Classes: Friday, August 23

To view all the classes and disclaimers for the 2024 San Francisco Pen Show, please proceed to the: Classes (tuition based) page.

---

Join me in learning the beautiful, classical, forms of Italic script! Cancelleresca, or Chancery hand, came about from a marriage of humanist and Roman forms and really hit its stride during the period we know as the Italian Renaissance. These scripts were so popular in their multitude of variations that they quickly became adopted by both the church and became adopted throughout the old world as a standard. This widespread use lead the slanted, broad pen, script to such renown that, even today, we still call many small broad nibs “italic”. Classically beautiful, flowing, very nearly ideal in readability and highly refined through the ages it’s no wonder that Italic is still considered by a large number of calligraphers and typographers to be a “perfect script”. 

In this course we will focus on the history, forms, and execution of creating classic (and perhaps a few contemporary) Italic hands.

The course includes all materials and handouts. If you wish to bring your own tools feel free.  Attendees are also encouraged to bring their own ruler and mechanical pencil if possible. Hope to see you there!

Nikola Pang is a calligrapher from California who has been studying and practicing classic western calligraphy professionally since 2013. He has done event work for clients including Montblanc and Cartier and a number of private commissions. Currently he does contract certificate and special awards work and teaches classes in letterform and calligraphy at Stanford University.

---

Eileen P. Goldenberg, award winning artist and avid Urban Sketcher, will teach you the basics of how to set up an Urban Sketch: big shapes, shadows and color. Urban Sketching is a relaxing and interesting way to learn to see the world around you.  We will sketch outside( weather permitting.) Fountain Pens are excellent for Urban Sketching!

FREE Sketch kit with class! Please bring a fountain pen with permanent ink, such as Platinum Carbon Black.

Questions? eileen@goldenbergdesigns.com

---

GREAT NEWS! Abbey Sy opened a new workshop session for Saturday at 4:30-6:30pm. Seats are limited and may sell out fast.

Join artist and author Abbey Sy for a travel journaling workshop at the San Francisco International Pen Show.

During the workshop, you’ll delve into the captivating world of travel journaling and gain creative insights as you peer into Abbey’s own awe-inspiring travel journals for inspiration. Abbey will lead a travel journaling session—make sure to bring your favorite tools, fountain pens, and ephemera as she shares with you her documenting process and techniques to make your journal pages more meaningful. 

Along with the journaling session, participants will receive a stationery kit which includes a travel journaling cheat sheet, sticker sheets, washi tape roll, and digital freebies that will be sent over before the workshop. 

About Abbey Sy:

Abbey Sy is a Chinese-Filipino artist and author based in Berlin, Germany. Throughout her creative career, she has written and illustrated best-selling books, worked on freelance projects, designed products such as washi tapes and journals, taught workshops on lettering and journaling, and traveled the world as part of her creative process. 

With her Always Be Creating mantra, her mission is to make art more accessible and help you on your creative journey, wherever you are at.

---

This is a beginner level class

We will cover – parts of a fountain pen including common nib sizes and what works best for various handwriting styles, common filling systems, how to use cartridges and bottled inks, as well as how to clean and store your pens.

Please bring a cup of water for the pen filling and cleaning process.

---

Have you ever wanted to paint with fountain pen inks but don’t know how to start? Think you can’t draw abstract flowers intuitively? Want to learn a fun way to swatch inks? This class will cover all that!

In this workshop, you’ll learn how to use Carola’s unique style of painting with inks and line drawing to create your own abstract floral art piece on paper. This is a 2-hour interactive class where we explore painting with fountain pen inks and drawing intuitively with a fine liner. Watch as Carola demonstrates how to paint freehand floral outlines and then draw details on top – then try it out yourself! No prior painting or drawing experience needed. 

Each participant will receive a supply kit (included in workshop fee) – a paint brush, a fine liner, ink samples, and paper. You’ll also walk away with a handout of tips and techniques along with a sticker sheet of floral art created by Carola.

Please bring a cup of water to dip and clean the paint brush.

About Carola:

Carola (@fromcarola) loves painting and drawing flowers in her unique abstract style and shares her process for creating intuitive art with her growing community on Instagram and YouTube. When she’s not creating art, planning, or journaling, she’s chasing her 5 year old twins around Vancouver mountains in Canada. You can find out more about Carola at Liliandbella.com

---

Note: The afternon class (1:30-4:30pm) is currently full and has a waitlist. There is a Confirmed session scheduled for Friday night at 8:00PM. For details, please email: sunnykoh@straitspen.com

Do you want to learn how to diagnose and smoothen problem nibs? Learn from Nibworker Mr. Sunny Koh with hands-on instruction on pen maintenance, nib diagnostics and simple repairs and smoothing.

Trained by Richard Binder in nibworking and by Nathan Tardiff in nib retipping, Sunny is a practising nibworker from Straits Pen in Singapore.

---

Note: This class is currently full.

In this workshop, you will learn how to write unique letters using dip pens and two colors of fountain pen ink. You will also learn how to use dip pens, how to care for them, basic strokes, how to write letters, how to blend inks, and finally, you will be able to write phrases you like by blending two colors of ink.

This workshop is designed for beginners and no prior experience with dip pens, calligraphy or ink is required!

About Bechori:

Bechori is an author, calligrapher and workshop instructor living in Japan. Starting in 2016, Bechori began learning lettering and calligraphy on his own as a hobby while working his day job and in 2019, he began full-time as a freelance calligraphy/lettering artist. In Japan, Bechori is well-known for their signature monoline lettering calligraphy style done in fountain pen ink. He has written four books on the topic of hand lettering, often provides demonstrations of writing instruments from various Japanese stationery brands and stores, and frequently holds workshops at stationery stores and events across the country of Japan. He works everyday to spread the joy of handwriting through social media posts, live broadcasts and online lessons.

---