WHAT'S IN A LINE?

by Martha Slavin

 A line drawn on paper can tell you so much about who drew that line. Someone with confidence can make that line wiggle with expression with the thick and thin variations of the line. Someone who is hesitant will show that feeling with sketchy uncertainty.

I think of all the people who have told me they can't draw. Then they tell me that a parent, teacher, or friend told them so. I sigh because I think how quickly we lose confidence because of something someone says to us. Those remarks settle into the back of our minds and pop up when we try drawing (or just about anything, for that matter.)

When someone is confident in their skills, you can tell by the way they carry themselves, how they speak, and stand in their own silence. When I played golf, I learned to focus on the ball, almost drilling my eyes into that small round object before I took my swing. I would tell myself, "I can do this." If I lost my focus just for a fraction or if a negative voice spoke up, my hit would go sailing off into the weeds or into a sand trap. I found in learning to play golf I needed to slowly build knowledge of my body, find a positive voice to talk to myself,  and also that one day could be completely different from the next in how good I felt about my game.

Since I attend calligraphy workshops regularly, I often receive decorated envelopes lettered by the instructors. The quality of their lines exudes confidence. I am sure that each one of them has had days when nothing goes right for them too, but they have decided to persevere. Their work shows how confident they have become.

by Rick Paulus

Next week I will be in a Zoom class with Mike Gold, whose envelope arrived last week. A little piece of art in my mailbox. Inside the envelope was a booklet filled with prompts and examples of abstract calligraphy.

a page from Mike Gold's booklet,
Moved to Abstraction, filled with examples of his work 

Abstract calligraphy? What is that? Most of us think of calligraphy as the practice of precise lettering. A calligrapher studies the various details of the particular alphabet fonts that they have selected. Sheila Waters' excellent reference book, Foundations of Calligraphy, gives you the ability to recognize what each alphabet and each letter needs to draw the letter accurately.

Calligraphers often experiment with letters by writing them on waving lines, writing them without spaces between lines, or writing them around circles. Abstract calligraphy takes those experiments further by using the letters themselves to create abstract work. The words may or may not be legible at that point. You can just enjoy the hand that draws/paints them.

Just as in golf, I found that working with calligraphy or any art technique takes practice, a great amount of focus, and a trust in myself that "I can do this."

Check out Rick Paulus' website: 

http://www.rickpauluscalligraphy.com

Check out Mike Gold's website:

https://www.mikegold-letterarts.com

Learn more about Sheila Waters here:

https://designtraveler.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/sheila-waters-a-link-to-calligraphic-foundations/