This is a class for all levels with a focus on drawing, calligraphy, and incorporating nature, using trees as inspiration for creating fun and funky letters.
Students may bring in their own photos or cuttings of trees, branches, twigs, and leaves for inspiration, or they may use the instructor's samples. We will explore the interesting shapes found in these items and sketch letters based on those shapes. Then, we will illustrate the alphabets using paints, colored pencils, gel pens, markers, and other materials. Students will work at their own pace and may choose to create a variety of letterforms or a cohesive alphabet or short phrase.
Participants will learn the technique of pulp painting, creating imagery within sheets of handmade paper using plant pulp as a medium. We will design and cut our own stencils using nature as our inspiration. Then we will create sheets of paper, including round sheets, in keeping with the theme of the Treewhispers project. Participants will apply colored pulp using their stencil forms to the fresh sheets of paper. The wet sheets can be taken home to dry. Wear clothes that can get wet.
So you want to write for youth and you’re new to the business? Great. But writing stories for kids means going beyond the fun of a great idea. You must grasp the secrets of the industry while also mastering plot, word choice, word count, and voice. This workshop digs deep into the layers that create strong stories.
