The beautiful grounds of Sonoma State University will provide ample inspiration for sketch pages. If you are really adventuresome, leave your sketchbook behind and bring blank pages of Arches text wove paper that you will learn to bind in a small journalese at the day’s end.

The first part of the class will include building a visual vocabulary of sketch and calligraphy techniques. Our main tools will be ordinary graphite and color pencils, a water brush, and watercolor palette, fountain pen, and waterproof pen, all of which can fit in a quart-size plastic baggie. Exercises will include making quick sketches using contour and gestural lines, as well as using pressure and release techniques for making interesting lines and textures with our ordinary handwriting. Students will be given a brief review of funky modernized moonlike Roman capitals, as well as a shout out to cursive italic. No worries, though, about knowing how to draw or do formal calligraphy: the class is meant to encourage students of all levels to experiment with keeping a visual journal.

Supply List

• BHB pencil (4B and 6B, if you have them)
• Watercolor pencils (Graphtint, Inktense, or whatever you have)
• Watercolor palette (Prang, for simplicity, or whatever you have)
• Small pointed watercolor brush and a 1/2 ″ or 1″ watercolor flat brush
• Small spray bottle/spritzer
• Faber-Castell Pitt pen in black or brown, superfine or medium, or Pigma Micron or Sensei
• Regular ball point pen of any kind

Optional:

• Strathmore Visual Journal (specific details to come)
• Sketch and Wash pencil (General’s or Derwent)
• Sponge
• Parallel pen/felt calligraphy marker, any brand, any color: 2.0 or 3.5, or calligraphy fountain pen
• Crayons
• Prismacolor pencils
• Masking tape
• Scissors
• X-acto knife
• Four needles
• Glue stick
• Straight edge or T-square
• One full sheet of Arches text wove 25″ x 40″
• One tube of acrylic paint (for painting journal covers)