Capital Expression
A three to five day workshop with Denis Brown Longer classes will allow a fuller schedule
Level: all levels of experience
Join Denis Brown in this intensive calligraphy workshop where students will delve into the expression of various quadrilateral shapes in abstract terms. The focus will be on deriving alphabets from each form, starting with formal Roman capitals based on the square and the circle. Through systematic distortion over multiple stages, participants will explore creating free-form, expressive capitals.
Illustrated: Students from a previous workshop taught by Denis Brown in Italy in 2004 showcased their work, These illustrations highlight the creative growth and development that can be achieved through the workshop.
Creative Exploration: The workshop will include exercises on writing as texture and examine the expressive possibilities in line, form, space, negative shapes, scale, position, tone, and colour. In the extended 4 or 5-day version, participants will engage in experimenting with free expressive mark-making. This hands-on experience will culminate in projects aimed at visually expressing specific emotions.
Prerequisites and Materials
Participants will benefit from having some familiarity with Roman Capitals and their skeletal proportions.
Essential tools and materials to bring include pencils, ruler, scissors or scalpel, glue-stick, compass, calligraphy dip pens, automatic or Coit pens, and any other writing tools you already own, such as brushes, eye droppers, and ruling pens. A pad of paper A3 size or larger, along with sheets of black and gray paper, quality watercolor papers, and heavy tracing vellum or Polyester Drafting Film will be needed for the sessions.
