For several months, I’ve been working on a comprehensive intermediate calligraphy online course. On Monday, I finally finished, and early bird students seem to be very pleased with how it turned out! In this post, I’ll explain what the course includes so you can determine whether it’s a good fit for you.
Four in-person intermediate modern calligraphy workshops were scheduled for this spring and summer. By February, I had cemented a comprehensive curriculum, and I was ready to get to help intermediate calligraphers flourish — both literally and figuratively! Of course, COVID changed my plans a bit. Instead of teaching workshops in person, I decided to build on the curriculum and create an Intermediate Calligraphy Online Course. Today, we’ll talk about this new course and what to expect when you enroll!
TPK’s newest course serves as a strong virtual version of my in-person calligraphy workshops. I designed it for any calligraphy learner who has a handle on the basics and wants to take things to the next level! You can learn at your leisure, enjoying whatever pace is comfortable for you. Since it is an online course with a focus on video instruction, I think it’s fitting that I explain the course via video:
I love teaching online courses because they really are just a virtual version of a workshop. The course was unofficially released on Monday to newsletter subscribers, and Lesson 1 already has three questions in its Discussion! In answering these questions, I’m able to provide further information and improve on your course experience. (In fact, one of the questions prompted me add an additional video to Lesson 1 today.) I make it a priority to answer learners’ Discussion questions within 24 hours.
In addition to over three hours of video instruction and the worksheet, you’ll also find quizzes and homework. I include quizzes after every lesson so you can make sure you understand lesson concepts. And the homework helps you to hone your skills and keep you on task!
The Intermediate Calligraphy Online Course presupposes that you have a firm grasp on core calligraphy concepts. If you can answer “yes” to all of these questions, you’ll do just fine in the course:
The first three lessons of the course hone in on supplies. The first lesson talks about inks, the second is dedicated to nibs, and the third focuses on pens and “must-have” supplies (like a parallel glider). It’s important for you to know about the tools available to you so you can achieve different effects!
In the fourth lesson, we move on to bouncy calligraphy. Creating alphabet characters that don’t adhere to a specific baseline can be surprisingly tough! As an intermediate (modern) calligrapher, you have to learn to be okay with breaking some rules to achieve an artistic, fun effect.
Lesson five is dedicated to flourishing, and it’s packed full of information! This lesson alone has an hour worth of video instruction to help you make organic-looking, fabulous flourishes.
Next comes instruction on making guidelines and centering. All that math and measuring takes some work, but it’s absolutely worth the neat-looking result!
The course concludes with guidance on how to make your own calligraphy styles. In this last lesson, I’ll ask you to complete three projects … and submit photos to me when you’re done! Don’t be intimidated. I love to see your work and give friendly, constructive feedback.
As you work through the course, you can expect an improvement in your calligraphy skills. Once you finish, you’ll be able to confidently take on any calligraphy project! A big piece of advice I have for you is to take it slow. Start by filling out the My Ink Collection and My Nib Collection pages. Experiment with your own styles of bouncy calligraphy. Be patient with yourself as you flourish.
Most importantly, remember that no question is a silly question. I get a notification as soon as you ask a question in the Course Discussion (you can find this section under any lesson). I’m always glad to answer your question either verbally or by adding a new video to the course! When I’m learning something new, I always ask a lot of questions, so I hope that you’ll feel comfortable doing the same.
Thanks very much for reading about this new course (and for reading the TPK blog in general). If you’re enrolled, I so hope that you enjoy it! In the meantime, I’m going to work on putting your calligraphy skills to the test this weekend with a fresh new tutorial. Keep an eye out!
Warmly,
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