| B R O A D S I D E S R E V I S I T E D Large Traditional Calligraphic Panels
Traditional formal panels incorporating a lot of text are a real design challenge if not to appear either dull or chaotic. Effective use of contrast at many levels is necessary to add dynamics and sparkle. This class will be an opportunity to fine tune your eyes to subtlety of space in layout and lettering. Students will be required to do preliminary work at home in advance, so that time in the workshop can be utilized to maximum effect. They will be asked to research and source text on any chosen theme, and prepare an initial layout of their large scale traditional panel.
F A Q
How can I prepare the required layout in advance when I'm unsure of where to start? The illustrations below show one or two approaches to the type of layouts envisaged. Start with thumbnail sketches in pencil, then proceed to rough paste-ups of the writing blocks, considering contrasts of weight, scale, and letterform. Two or three formal hands in a range of weights and sizes will be adequate. The layout you bring on the first day of the class should be a full size paste-up showing clearly the size, weight, script textures, and spacing of all the blocks of writing. Writing does not need to be your most perfect as long as the texture is accurately suggested. Xeroxing a couple of lines of careful writing, and cutting & pasting the copies to fill the text block area, is a valid shortcut for preliminary work. Illustration can be rough but should suggest the final weight of the image- outline sketches will not do this and should be painted-in with broad, rough strokes. Many aspects of your design may need rethinking and quite possibly complete re-working, yet this preliminary work will be foundational to subsequent work in class- time should not be skimped on this preparation.
Preliminary thumbnail sketch suggesting weight and scale of text blocks
How many words should be included? I suggest researching and bringing 1,000 to 2,000 words on your chosen topic. This does not necessarily mean that you will be using all of this text in your final work, but it's best to have plenty to keep design choices open as the project develops. The final work might include about 750-1,500 words. Shorter texts in more complex layouts are also an option. See my own work Pangur Ban for example, which features 5 verses of poetry plus illustration in an unusual layout with large contrasts of scale/weight/letterform. (Even though this is a traditional work, it features no straight lines; text overlaps pale flourishes suggesting a third dimension; and some areas of writing are used as decorative backdrops to the illustration rather than as parts intended to be read.)
What theme should I choose? It's entirely up to you- it could be about a local historic landmark or building, or about a geographic feature of an area that interests you. It could be a biography of a historic or famous person or group, or a family history. The most important thing is that it's a subject that will sustain your interest. The texts that you research can vary also- it might be nice to have some poetry, some more straightforward & descriptive texts, and some commentary & subjective quotations- all related to your chosen theme but by a range of authors.
What about illustration? If you have illustration or drawing skills of any type, by all means consider using them. If not, then don't worry as effective use of bold contrasts in writing alone can produce dynamic results.
An heraldic panel such as this is one possible approach you could take- (example by Denis Brown, done when he was a student at the Roehampton Institute). In any case the design should incorporate several blocks of contrasting styles or weights of writing, and optionally also illustration of some kind.
A student work with dramatic contrast of scale & colour
Student supplies required :
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