Text Message: Hand lettering for Artists in a Digital Age 9:00 - 4:30 Friday  
  Juliana Coles $145    

This workshop is filled.
Student Level: All
Type of Workshop: Project
Prerequisite: None

 
 

Experience the Art of expressionistic letterforms in this workshop that puts the emphasis on written text as image. Learn to design your visual journal pages or mixed media paintings with raw hand lettering techniques as you discover your own personal “texting” style.

This workshop integrates text with imagery by layering various handmade fonts with mixed media in order to stretch your techniques for verbal expression. Learn to develop patience and attention to every detail of the written word by considering that text is as important to the image as the image itself. We will practice lettering using many different script creating tools such as pens, pencils, stick and ink, fine brush w/acrylic in ways you never considered and even how to give rubber stamped alphabets your hand drawn touch. These techniques will carry over into all other art forms where text can be used as art and will take your expression to the next level. These pages will be satisfying artworks in and of themselves, not simple studies or practice pages.

Instructor will provide:
$15.00 “Texting” workbook is included in class fee!
Wax paper
Wet Wipes for clean up
Ebony pencils

    Student should bring:
  • A Book: Visual Journal, Art Journal, sketchbook, blank book or altered book (check out my free tutorial video to help you choose a book for your journaling process! I share my vast collection of books! ) I recommend no smaller than 7” x 10”
    Most of the following will fit in your pencil box! And yes, we will learn how to use and layer every single one of these items! These are the exact same materials I use in all of my work! The rest should be part of your Traveling Visual Journalist’s kit or JMU - Journal Mobil Unit- as basic supplies!
  • A detail brush #1 or #2, ¾ to 1 inch long. Good quality ¼” and ½” inch brushes. Larger brush to cover big spaces.
  • A thin broken stick at least 8 inches long (just pick one up off the ground)
  • Pen holder and nib- a plain drawing nib will be suitable or any other drawing or lettering nib you are interested in trying- you may need two- I use one for my white and one for my other colors so I don’t dirty my white)
  • Pencils: 1 Carpenters pencil (the flat pencils- you can get them at art stores and hardware stores); 6B or graphite stick (non-water soluble - but feel free to also pick up a water soluble graphite pencil for fun!) in any thickness (see my “pencil talk” video for ideas! ) Regular #2 pencil; 2 different colored color pencils (red, light blue, white or gold are good choices)
  • Exacto knife and sand paper for sharpening carpenters pencils ( art stores sell short pieces of wood with sand paper stapled to it that is perfect for sharpening these flat pencils but not necessary)
  • White china marker or grease pencil (black is great- so is red!)
  • Markers: Black sharpie (or other favorite permanent marker- something that won’t bleed when water or paint is added), A couple brush markers in different colors
  • Gel pens or any other writing tool that can write on dark surfaces
  • Plain ole Bic pen or other writing tool
  • 2 different sets of rubber stamp letters in two different sizes
  • Staz-on stamp pad at least in black, you may also want to try a pigment or dye pad in another color.
  • 3 big glue sticks such as UHU or your favorite glue
  • Scissors
  • Paint: black acrylic or cheapy craft paint, white or cream acrylic or cheapy craft paint (I like cheapy craft paints like Anita’s brand because they dry to a matte finish which is much easier to work back on top of). At least 2 acrylic paints in your favorite colors (such as Golden or Liquitex brands).
  • Jar of water for brushes, and a rag or 2.
  • Ink: Black Ink, India ink or Sumi ink. High quality white ink

Optional:
Press on type alphabet stencils or stickers, paint markers, and any other kind of thing you can think of to write with or generate type.
Collage: A poetry book or a handful of poetry pages to cut up and also bring a handful of any papers that utilize text, as well as random collage images or your favorite papers/things to cut up and glue down - nothing precious. Bring a throwaway magazine or newspaper to use to glue your collage images. I usually fit all my collage material in one of those large glassine envelopes from the post office - you won’t need more than will fit in there!

Each student is asked to bring an “Alchemy Bag.” A plastic grocery bag or smaller will do. Some suggestions are collage items, an old paintbrush that is all glued together, that orange paint you hate, stickers from when you were 14, Artist tools and supplies you no longer use or never liked, torn up pieces of your artwork that didn’t work out (no recognizable artwork, please) books to cut up, magazines, sticks, markers, 2 inch chewed up pencils, you get the picture - sort of a grab bag. What, and how much to bring, is up to you. Don’t worry about trying to include nice things - we’re looking more for garbage items. We already have our own nice supplies - we want your cast offs to really make us think!

If you'd like to place an advance order for supplies & tools for pick up at the on-site store when you arrive at AU, contact: The Occasional Artist - Email your order to: theoccasionalartist@cox.net or call 623-847-2215

Questions? email Juliana at meandpete@msn.com
Website: meandpete.com