This course is for you if you:
- ... are tired of learning to write like anyone and everyone else but yourself
- ... desire a handwriting style that is recognizably yours
- ... own zero to (number that shall not be named) fountain pens / love putting bougie pen to bougie paper, and wish something "better" flowed out of them
- ... doubt your discipline to / don't have a million hrs to / question the purpose and effectiveness of ... filling copybook after copybook to improve your script
- ... want to learn a smarter way to script
- ... have zero-extensive experience with cursive and/or calligraphy
You can write like YOU
This course is designed to unchain you from copybook tracing, and the endless hours spent forcing your writing to look like someone else's.
I will not be training you to write like me.
I WILL be helping you uncover and cultivate what it means to write like YOU.
My goal is that you will no longer need me, or anything/anyone outside of yourself to hone your handwriting.
I will teach you how to THINK about the structural makeup of A-Z so you understand the principle relationships letters share with one another. I will offer ways to troubleshoot the obstacles you might encounter exploring individual letters + letter connections, and navigating traffic between lines.
You will unsee letters as letters but as groups of shapes you can adjust, refine, and exaggerate for expression.
You will learn how to critically ANALYZE elements from your current cursive.
You will grow your creative confidence to discern what to change and what to keep.
You will learn how to hone the building blocks of your letterforms to create harmony and consistency.
You will enjoy leaning into the ways that your handwriting has always been unlike everyone else's.
Private Script Consulting Session Add-On
While this course offers you all the tools you need to develop your own script style, if you would like my tailored recommendations for your handwriting, you may add on a 1hr Private Script Consulting Session to your course enrollment.
I will ask you to email me a one-page handwriting sample. I will analyze and prepare my recommendations on how to cultivate your style, and address any problems you encounter in your practice during our Zoom meeting.
For students intimidated by submitting an "imperfect" writing sample: know that 1) I have never seen a perfect writing sample, 2) If it is "perfect," you mostly likely are at the wrong place, 3) What I need to create a road map for your handwriting practice is exactly what your hands are producing now. You do not need to write the same page multiple times in order to select the "best" work.
Only 10 consulting sessions are available every month.
FAQs
Q: Do I need a fountain pen to take this course?
A: You most certainly do not need a fountain pen to hone your handwriting. Pencils, ballpoint pens, gel pens, crayons...most writing instruments will do!
Q: Is the course centered on cursive instead of print? Do I need experience with cursive to take this course?
A: Yes. We will focus on cursive letterforms. Experience is welcomed but not required as you will receive detailed instruction on the composition of each letter.
Q: How is this course different from traditional business penmanship instructions?
A: I am uninterested in enforcing a "correct" way to write letters and practice movements. I believe in excavating and cultivating the value of your current handwriting. No matter how "bad" you think it is, your unique ways of communicating shapes already exists. Instead of teaching you a "better" script, I want to show you how to harness the power of penmanship rules to hone what you always possessed.
Q: How is your course different from others on the market?
A: You will not find another course that places such a heavy emphasis of cultivating your artistic eye. I am a scholar by trade and I deeply believe that fruitful learning is never about forcing my opinion on you but by showing you different schools of thought without judgment and giving you the tools and freedom to filter and decide what you keep.
You also will not find another teacher who has graded so much student work and knows the mistakes and road blocks you will encounter so intimately. All of the ways you may err, and the tried and true ways of fixing them are all incorporated into the instructions--even if you do not choose the feedback option. I developed this course to teach you everything other courses don't cover AND more because I am confident that what I know can serve you in your practice.
Q: What kind of teaching style should I expect?
A: I know my worth. So you will not find me talking around the subject to drag on time and seem sophisticated. I'm here to serve YOU with no-BS. Every decision I make is geared towards helping you create the quality of work I know you can create.
I am deeply aware of the mind drama that happens when you are a student. I take your fear of failure seriously and am committed to helping you practice from a place of possibility instead of fear.
Q: If I follow a book, maybe I can figure it out on my own?
A: Students don't choose to learn from me because they lack the ability to figure things out on their own. Students learn from me because they are wise enough to realize that a teacher's role is to increase the depth and breadth of what is possible for you to figure out.
It will save you time and money to take advantage of my knowledge and expertise.
Q: I have more questions, how do I reach out?
A: Feel free to get in touch via email at [email protected]
Example Curriculum
Your Instructor
Master Penman Connie Chen is the youngest Master Penman in the world, and the only one recognized for her skills in Engrosser's Script, Ornamental Penmanship, and Offhand Flourishing by both Senior Master Penman William A. Lilly and Master Penman John DeCollibus.
A current graduate student at Harvard University, Connie apprenticed to Senior Master Penman William A. Lilly, who earned a Gold Seal Certificate at the Zanerian College, the top award given by America's leading school of penmanship and engrossing. With more than 20 years of experience in English and Chinese calligraphy, Connie creates art that transcends the boundaries of geography, culture, and time.
After providing detailed feedback to more than 2,000 students in over 5 years of teaching calligraphy courses online, Connie knows intimately what students struggle with in each script. Her attentiveness to detail and devotion to her students have consistently produced significant progress in their work.
Calligraphy Courses
If you are interested in learning pointed-pen calligraphy, I am here to help you get started. I would recommend starting with Spencerian, then Engrosser's Script if you like the shaded script style, and my Text Flourishing course if you want to learn how to add flair to your script layout and design.
