Classes: Sunday, August 25

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

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Come learn the beautiful calligraphic style of copperplate script! Copperplate calligraphy, also known as roundhand, engrosser’s, and engraver’s script, is considered by most to be the mother of all pointed pen hands. It still stands as one of the most recognizable and highly demanded design elements in pointed pen calligraphic works.

In this course, we will go over a concise version of its history and learn to use dip pens in order to form the basic strokes of its construction. This course is geared towards beginners but those with more experience may attend it as a refresher course and I do my best to teach to the level of each individual in the second half of the course (plus it’s always nice to have experienced attendees help).

The course includes all the tools (nibs, holders, papers, handouts). Attendees are welcome to bring their own supplies for use if they wish. I also encourage attendees to bring a pencil and ruler with them.

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.

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NOTE: Due to popular demand, Kate Rutter has changed this class offering to an “Intro to Sketchnoting” from the Advanced session. Thank you for support!

Visual note-taking (aka: sketchnoting) is a fabulously fun technique used to transform simple notes into rich visual summaries. It’s a great way to capture ideas, to remember them, and to share them with others. Whether used as a personal tool to develop your creativity, or as a way to share information with others, sketchnotes are a powerful way to create memorable, engaging info summaries while you also develop and express your own unique visual style.

In this hands-on workshop, you’ll create a visual vocabulary of both objects (things) and concepts (ideas), practice simple lettering techniques, and learn to structure information into common layout patterns. Then you’ll bring it all together as you practice creating sketchnotes in real time. You’ll further hone your skills with collaborative feedback and critique.

If you’re new to sketchnoting, this is a fun and fast way to get started. If you’re a seasoned sketcher or visual note-taker, you’ll advance your practice in a whole new way!

About the Facilitator:

Kate is a sketchnoter, graphic facilitator, nature journaler, and a lover of all things sketchy. As principal at Intelleto, she creates visual explanations that make complex ideas simple, memorable and shareable. Kate has been a visual practitioner for over 25 years, using a broad range of sketching techniques to support communication in organizations big and small. She’s sketchnoted 100s of events, led workshops for clients including the Stanford d.school, Uber, Walmart Labs, Google, Singularity University and General Assembly, and teaches interaction design at the California College of the Arts. Kate believes that sketching is the engine of curiosity, that sharpie pens smell like ideas, and that the touch of pen to paper opens a world of personal expression, wonder, and magic. Kate tweets and instas at @katerutter, blogs at www.intelleto.com and co-hosts the NSFW podcast What Is Wrong With UX.

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Note: This class is currently full.

In this 2-hour workshop, we’ll make a blank notebook using fountain pen-friendly paper. 

The binding is a French Link Stitch with a Soft Cover. This binding technique originated in 16th-century France and is a popular decorative binding when left exposed. It is a variation of the Coptic binding with a series of looping Xs stitched along the spine and is a type of “lay-flat” binding. 

All materials are provided and included in this workshop. Beginners welcome.

About Cheryl Ball:

Cheryl Ball is a native San Franciscan who has always loved books and paper. Cheryl has taken Master Classes in bookbinding with Dominic Riley and Michael Burke, She has completed the Bookbinding and Letterpress Certification at the San Francisco Center for the Book and continues honing her skills. She brought her love of bookmaking to her former position at a San Francisco Public Elementary-Middle School as their Art Coordinator and now, the students there create original story-filled bound books and participate in the Ezra Jack Keats Bookmaking Competition each year. Cheryl is a Co-Founder of Book Arts Roadshow and has taught at museums, libraries, and schools throughout the Bay Area.

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Learn the ancient technique of creating your own sigil, a magical symbol imbued with intent and meaning to help you manifest your goals. It’s like a paper spell! Accio, fountain pen!

No drawing skills are required. You just need an open heart and a creative spirit.

I will discuss the process of making a sigil, how to use color correspondences to strengthen your intention and what you can do with your sigil creations.

We will walk through the process of making your very own sigil so bring paper and a pen (or multiple pens) to the class. No additional materials are required.

About Ana:

Ana Reinert is the creator of The Well-Appointed Desk. She is a former Hallmark graphic designer, lettering artist, university design instructor and freelance graphic designer. She and her husband, Bob Atkins, created the Col-o-ring products which are available in our online shop and at your favorite pen shop worldwide.

Ana is also a photographer; knitter; and an unabashed, Crazy Cat Lady. When not covered in ink, she is passionate about bicycles, typography and just about anything vintage.

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This one is for the ink-lovers! Learn brush and ink techniques to explore the depth and range of your favorite inks. You’ll receive a quality paintbrush, sumi ink, water and ink containers, and paper to use in class… and beyond! 

Express yourself with brush and ink:

Students will practice brush handling, experiment with water and paper, and create an art piece in this hands-on workshop. These skills can be applied to any subject matter or art style.

Bring an object for still life, or paint from memory and imagination. Wear clothes that would be ok if some ink got on them. 🙂 

Materials included in class fee.

About Julia:

Artist Julia van der Wyk has a degree in fine art painting and printmaking from UCSC. She has worked as a traditional photo retoucher using brush and dye as well as photoshop, and expanded her digital art skills into a website design and development business. She loves pens and ink, birds and nature, knitting and fiber arts, and Creative Solutioneering™ of all types.

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Bottles, sponges, experiments galore: welcome to Mad Scientist Mode On 3! We’ll explore crazy ink-teractions over two hours of spritzing, smooshing, and general mayheming. 🤓 

Each participant gets a Mad Scientist pack.

Bring your own pens, paper, and ink to add to the fun!

Please bring a mask (mandatory because I don’t want you to inhale particles!). 

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In this FUN class, with Eileen P. Goldenberg, we will try out a few different sizes of modified Pilot Parallel pens. Then I will teach you how to change the shape of the nib to get a variety of line variations. FREE 6.0 Pilot Parallel pen with class 

If you are in San Francisco, I would suggest you go to Arch Art Supply to purchase more pens, at 1490 17th Street. They also have an excellent selection of sketchbooks, ink and many other art supplies.  Maido will have a table at the SF Pen Show and they will have Pilot Parallel pens too. 

Questions? eileen@goldenbergdesigns.com

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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.

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Learn about the Piston, Vacuumatic and Vacuum Fountain Pens, their filing systems and how to care for them. (Techniques that can be used on normal cartridge converters as well) Explore the common types of inks and how they affect fountain pen care. Learn the secrets about inks and the basic fountain pen formula.

Participants will come home with a set of basic pen care tools and 3 unique Wing Sung Pens (698, 601 and 3013) Class size will be limited to 10 people in this next step after getting started with fountain pens.

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Note: This class is currently full and has a waitlist, email: classes@sfpenshow.com

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.

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