100 Days of Calligraphy: Day 5

Day 5 of my 100 Days of Calligraphy Challenge had me laboring over the o-form.  Now, it's my first so-called complete figure that had me writing the entire form in one stroke.  The challenge was to perfectly time when I had to exert pressure on my nib and when to release while making certain that my o's were a series of equal widths.

Not so bad, if I may say so myself.

The One About FIDA Sewing and Arts School

I have always declared that the Philippines needs more creative spaces.  With malls and commercial establishments being built one after another, a quaint craft supply store or a small workshop venue always appears to be a breath of fresh air for artistic souls.  Just think of it:  a space when creative juices can freely flow, where untapped potential can redeem itself, where there are no mistakes, just artsy opportunities.

FIDA (Fashion Institute of Design and Arts) Sewing and Arts School is the (relatively) new kid on the creative block.  Founded in 2009 with schools in Davao and Cebu, their new branch is located in Silang, Cavite.   It is owned by Christine Munda who served as the academic director of the School for Fashion and the Arts (SOFA) at its inception.  Armed with her business degree and advanced fashion design education, she put up her own businesses in apparel, arts and crafts, and interior design.  Her vast experience in fashion and the arts ultimately led her to putting up FIDA.

The new FIDA location in Silang, Cavite promises to be a haven for individuals seeking to pursue inspired hobbies and artistic endeavors.  The school will be having its Open House and Soft Launch this week with a bevy of craft classes and sewing workshops.

 

Check out the classes that are offered this summer!

Naturally, the sewing classes caught my eye!  And hey, they even have workshops for crafty kiddies and young sewing enthusiasts!

As a creative, I cannot stress enough that one should allow herself the gift of inspired creativity.  FIDA Sewing and Arts School sounds like the perfect place for such gift. :)

Follow FIDA Sewing and Arts School on Facebook and Instagram or their website.

100 Days of Calligraphy: Day 4

On Day 4 of my #100DaysofCalligraphy, I worked on the second variation of the pressure-and-release stroke.  It is actually a combination of the two previous strokes but it still can be tricky because of all the curving around needed and knowing when to put pressure and when to release.  Not to mention that the spaces between the three parallel lines need to be of the same amount.

I decided to practice the previous strokes prior to doing the new one as seen in the photos.  Doing so made the new stroke easier to do.

If you're new to this series, I'm challenging myself to master calligraphy.  Being a leftie has made this fine art seem difficult, frustrating, and overwhelming (although numerous sources in the internet say otherwise with some even declaring that lefties have all the advantage!) so I have decided to devote 100 days (probably even more) to practice, practice, practice until I attain proficiency.

If you'd like to take part in the challenge (open to non-lefties as well), here are links to previous drills:

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

On IG, use the hashtag #100daysofcalligraphy so I can see who's with me on this creative journey!

100 Days of Calligraphy: Day 3

Day 3 of what I intend to be more diligent and intentional about this new year! :)  It's the first variation of the pressure-and-release stroke.  I began practicing the smaller version of the stroke.  After that, I worked on the upside-down variation which I found to be easier to do.

I think I'm getting better with the control I have over my calligraphy pen (read: no more splattered ink due to intense nib pressure) as seen on the thin and practically uniform downstrokes.  I still have a long way to go, though.  This year, I swear I will be more disciplined and committed to getting better at this. :)

100 Days of Calligraphy: Day 2

Day 2 had me doing the pressure-and-release stroke.  Quite difficult because I had to reduce the pressure on the nib just as I was about to reach the base line.  The upstroke should also be parallel to the downstroke but as you can see in some of the strokes, some upstrokes were either too wide or narrow.

The One About the Leftie Calligrapher

For someone who’s had nice penmanship since elementary school, engaging in calligraphy seemed quite natural.  So much so that when calligraphy boomed – with workshops left and right – I grabbed the chance to learn by signing up with one of the well-known crafter/calligraphers in the metro a couple of years ago.

Calligraphy, I realized, is rather challenging if you’re left-handed like me.  If I position my hand in a way that I usually write, my calligraphy work smears like crazy.  It did not help that the workshop I took was meh.  The instructor was highly-regarded.  However, it’s one thing to be very good at your craft and another thing to be just as good at teaching others your craft.  Several months ago, I signed up for another workshop of hers and that second session with her solidified my stand to never take any of her classes again.

So anyway, bleeding from that workshop, I took Melissa Esplin’s online calligraphy program.  It was more expensive but I took a leap of faith – to this day, I’m glad I did.  The program begins with the basic strokes until you become comfortable doing letter forms.  I worked at my own pace and uploaded my weekly output for feedback.  I became more comfortable handling a nib and writing with it using my left hand.  You don’t want to see the funny positions I resort to just to be able to write legibly as a leftie.  When the program ended, I got myself these books with the intention of doing more self-study and drills.

As always, life happens and things get in the way even in the best of intentions.  While I was happy starting a line of clothes and playthings, learning calligraphy had to take a backseat in the midst of it all.

Then again, it is true that when you really want something, you don’t find time for it; you MAKE time for it.  I have decided to commit myself to learning calligraphy all over again with a self-imposed 100-Day Calligraphy Challenge.  For a hundred days (and more probably until I become good), I shall engage in pointed pen drills and will be documenting everything in this blog – bad writing, bad strokes, warts and all.  Let’s see if I can uncover the leftie advantage people always say about calligraphy and left-handers.

Today, I end this post with Day 1:  The Full-Pressure Stroke.

Apparently, I'm still struggling with exerting just the right amount of pressure as I press the nib down.  Hence, the uneven strokes.  But hey, it's just the first day.  I'm cutting myself some slack. :)