Calligraphy as Visual Poetry

Calligraphy as Visual Poetry

“Congratulations! You have reached the end of this Domestika course. Thank you for taking part and I hope you enjoyed it. It's now time to work on your project. This could mean finishing the piece you started by completing the course tasks or making a brand new project! Either way, I strongly suggest you take the time to gather inspiration and make a unique project of your own. Make sure to keep track of your progress with different pictures of each step. It'd be great if you could also explain the choices you've made along the way and tell us if you have any doubts. This will help me understand your creative process and guide you better if you need advice. Here are the main steps to follow: Select and deconstruct the text Decide on the text you will use and look for the primary, secondary (and/or tertiary) message you want to relay through your project.

Sketch the compositions Begin by freely sketching using your selected text. As you go along, you will begin to formulate ideas and concepts that you can execute for the final pieces. Complete a "calligraphic cloud" Once you have your final composition, take some time to explore lettering styles that will fit your content. You can use the calligraphy matrix to inspire you. Also, don't forget the attribution! It's as much a part of the composition as all other elements! At this stage, you might begin to have an idea for your piece's color palette and tones. Work on the background Take the paper you are going to use for your final piece. Using a spray bottle of water and one color of wet media, spray a few areas on the surface of your paper and add drops of the color. Remember to pay close attention to light and dark areas: you will need lighter ink in a darker area and vice versa. You can let the page dry and go back over it until you are happy with the results. Then, let it dry or use a hair dryer to accelerate the process. Map out the composition Taking your final sketch selection and your lettering style selections, begin to map out key areas on the page. Use tracing paper to map out your lettering composition. Add the lettering Once your abstract background is complete, it's time to apply lettering. I recommend doing some testing to see if inks are going to bleed or how they will respond to the background. Also, remember to work through the lettering by allowing each layer to dry completely. Final details Plan the attribution and your signature carefully since these are important aspects of the composition. Once you add them, you have your final piece! Now you can decide how to frame it! I can't wait to see the project you come up with, so don't forget to share it in the forum. You can do so by clicking on "Create your project." I'll be more than happy to answer any of the questions you might have along the way! I'll try getting back to you as soon as possible. In the meantime, participate in the forum, comment on others' work, and interact with the community! See you soon! ”

Partial transcription of the video

“Congratulations, we've reached the end of the course, and I thank you for joining me on this calligraphic journey. I hope you've taken away some skills that will enhance your work going forward. Before I say goodbye, I'd like to offer you a few final tips as you work on your final project. Be sure to use your grid. It will help you concentrate on your lettering and worry less about alignment. Structure equals freedom. Write it like you mean it. Make every letter and every word count. Be conscious about your lettering and take your time. Also, choose words and texts that mean something to yo...”

This transcript is automatically generated, so it may contain mistakes.

Course summary for: Calligraphy as Visual Poetry

• Level: Beginner
• 100% positive reviews (47)
• 2207 students
• 4 units
• 12 lessons (1h 28m)
• 4 downloads

• Category

  Calligraphy & Typography

• Areas

  Calligraphy