Creating my Certificate for the Michael Sull Spencerian Masterclass - Houston Calligrapher

Yes, most of the time when you take a masterclass from a Master Penman the expectation is that you create your own certificate entirely by hand at the completion of the course.  No Photoshop, Illustrator etc allowed.  It's all old school, vintage.  Which is great because it plays right into how I work.   I'm a vintage soul......end of story.

Don't tell anyone, but I did't realize that I would have to create my certificate by hand when I originally signed up for the year-long course :).  However, I am so glad that I am doing this for multiple reasons.  1) I would not have undertaken something of this nature on my own.  2) The experience gained for each portion of creating this certificate is invaluable. 3) I am now no longer intimidated by the prospect of creating a certificate entirely by hand.  4) Quite a few techniques that are used for engrossing are no longer taught except by literally a handful of people in the United States these days.  It's a lost art that cannot be replicated on the computer.  With that said, don't expect to see everything that I learned in the course on my certificate.  There is this minor, mundane detail called time that must be factored in.. For instance, my original plan was to include masterpiece flourishing for the entire border.  Again, that minor, mundane detail better known as time...

Since upon beginning this blog post, I have roughly 1 week to complete this certificate from start to finish along with my projects that clients are paying me to do :), it will be "basic" to say the least, but here are a few pictures from the process.  Cheers!

The end result...  Yes, I went with a shaded Spencerian for the entire certificate......Blasphemy, you say :)

Some of the script portions that will create the final certificate...mistakes and all.  I'm an artist & I'm sensitive, so don't judge me!  Poco a poco (little by little)....  

A little Sickels alphabet action for my name.  Yes, I can do something that is not a cursive script, too.  However, this version didn't make the final cut...

Rough draft layout.... I see slight changes in your future....

Pay no attention that that scribble in the border better known as my paper test

Canson deckled edge paper - This was my paper test...  Works will with Sumi ink even with an old semi-flex nib.

So I calligraphed it and placed the Sickles lettering on there for my name.  Then of course I called an "audible" & completely started from scratch on the certificate for the 2nd time to change my name to script.  This was the result:

The final certificate.  Approved and signed by Michael Sull, Master Penman

It was an amazing year!  I learned quite a bit to say the least.  And I still have so much to learn and obviously the need to refine my work with a stronger sense of balance with my shading.  However, i must say that it was an invaluable experience & opportunity to learn from Michael Sull for an entire year.  Cheers!