Gothic calligraphy is known for its boldness and expressive potential, but what if we push these ideas to the extreme? During this workshop, we will explore the heavyweight variations of Blackletter, focusing on striking contrasts and the maximum impact of the letterforms. Our core variation will be based on Gothic Textura, but later on, we'll also add some ideas found in modern interpretations of Fraktur. Bold and heavy letters are an excellent tool for emphasis and work wonderfully for titles, wordmarks, and short phrases. Sometimes, it can even be used as the main style for more expressive interpretations of the text.

The class could be too challenging for the beginners. I recommend it for intermediate and above levels of experience.

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Lesson 1
During the first lesson of the workshop, I will introduce the students to the inspirations and discuss the main features of our base variation. We will explore the basic strokes and techniques used in the exemplar and practice minuscule, focusing on addressing unique challenges that come with heavyweight. We'll play around with pen rotation, variable angles, and building up some of the strokes while keeping the consistency and rhythm of writing.

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Lesson 2
We will dedicate the second lesson to the practice of capitals. Students will explore the structure and features of capital letterforms and their variations. We'll focus on bold, double-stroked letters with some build-up strokes for maximum emphasis. 
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Lesson 3
We'll consider our next steps by exploring further ideas based on the interpretations of Blackletter by Rudolf Koch and F. H. Ernst Schneidler. We'll add a touch of Fraktur flavor to our letters and push the boundaries of the heavyweight concept, even if it means sacrificing some legibility for a more expressive take.