Workshop Calligraphy & Letters II

Product detailed description

We will spend more time folding, working with paper and exploring different forms a letter can take. But we will not leave calligraphy behind. You can look forward to a warm-up with a traditional dip pen with a flexible nib and practice of both simple and slightly more advanced strokes inspired by Copperplate script. The result will be a letter that feels personal not only in its content, but also in its form.

Basic information:

• Price: CZK 1,690
• Capacity: 6 people / workshop
• Duration: 3 hours
• Location: kaš-mi-daš, Janovského 33, Prague 7 (map)
• Experience: follow-up workshop; basic experience with a dip pen is an advantage, but not a requirement
• Workshop language: Czech

The workshop price includes

• all tools and materials
• a small gift in an envelope
• originally addressed envelopes and writing paper
• the option to send your letter directly from the workshop
• unlimited non-alcoholic drinks from our café

How to get here?

Janovského 33, Prague 7, 170 00 (a street running parallel to Dukelských hrdinů)

• Trams 6 and 17, Veletržní palác stop (approx. 1 minute on foot)
• Metro Vltavská (approx. 7 minutes on foot)
• Parking at OC Stromovka shopping centre (approx. 4 minutes on foot)

What the workshop can give you:

• improved handwriting and greater confidence when writing with a traditional dip pen with a flexible nib
• an introduction to new ways of folding letters
• a better feel for paper, its properties and grain direction
• the experience of slow, focused creative work
• space to sort out your thoughts – or simply let them go for a while
• the joy of creating a letter you will actually send

Calligraphy and Letters II loosely follows on from the first workshop, but it is not a calligraphy test. If you attended the first workshop, you can naturally build on what you learned there. If you did not, the instructor will guide you through the basics of working with a dip pen and individual strokes so that you can fully take part as well.

How the workshop works

The workshop takes place in the calm, creative atmosphere of the kaš-mi-daš stationery universe and consists of the following approximate stages:

About letters

• a short introduction to the history of letters and their significance over time
• examples of historical letters and envelopes from a small collection of originals
• inspiration from handwritten letters, their appearance and different folding methods

First practical part – folding original letters

• several different ways and forms of folding a letter
• working with paper as part of the final form of the letter
• an introduction to different types of paper and their properties
• how to identify the grain direction of paper and why it matters when folding
• choosing a suitable form according to the content and character of the letter

Second practical part – calligraphy warm-up

• the difference between fountain pen ink and calligraphy ink and how they are used
• choosing a suitable nib and working with a flexible nib
• basic calligraphy strokes and warming up your hand
• practising simple and slightly more advanced strokes based on Copperplate script
• playfully combining individual strokes without pressure for perfection

Third practical part – writing, decorating and closing letters

• writing a short message or your own letter
• laying out the address on an envelope or card
• connecting the lettering with the chosen folded form of the letter
• decorating and completing the final piece
• space also for those who prefer a more personal, imperfect style of handwriting

Conclusion

• finishing, decorating and sealing the letters
• the option to send your letter immediately or seal it and open it again in a few years

The workshop will guide you from an ordinary sheet of paper to a letter whose form matters just as much as what is written inside. You will try new folding techniques, work with a flexible nib and create a letter that is worth not only writing, but opening too.

Who will guide you through the workshop

Your instructor, Eva

My name is Eva Holá and I work in visual art, graphic design, drawing, artist's books and calligraphy. In my work I often collaborate with film productions and draw inspiration from historical settings – and letters play an important role in my creative practice.

I completed a Master's degree at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague in Jan Solpera's studio of type design and typography. I currently work as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator.

During the workshop, I will guide you through the world of lettering, paper and letters with respect for tradition and openness to contemporary expression. I believe the handwritten word still has its place – and that the way we fold, close and give a letter can become part of its story too. 💌