Fall Classes for 2016

Letter writing and monogram classes given again this autumn by Nancy Sharon Collins, tickets are limited so sign up now:

  • 11/3/16 Letter Writing Class at Sugar Bakeshop in Charleston, SC.
  • 11/12/16 Letter Writing Class, French Quarter, New Orleans. SOLD OUT.
  • 11/12/16 Monogram Class, French Quarter, New Orleans. SOLD OUT.

Monogram Class: Create your very own custom, hand drawn personal logo…Experience the classic process of creating a custom monogram through an immersion in vintage typography, monograms, crests, seals, calling cards, and more. In this hands-on class (with as many breaks as we want) examples of vintage monograms, lettering styles and engraving will be on display–students will learn to make new symbols, traditional monograms, and letterforms using these historic pieces as inspiration. By tracing, combining then retracing existing forms, new, totally original designs, monograms and letterforms will be created.

For anyone tech-curious: While this is primarily a low-tech experience, we will touch upon the digital side of converting drawn monograms into vector files with Adobe Illustrator. Then, a special, “Ah Ha!” moment trick will be revealed whereby an actual monogram can be digitally rendered in 10-15 minutes (no kidding!)

Letter Writing Classes: It’s not calligraphy or English composition. It is learning two distinct and compatible skills that may be new to attendees:
1. The five-point punch list for writing successful personal correspondence.
 2. Enabling people to become comfortable with their own handwriting for the purpose of writing personal correspondence.

This method of hand letter writing is unique to the presenter and not at all part of calligraphic canon.

For centuries, woman and mankind have been crafting long-form essays and brief missives to friends and loved ones world wide. Traditionally, these were sealed for privacy in an outer container, an envelope, insuring that only the recipient read the message. This communication technique and discipline has been co-opted by quicker means for message transmission such as, but is not exclusive to email, text messaging, Facebook, Twitter. Under a single umbrella this is all referred to as social media. In the contemporary sense, social media includes image sharing platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat.

Well, truth be told, letter writing is the original social media.

While this class will not teach stone carving on tablets, nor making your own ink from ox gall or preparing papyrus to write on…it will be a lot of fun.

Bring your favorite writing instrument and paper stationery to practice on!

Bring your laptop to follow along and share. Or come on your own to absorb.

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