Off-hand flourishing is a non-lettering form of penmanship and as such, there are no baselines, waistlines, capitals, or lowercase flourishes. As an artform, off-hand flourishing serves two purposes; these are space-filling and ornamentation. It is typically a spontaneous art form where the patterns and designs are not pre-design, drawn in with pencil and then copied in ink. The only occasion where pre-designed patterns serve the penman is in certificate design where symmetrical flourishing patterns, border treatments, or specific fill-in arrangements [such as surrounding title flourishing or artistic linework] is required.

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During the Golden Age of Penmanship [1850-1925], whole-arm movement with a straight penholder was used to create the beautiful flourishing patterns. In our program we will be using an oblique penholder and combination muscular movement as we explore this wondrous artform. Our program will focus on the traditional primary patterns of cartouches, scroll, plumes, quills, title flourishing and bird designs. And then finally as our time allows, we will learn the techniques of combining patters to form flourished compositions of beauty.

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Completed flourished compositions can appear to be formidable, complex arrangements of curves and shaded lines. However, through instruction and demonstration it will be revealed how every pattern, made one stroke at a time, can be easily achieve by even a Beginning Student. Join us for this special program on the beautiful subject of Off-Hand Flourishing. No prior knowledge or skill is required.

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Lesson 1 

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> Flourishing fundamentals

> Combination muscular movement

> Strokes, hairlines and shades

> Contrast and balance

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Lesson 2

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> Paper position

> Pen manipulation

> Traditional [Primary] patterns (Cartouche, scroll, plume and quill)

> Accent flourishing patterns

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Lesson 3

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> Title flourishing

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Lesson 4

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> Birds (Shape, position, perching, flying, looking behind and in pairs)

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Lesson 5

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> Composition flourishing (Combining patterns)

Note to Students