I often procrastinate about doing something, and then, when I finally get to do it, it has to be TODAY, or ok, tomorrow! This was the case for me looking at workshops on modern calligraphy. I looked for months. Then all of a sudden, it just had to be done!
Why modern as opposed to just plain calligraphy? Well, modern calligraphy did not seem to have as many rules and regulations, according to my research. It seemed like you could just pick up a nib holder, nib and ink and go for it! And that’s perfect for me – quick and simple!
Google, my friend
This was something I was willing to teach myself. I would buy a pen and do some research on Google. Google is seriously my best friend. Dr Google M.D., on the other hand, is not. We broke up after Dr Google misdiagnosed eczema for fungal infection…for three years. A simple eczema cream from a proper dermatologist cured that in a week! Sorry, I digress…
While I was googling “how to do calligraphy”, I got myself confused, of course… What was a nib? Did I need one vs a calligraphy pen? And how did one use a cartridge? So instead, I googled – modern calligraphy workshop. It was the only thing that made sense.
A modern calligraphy workshop
I came across a modern calligraphy workshop in my favourite part of London, Shoreditch! The workshop was 2.5 hours long and included in the workshop price were the basic tools of calligraphy – nib, nib holder, a little pot of ink, the cutest little jar to hold the water you need to rinse your nib in and some paper. All this came in a little tote bag. Every tool one needed to start calligraphy-ing with! Oh and tea, coffee and madeleines (my very delightful friend, Mrs SK, asked if this was the real reason I’d booked the course – NO, but it helped)!
But first coffee
I started my day with a fab, fab coffee at Nude Coffee Roasters located in Spitalfields Markets. I used to work in that vicinity in the early 2000s. Thank goodness it wasn’t all about artisan coffee shops, boutiques selling independent labels, antique shops and great restaurants back then. I would have never been at my desk! I would’ve been marched out the door for having long lunches, incessantly hopping out for a “quick coffee” and just generally being completely side-tracked by the outside world. It’d be like the Upside-down, once I got there, I’d never come back!
Sorry, once again, I digress…
So I turned up at the given address and was taken through a very distracting antique shop, through a gorgeous little courtyard and into a lovely bright studio with an amazing chandelier made of wooden branches. I don’t really know if it was real wood, but it looked like wooden branches crisscrossed haphazardly into a very arty fabulous-looking chandelier. I want it.
The very gorgeous Alice Gabb turned up a few minutes later and prepared the table. She apologised, as she set up, that she was very particular about how her tools were placed. Whilst at the same time, we were taking pictures and moving her bits and bobs around. Oops. But I loved her already. She seemed OCD like me!
To be clear, I don’t have proper OCD. I just use that term loosely because I am very particular about certain things. A lot of certain things, unfortunately. I actually developed tendonitis in my right wrist because I had a love affair with my Dyson handheld vacuum and had to give up my beloved tennis for half a term because of that. The girls now vacuum for me and I re-vacuum after them, with my left hand. See… particular.
Back to calligraphy
Anyway, 2.5 hours just flew by.
During the 2.5 hours, we were given a quick lesson on how to insert the nib into our nib holder – thank goodness, as that wouldn’t have been how I would’ve assumed one would insert the nib! We were shown how to hold the pen when writing – that really messed me up as I write funny and I position my paper very weirdly, though writing this way with pen and paper works for me!
I am sure Alice subtlely cringed at the way I was abusing my nib as I scratched the paper up and down, whilst meaning to do stroke my pen up and down gently to imitate her thin and thick lines and curvy, swirly ‘s’. Alice did routinely remind us how steep her own learning curve was, just in case we threw our pens at her, I assume.
Her alphabet worksheets to guide us through were brilliant, and she did put a caveat on it, no we’re not meant to do exactly the same as her letters, we’ll find our own unique way, and guess what? That was all ok! I love that! I think this is why modern calligraphy totally appeals to me. You find your own way, your own script.
She was fabulously patient with us, walking around the table helping us with our letters and just generally reassuring us – we were not meant to get it immediately and that’s quite ok. We were told to just be patient.
Oh. Patient. Well, I might as well throw out my tools of the trade now. That calligraphy career was in the bin before I got that up and going.
Still going
A month in, and I’m still practising my calligraphy and loving it! I could honestly spend a whole day doing pretty little flicks and swirly letters. It is so therapeutic, like colouring-in. I miss those days when my girls were young, and we’d cart their colouring-in books and pencils around with us to colour in whilst waiting for our food in a café. All cafés should have a stack of colouring-in books and sharpened pencils on standby – there’s a tip for you café owners of the world!
I’ve bought some extra nibs because I nib-abuse. I also needed more practice papers and some gorgeous metallic gold ink… just because! I just wish someone I know would have a budget wedding. Budget because I would like to write place cards for them – free of course since I’m just a novice!
I’m also doing Christmas Cards this year because I’ve been practising writing Merry Christmas ad nauseam! I just can’t stop writing! I find it so completely restful. Now, I could set up shop on my breakfast bench; paper, nib, ink, some water and paper. Then I could waste the whole day away practising my calligraphy.
Addendum: In case you were wondering, I asked Alice about using nibs vs calligraphy pens with cartridges. She said she’d never heard of calligraphy pens using cartridges and she didn’t know any calligrapher friends of hers using cartridges. I guess that can put an end to my endless research on Google!
Now, some details for you!
Nude Coffee Roasters
4 Market Street, London E1 6DT
Monday – Friday, 8 am – 5 pm
Saturday – Sunday, 10 am – 5.30 pm
The workshop I attended was by:
Alice Gabb Workshops
Contact hoorayfor@alicegabb.com
My particular session was at:
Townhouse Spitalfields
5 Fournier Street, London, E1 6QE
Telephone:+44 20 7247 4745
Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday, 11 am – 6 pm.
Saturday – Monday, 11 am – 5 pm
Images by Sabina Spiteri and @dgspiteri.