or gouache paint.
  You will need to use a dip pen with this
  paint

 **Knowing the fundamentals of blackletter will be helpful at our spring 2016 workshop with Irish calligrapher Denis Brown, who will spend two of the four days he is in town showing us a cursive form of blackletter. (See the previous post “Save the Dates” below for more info)

Note: In 2017, Reggie Ezell will be teaching a year-long workshop for NOLAA where we meet for a weekend every two months. The workshop will cover many advanced techniques.  Our November meeting is a good opportunity to preview his teaching style.

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2015 October Meeting

Exploring Handwriting

Saturday, October 10

9:30 AM

at Mystic Blue Signs

2212 Magazine St.

New Orleans, LA

You should bring:

  • pencil, ruler, eraser, a bottle of ink
  • a dozen sheets of paper: smooth enough not to inhibit pointed pen motion
  • pens:
  • 1.  a flexible pointed pen nib with penholder
  • 2.  a dip pen with a small chisel edge like a Brause 3/4mm or 1mm or a Speedball C5
  • 3.  a chisel marker size 2mm
  • 4.  a finepoint felt-tip marker like a Pigma Micron #1, #2, or #5

The idea is to have a range of tools available so we can find the one that gives you the most self-expression for your particular handwriting. We will examine the various characteristics of handwriting like weight, slant, etc, to see how you can choose to affect the way your penmanship looks.

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2015 September Meeting

Back to Basics

September 12th at 9:30am at the East Jefferson Regional Library

(4747 W. Napolean Ave, Metairie)

We hope you will join us at our first meeting, Back to Basics, on Saturday, September 12 at 9:30am at the East Jefferson Regional Library.

NOLAA president Debbie Fleming will review Italic calligraphy and show a DVD on italic from calligrapher teacher Reggie Ezell.  Beginners, here’s your chance for a lesson in a basic calligraphy style in an informal setting. We will also explore different inks and papers. *There will be a small materials fee for non-members.

italicYou should bring: (1) Pencil, ruler, eraser (2) Paper for practicing and taking notes (3) Chisel-edge marker or Metal Nib with pen holder:  Speedball type C-1 or C-2 chisel edge and a bottle of ink  or  “Parallel” pen that uses cartridges.

*Please register on the website (members and non-members) if you plan to attend. If you have questions, you are welcome to call Debbie Fleming at (504)401-0144.

At 9:30 there will be a short business meeting, where we will provide details of our October calligraphy exhibit, which is being hosted by Mystic Blue Signs.

NOLAA Calligraphy Exhibit —  Oct3-Nov 6

 

calligraphyArt for Art’s Sake on Magazine Street is one of the biggest art events of the New Orleans scene. People from all over the world will see the exhibit. Please come to the opening reception Saturday, October 3 from 6 to 9pm, and bring your friends. There will be live music and refreshments.

The NOLAA show is unjuried, and we encourage calligraphers of all levels of experience to make a piece for the show. We hope all our members will participate.

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2015 May Meeting

New Orleans Lettering Arts Association meeting—Saturday May 9

Interlocking Monogram Design

http://www.mysticbluesigns.com/tsp_monogram.jpg

East Jefferson Regional Library
4747 West Napolean Avenue, Metairie
10am — 1 pm

http://www.mysticbluesigns.com/dle_monogram.jpgPlease register on the website ( members and non-members) if you will attend the meeting so we can plan for the number of participants. {Fill in Meeting Registration  form on www.neworleanscalligraphy.org }

http://www.mysticbluesigns.com/script_monogram_ACH.jpghttp://www.mysticbluesigns.com/fab-fiona.jpg

 NOLAA’s final meeting of the year will be a hands-on mini-workshop in designing interlocking script monograms. Whether drawing two- or three- letter combinations, vertical or slanted script, the principles by which we interlock initials into monograms remain the same.
Yvette Rutledge of Mystic Blue Signs studied monogram design while training as a hand engraver and has designed monograms professionally for many years.
She and her husband Vince Mitchel will demonstrate the principles for joining copperplate and  vertical scripts, along with methods for variation and finishing.

Participants can use tracing paper to reposition sample letters provided by Eve and Vince, or use flexible pointed nibs to draw their own. Transfer paper will be provided for carboning the design onto good paper before final inking.

http://www.mysticbluesigns.com/deasy_logo.jpg

Materials:
several sheets of tracing paper
pencils, eraser, ruler, scissors
smooth drawing or writing paper
fine point black marker like Pigma Micron #005, #1 or #2

optional:
flexible pen nib and holder for making script letters
your favorite black ink
small water bottle
paper towels

All designs copyright Mystic Blue Signs
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