Offhand Flourishing is an ornamental branch of the pen arts performed with carefree spontaneity and confident movement. The flourishes—often based on penmanship's intersection with the natural world—are excellent additions to lettering-based calligraphic works, or may stand on their own as specimens of pen art.

In this workshop, students will learn:

 

 

1. The fundamentals of how to hold the straight pen in the offhand position.

2. Throwing strokes from the elbow with arm movement.

3. Several easy strokes that can be repeated at varying scales to create offhand designs.

4. A number of offhand motifs with varying degrees of difficulty.

Offhand Flourishing requires a modest amount of coordination to produce well, but this workshop will impart some excellent habits that can help any student who does not feel graceful with their pen to develop confidence of movement with time and practice. This workshop is suitable for beginners to the pointed pen.