Modern Calligraphy Workshop with Lai Geluz

Can I be a student forever? :D Haha! I love learning, especially things that interest me like last Saturday's class!

First of all, I tried Calligraphy na in another workshop two years ago (2 years na ba yun! Ang bilis!) with Life After Breakfast (blogged this HERE). Hindi na ako naka practice, so I'm glad to relearn the craft again this year.

What I like about Lai Geluz's workshop is that it's a mix of pen and brush calligraphy techniques. Here's a cute Curated Kit for all the students:

What a nice welcome, thank you! It contains all our art materials, PLUS discount cards, a manual that we can look back to, and a personalized bracelet (our names written in calligraphy, of course).

My classmates, busy arranging and "flatlaying" their kits, while Lai talked about each of these items we're going to use.

We started with pencil exercises so that our hand, wrists, and arms will get used to the strokes and pressures when writing in calligraphy. I like this manual Lai made herself, para when at home we can look back to and review the techniques padin.

No to power points! Haha! I like Lai's "handmade" presentation, she used this big board with her own drawings and writings. Very crafty, fit for the class!

May busy, haha. We started with pen and ink, na sobrang hirap. Sabi ko nga, this needs patience pala talaga!

Held in Cafe De Seoul, One Archer's Place (near La Salle), we also had merienda in between the 5-hour class.

Lai patiently goes around to check and correct our works.

She also recommended other materials that we can play around with, and stores where we can get these.

After practicing with pen, easier na the brush calligraphy. We used the same ink but with a thin artist brush, and also tried a calligraphy marker (no need na for dipping!). Ava is a fan of brush calligraphy. :)

Aside from these, I also learned a calligraphy art where you use this white "glue-ish" thing to write your word or quote with a brush, and then pag nag dry na siya, you paint over it, peel the dried white thing off your work, and ganito ang effect niya:

I submitted this for our final exercise. I love everyone's unique style! Calligraphy, after all, is not just penmanship but also an art!

  

And my work won this Local Wolf bracelet, yey! Thank you!

Class picture! Yep, kami na nag sara ng cafe, haha!

With aching backs and hands, but fulfilled artsy hearts, here are things that I love about the class:

1) The chill, not-intimidating vibe of our teacher and the "classroom".

2) We were able to try several calligraphy styles so we can gauge what we want, before investing on the materials.

3) It is a modern calligraphy class, so we wrote the words playfully and in non-trad way - which is cool and experimental and fun.

4) I love all the materials we used. I like the manual, notebook, pens, brushes, and ink included in our well-thought-off curated kit. The food and drinks in Cafe De Seoul are also good!

5) The contest with nice prizes to end the class is a good, friendly competition that got everyone workin!

Thank you Lai and Kim (the workshop organizer) for this wonderful class! Thank you also to Ava for introducing me to this team. Follow Made By Lai on FACEBOOK and Instagram @lairgeluz. :)