Watercolor & Calligraphy Technique Sampler Book (Kristin Doty: 2.5 day)
Experience Needed: No watercolor, drawing, or bookbinding experience is necessary. It would be helpful to be comfortable with a calligraphy pen and know at least one hand.
Watercolor is fun and unpredictable! It often has a mind of its own and is difficult to control. Yet, the beautiful luminous effects you can achieve with watercolor are prized and unique. Calligraphers find watercolor adds color and texture that nicely complements calligraphy or a watercolor illustration adds just the right element to enhance your text. Layering watercolor and lettering can take a piece to new levels of dimension and intrigue. Watercolor is an effective and natural choice to combine with calligraphy.
By completing a series of basic technique exercises, you will learn how to get a handle on this fabulous medium, or simply brush up your existing watercolor skills. A sprinkling of color theory and mixing (and how to avoid mud) will be added. We will then cover methods to combine with calligraphy and round out the class with some easy watercolor illustration techniques. These exercises all build on each other to explore watercolor’s many uses with calligraphy and will spark your imagination and new ideas. Finally, the exercises will be sewn together using a simple Japanese binding to form a book for ease of future reference.
Supply List: Round watercolor brushes (assorted sizes #3, 6 & 10); flat watercolor brush ½”-1”; C-1 & C-2 Speedball nibs and holder; your favorite calligraphy nibs (pointed pens, ruling pens, etc); nib loading brush; several tubes of favorite gouache colors; 1” masking tape; 1-2 sheets watercolor paper must be 100% cotton, 90# or 140# (your preference of surface HP, CP, Soft Pressed); board for support (at least 11×15 plywood, masonite, gatorboard); water containers; paper towels; X-acto knife or snap-off knife; scissors; pencil & eraser. Optional: unusual calligraphy tools (ruling pens, ruling writer or butterfly); synthetic round brush (small-medium size); blow dryer + extension cord; small bar of soap.
Supply Fee: $20-$25 includes handouts, large take-home palette, artist quality watercolors, assortment of watercolor papers, needles, linen thread and misc. items supplied by instructor.
About the instructor: Kristen Doty has a passion for calligraphy, drawing, and painting. She obtained and continues her art education by taking classes and workshops in the US, Canada, and Europe, and by studying art books, magazines, and originals in galleries and museums. Her original works have been in juried exhibitions and her paintings, illustrations, and lettering have been published in magazines and books, and as prints, posters, greeting cards, logos, and book titles. She enjoys sharing her passion by teaching workshops across the country and abroad. Her teaching emphasis is to promote learning in a fun, encouraging, and relaxed atmosphere while also building a solid knowledge of techniques and developing skills students can utilize and integrate in their own work. Please visit www.kristendoty.com.
