Calligraphic Arts Guild of Toronto

Learn

Learning the Art of Calligraphy

The Calligraphic Arts Guild of Toronto offers courses featuring local, regional and international instructors primarily at our studio facilities at Neilson Park Creative Centre. Open to youth and adults, CAGT members have registration priority; non-members pay a small additional cost.

Interested in modern or traditional calligraphy? Learning scripts using tools such as the broad edge pen, pointed pen, brush, marker? Art techniques from illumination, book and paper arts? Individual course information details will help ensure the best fit for your skill level and interest.

Course

Colour theory and graphic LAYOUT for Calligraphy: WITH MARK LURZ

Sunday, January 5 & 19, February 2 & 23, 2025

1 p..m. to 4 p.m.

at Neilson Park Creative Centre

56 Neilson Drive, Etobicoke, Studio A2

This four-week course is dedicated to the intermediate to advanced enthusiast who seek guidance in their favourite scripts, and wish to advance their knowledge of good layout practice and the principles of colour matching and harmony.

INSTRUCTOR BIO

Having been graphic arts professional for a lifetime, Mark is a Founding Member of the Calligraphic Arts Guild of Toronto; creating and teaching calligraphy for over 50 years. With an exploration of tools and pigments, your concepts will come to life with a professional flair.

MATERIALS NEEDED

You will bring your favourite writing tools

A palette of gouache or water colour

Coloured pencils

Inks

Papers and card stock

And any other tools you may need for your creations

Mark can supply you with envelopes and writing materials

Enrolment Limit: 16

WORKSHOP FEE

Members: $110

Non-Members: $130

See Policies regarding Refunds.

Questions? Contact Charlene at cagtprograms@gmail.com.

To register, complete the registration form. Payments can be made by cash, cheque, or e-transfer. Please read the registration form for payment details.

Registration form

Workshop

Willow: A MONOLINE CLASSIC with Lily Yee-SLOAN

Saturday, March 22, 2025 from 9:30am-4pm (with 1/2 hour break for lunch)

at Neilson Park Creative Centre

56 Neilson Drive, Etobicoke, Studio A2

Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928), a Scottish architect, designer, and painter introduced his distinctive lettering during the art nouveau period. The letters first appeared in the captions on his architectural plans. Subsequently, a number of font designers based their typefaces on his handwritten letters.

I adapted Mackintosh’s hand for a commission, and called it Willow (after his Willow Tea Room designs). It is taught as a hand drawn monoline style and can be stacked for texture and tinted to mimic his famous stained glass.

Whether you’re new to calligraphy or want to polish tarnished skills, the Willow hand will ease you into drawing letters with confidence while sharpening your critical eye to notice shape and line quality.

Novice and skilled calligraphers will pick up studio tips while designing a composition using their new-found letters.

Enrolment Limit: 18

WORKSHOP FEE

Members: $100

Non-Members: $115

To register, complete the registration form. Payments can be made by cash, cheque, or e-transfer. Please read the registration form for payment details.

Questions: cagtprograms@gmail.com

Registration Form

PAST Workshop

Calligraphy weekend: Brush Spencerian with Paul Antonio in Toronto

Date: Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23, 2024

Location: Neilson Park Creative Centre

The Calligraphic Arts Guild of Toronto wants you to join us for a weekend filled with beautiful strokes and elegant lettering! Learn the art of Brush Spencerian from the internally-acclaimed, Paul Antonio Attong (www.pascribe.com). This in-person event at Neilson Park Creative Centre is perfect for calligraphy enthusiasts looking to enhance their skills. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to learn from a master calligrapher!

Paul has said of his Brush Spencerian course: "If you have been thinking about learning Spencerian but daunted by its fearful balancing of ink, nib and paper, this workshop will give you a great inroad to a more immediate approach to the script." Registration in this course also gives you access to the pre-recorded version of approximately 20 hours for 6 months.

Materials list will be emailed to participants.

10:15am-3:45pm both days, with a 30-minute break for lunch.

$250 for CAGT members / $275 for non-members. Cost is for both days.

Questions: cagtinfo@gmail.com

PAST Workshop

VERSALS - WITH MICHELE NIDENOFF

Sunday, February 25, 2024, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Neilson Park Creative Centre, 56 Neilson Drive Etobicoke, Studio A2

Course Description

Versals are drawn letters that are outlined and then filled in. They are usually used to begin verses of text, and for headings; and can be decorated and embellished in a variety of ways. As we work our way through the alphabet we will explore various ways of decorating within and around the letters, including using imitation gold leaf.

Materials

Pen holder, Speedball B4 or B5 nib or similar

Black and red fine markers (Pigma Micron or Staedtler pigment liner – 01 or 03)

1 or 2 tubes coloured gouache or watercolour

Gold gouache or watercolour if you have some

Fine paintbrush, mixing brush, palette, water container, paper towel

Grid paper or layout bond/marker paper

Several sheets of watercolour paper

Pencil, ruler, eraser

Some watercolour will be available for participants to use

Instructor Bio

Michele Nidenoff is a freelance illustrator and calligrapher. She has been teaching calligraphy to students ranging in age from children to seniors since 1990. Michele also teaches drawing and watercolour. https://michelenidenoff.com

To register, complete the registration form at the bottom of this page https://calligraphicartstoronto.ca/learn

CAGT Members $95.00 Non-members $110.00

There will be a $5.00 - $8.00 material fee payable to the instructor at the workshop

PAST Workshop

Gilding - With Sarah King Head

This full day workshop celebrates our Golden Anniversary! In time for Valentine's day, or for your own pursuits, we will be learning gilding techniques to embellish our work. Nothing is a beautification as time honoured as adorning with gold. Comparing different adhesives typically used, and showing differences between real gold leaf and imitation; we will illuminate a small versal.

MATERIALS NEEDED

- 3 sheets 4 x 4" 300 gsm paper
- old fine pointed paintbrushes to apply the size (unusable after workshop)
- paints with good brushes (watercolour typically used)
- small container of distilled water

MATERIALS FEE: $15

For provisions such as woterclour paper, acrylic size, Instacoll and hopefully gum ammoniac, and gold leaf

Sunday, January 28th, 2024

10 a.m.- 4 p.m.

(Bring a lunch)

at Neilson Park Creative Centre

56 Neilson Drive, Etobicoke, Studio A2

WORKSHOP FEE

Members: $90

Non-Members: $110

12 participant limit

See Policies regarding Refunds