Every summer the university cultural center  CREA organises more than 70 one week summer courses. At the end of the week all the participants show their work during the Friday night performance/exhibit xtravaganza. A couple of years ago, I did a writing workshop and a screen printing course, this year I decided to do try my hand (ha!) at hand lettering. The course was taught by Safia of Studio Saf, who is not only an amazing handletterer herself, but also a super encouraging and supportive instructor. Because of this, even I (a beginner with not much natural talent for hand lettering ) eventually managed to finish a complete work. A photo impression of the week:

The tools of the trade

Today’s lightboxes are LED powered, super thin and bright!

My first attempts at a serif font

On the top left the original, on the bottom left the copied version (using the lightbox) in colour, and on the right a freehand “zeehond” (“seal”) – I just liked the flow of the word

India ink close up

On the left some tests for the poster I ended up making and on the right a commissioned “P.” for one of the writing group participants who had written a story about, exactly, somebody named “P.”

Our exhibit! \o/

Top right: the mock up of my poster, bottom right and left: tests leading to the mock up and on the top right my poster, which combined everything we had learned this week (serif, sans serif, fonts that combine shape and meaning, and freehand).

I will continue hand lettering (and yes, I have already bought a light box!) in the year to come and will then recreate this poster, to see if I have made any technical progress. As far as I’m aware, this course will be taught again next year at CREA, if you have the chance to attend: please do! Safia also teaches a number of workshops and longer courses throughout the year.

Links:
Studio Saf
CREA

Note: Like all my posts in the “Get out of the house!” series, this activity was booked and paid for by me, after which I got stoked and decided to write about it all by myself. #nospon

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