Versals: From Classic to Modern (Sheila Waters: 2.5 day)
Skill level: Intermediate-Advanced
In historical illuminated manuscripts a Versal was the large capital that began a verse or a paragraph of text. They were also used for important headings. Classical Roman capitals were the model in the Carolingian era and were usually undecorated. They gradually became more florid and “Lombardic” in the Gothic period, with decoration of increasing complexity. In the Italian Renaissance they returned to Roman capitals, and were used plain or with white vine decoration for important pages. Versals were built up with multiple strokes with a narrow-cut quill, often in red, blue or green, and were filled in by flooding the color between the wet strokes.
Modern Versals can be constructed in the same way, with hairline serifs, or with overlapping strokes without serifs. They have great possibilities for both traditional formal work and for fre-form expression, once the basic constructions have been mastered. They can provide an added skill as well as an alternative to building capitals by more the more direct methods of pressure-and-release or pen-angle and cornering manipulations.
Plan of Action
1. We will look at examples of the many varieties of Versals, classical and modern, reviewing their basis of Roman Capital proportions and discussing their constructions, then: a. Tackle the classical types with hairline serifs, filled in solid, then with open outlines and decorative fill-ins. b. Build up similar constructions, but with bracketed serifs, to explore this method of making Roman Capitals, as distinct from twisting the pen or using other manipulations.
2. Try modern versions with overlapping strokes without serifs (e.g. styles used by Ann Hechle and others)
3. Explore uses and compatibility of style for initial letters for verses and text, inset and marginal, then for titles and headings and spacing problems they present.
4. Finally loosen up for having fun in personal cards and projects.
Supply List: Usual basics taken to any class, including lap board or portable desk, plus a range of narrow nib sizes of Mitchell (3, 3.5, 4 and 5 with reservoirs) and of other makes you prefer. Non-waterproof ink that does not bleed or stick ink and stone with old brushes suitable for nib-filling. Practice paper that has a bit of “tooth” such as drawing paper or Arches text wove if you have some pieces. A few tubes of gouache you already have, which can be supplemented by some I can lend and a small mixing palette. If you have quills already cut to narrow sizes, bring them, as versals are easier to construct with quills. But this is not a quill-cutting class!
Supply fee: none
