FLEXIBLE LETTERS AND FLOWING LINES with Nancy Hays-Hills
Sponsored by the San Fernando Valley Regional Group
This is your chance to spend a few hours breaking free of pen angles and straight lines, and instead dip your toes into the ocean of drawn letterforms which follow their own paths across the page. We’ll explore a number of tools suitable for drawing letters, from pencils and pointed pens to edged nibs and my favorite, the Kemper Fluid Writer. You’ll see how simple it is to add multiple colors to a letter as you create words that dance to your own inner rhythm. This is a class open to all skill levels. The beginner will discover new tools, and the more advanced letterers may find that they return to traditional scripts with a fresh perspective on form and negative space.
WORKSHOP FEE: $50.00 - Members Only Workshop
(No refunds unless the workshop is full and your spot can be filled by someone on the waitlist.) If you are not a member it is easy to join online! Don't miss out!
This workshop will be recorded but programs are always enhanced by your live attendance when you can ask questions and share insights, with both the instructor and other students.
This workshop will take place over 2 sessions: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 and Thursday, March 26, 2026, from 10am to 1pm (Pacific Time)
Materials:
Paper suitable for wet lettering (sugg. Arches Text Wove, watercolor paper)
A few sheets of graph paper or copier paper for pencil practice
Soft pencil and eraser
Watercolors or gouache (either pan or tube is fine) or Bister inks
Mixing Palette, water container, paper towels
Medium sized pointed brush
Kemper Fluid Writer
Pointed pen
Speedball C-6 or Brause 1mm, or other small chisel-edged nib and holders
Nancy Hays Hills is an artist and Episcopal deacon living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She began drawing as soon as she could hold a crayon, and was lucky enough to parents who encouraged their shy child to express herself on paper – especially her father, who would amuse her by drawing cartoons, sometimes in ballpoint pen on the bottoms of her feet! She took her first calligraphy course at age 17, and has incorporated lettering in her art ever since. She combines art and ministry by sending one-of-a-kind cards and envelopes to people in her parish, and leading mini creative classes over Zoom. Her artwork has been featured in Bound & Lettered, Alphabet, and the latest Speedball Textbook.
NO audio or video recording of any program, meeting, workshop or other SfC function. Permitted consent of both guest artist and a representative of the Board of Governors. *** You must ask permission of the artist/instructor to photograph any copyrighted materials, including demos.
