We are beginning a collaborative project Calligraphy Art this week. The word calligraphy literally means beautiful writing. Before the invention of the printing press some 500 years ago, it was the way books were made. Each copy was handwritten out by a scribe working in a scriptorium. The hand writing was done with quill and ink onto materials like vellum or parchment. Today with the introduction of the internet, computers and modern communication, we are constantly influenced by the different styles of lettering and typefaces.
Students will choose a word and illustrate the word in a way that expresses it’s meaning. The letters should include the following principles of design: Emphasis, Spacial Balance and Unity, Expressive meaning in addition they may contain movement, rhythm and pattern. Students will write a short essay that describes the word used plus how and where you have used the principles of design. Here are some examples by Retna (below) and Jose Parla with JR (above).
