Discover the beauty of Lombardic Capitals, the decorative letterforms found in medieval manuscripts. In this 3-session workshop, you'll learn how to construct these elegant letters, decorate them with botanical ornamentation, and transform them into beautifully illuminated initials using traditional techniques.

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Lesson 1: Understanding Lombardic Capitals

We'll begin by exploring the history, anatomy, and construction of Lombardic Capitals. You'll learn their proportions, curves, and stroke relationships while practicing how to build these distinctive medieval letterforms from scratch. By the end of the session, you'll have a strong foundation for confidently drawing Lombardic Capitals.

 

Lesson 2: Ornamenting the Letterforms

In this session, we'll transform the letterforms into decorative initials using acanthus leaves, floral motifs, vines, and ornamental details. You'll learn how to balance ornamentation with the letter, creating designs that are both elegant and visually harmonious.

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Lesson 3: Creating a Complete Lombardic Initial

In the final session, we'll bring everything together by creating a fully ornamented and hatched Lombardic Capital. You'll follow a complete live demonstration, from planning the composition and refining the ornamentation to add hatching and finishing the artwork with traditional dip pen techniques.

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By the end of the workshop, you'll have your own initial design and the confidence to create decorative letters for monograms, book pages, certificates, invitations, and ornamental artwork.