I hadn’t done calligraphy since I was about 10 years old when I got a calligraphy and designs practice book and decided to make every person I’d ever met a handmade card. I’m pretty sure that drive lasted a solid 10 minutes and I remember almost none of it.
But THIS calligraphy class, this was upscale, classy, modern. It made you feel fancy, like a British internal monologue should have been reciting everything you wrote as you wrote it.
The Teacher
Kelly Medanich, of Pink Champagne Designs was a great teacher and her calligraphy is beautiful. Her letters are flowy and easy to read, but have a certain flair to them. She encouraged us to experiment with our own flair by making some letters slightly bigger than others, “over-doing” curves, and finding our own flow. Kelly was a laid back and patient teacher. She came around to make sure we were holding the pens correctly (yes that is a thing) and to check in on how we were doing. She made you feel comfortable asking questions and confident that you could learn to do calligraphy well.
The Setting
Paper Craft Pantry is always a great place to take a class. The airy naturally lit setting inspires creativity and a feeling of openness to new ideas. Per usual, a glass of rose and a paper boat of snacks welcomed us at our stations. There were about 10-12 students in the class which was just the right size. It allowed you to quietly focus on your work or to socialize with the person next to you, whichever worked better with your personal style.
The Class
Kelly started class by walking us through what we had at out stations, specifically our pens, pen tips and ink. She showed us how to hold the pens, which were nothing like your standard pen, and came around to adjust our form. We then learned how to dip the ink and practiced shaping and forming our letters on practice sheets (pro-tip: cover practice sheets with tracing paper and suddenly you have unlimited practice sheets!). After practicing letters and lines and “flowing” for a bit, we started putting it all together and testing out putting words together. It was a great introduction class and we loved that you got to take everything home with you after. It allowed for plenty of practice and making cards at home for everyone we know.