Gemma Black
Blackmans Bay, Australia
B02 — Travels with My Versals
Four-Day Class, Monday, July 27 – Friday, July 31
Intermediate/Advanced
Design, Lettering
Come on a journey to explore the exquisite yet sometimes elusive versal letterforms. In this four-day intensive workshop we will explore the basic versal construction of both drawn and compound letters from every genre. We will delve into the history of the versal, then experience in chronological order examples from the Grandval Bible through to Irene Wellington, David Jones, and beyond. Traditional techniques will be learned along with new and more extreme contemporary forms.
Such a honed study of versal forms gives you sound structural knowledge to build on will and leave you more confident in working with both traditional and contemporary models. Come travel with me… and my versals!
Supply List
- Basic Calligraphy Supply List plus:
- Bond, cartridge, or layout paper approximately: 11” x 17” & any off cuts of fine art papers you already have
- Tracing paper: 1 small sheet
- Some non-waterproof black ink: ink stick and stone recommended
- Any gouache or watercolors you already have (plus mixing supplies)
- Colored pencils
- Blu-tack reusable adhesive
Gemma Black is a distinguished Australian calligrapher living in southern Tasmania and working from her bay-side studio arts practice. She is the recipient of a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship, a Fellow of the prestigious Calligraphy & Lettering Arts Society, UK, and an Honored Fellow of the same. For over 20 years Gemma has taught locally, nationally, and internationally. Her works are held in private and public collections including the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK, The European Parliament, and Parliament House Canberra.
In the late 1980s Gemma undertook the Roehampton Institute’s (London) Calligraphy & Bookbinding postal course with Gaynor Goffe for two years. Soon after she undertook a full year of study with Ethna Gallacher in the “Way of the Pen” in 1992 and later spent one year with Thomas Ingmire on the Graphos Course.