Dreaming In Script is an online training program for tranditional American penmanship.
This course is not open for enrollment. Please check https://masgrimes.com for more info about the new online program in 2020.
"Do good work in your own way, learning as much as possible from this and other sources."
C. P. Zaner - Founder of The Zanerian College
Dreaming In Script is a one-of-a-kind online training course detailing the traditional style of calligraphy known as Engrosser’s Script.
Developed with beginner and intermediate calligrapher in mind, this course covers everything that someone interested in gaining skill with Engrosser's Script should know across twelve distinct sections of information-dense lessons. Whether this is your first calligraphy course or you've been writing for years, you'll find valuable insight and historical nuance within these lessons that has never been published anywhere else.
Students are encouraged to pursue this course at their own pace, absorbing each element at a speed that makes sense for your individual life, learning style, and goals with calligraphy. Techniques for self critique are taught in the early sections of this course, and all assignments are for personal evaluation. There are no homework due dates or deadlines.
A members only Reddit forum allows students to work together in small groups, discuss ideas and concepts for innovation, and ask for feedback from the community and the instructor.
Suggested Materials
In an effort to keep the materials list for this course as small as possible, I'll encourage you to consider each of the following items carefully before purchasing anything new. You'll need one of each, but brand/maker are completely up to you. If you're buying online, check out my teacher page on John Neal Books.
- A pencil and eraser. Any old thing will do. Softer lead (B) erases easiest. :)
- A straight edge/ruler for drawing your own guidelines. I prefer this one: Westcott Grid Ruler (B-1M).
- Some paper that you can print these guidelines on. Many instructors recommend HP Premium32 Copy Paper. I find that's the most readily available for most people, but you can also print on paper from pads as long as it is thin enough to feed through your printer or draw your own guidelines on whatever paper you prefer.
- Some ink. Walnut or Moon palace sumi are my preference. If you'd like to work in color, try to use something with high contrast so that you can clearly see your lines. That will be important for most of the course. Try to stay away from distracting (sparkly) inks until you're working on projects. Keep it simple for practice!
- A couple nibs. Whatever you prefer, though I recommend something along the more flexible end of the spectrum. A Hunt 101 or LPEF would be my first recommendations. Zebra G nibs are rather stiff, and I avoid them--but it's up you to you!
- An oblique holder. The only requirement is that your pen has a metal flange. The flange is the portion of metal that sticks out of the side of the business end of the holder. It needs to be metal so that you can make a few simple adjustments to it which will help you with certain types of pen manipulation. A good choice is the Dual Workshop Holder on the JNB page.
- A computer with internet connection. The course can only be viewed from the browser and downloading of the videos is against my terms of use. Some of the files can get large, since the images are such high-resolution. Streaming the videos in HD might be harder on slower connections.
- A clean space to write. This is less of a 'what you need to buy' item, and more 'what you need to make'. Find a space that you can consistently practice that has a room for both a computer AND your writing materials. When you are practicing the materials from the course, clean the table off so you are working in a distraction-free environment.
Section Releases
Students are encouraged to keep pace with their section release schedule ONLY if they have time to fully absorb and diligently practice the exercises and topics covered. This course unlocks at a rate of one section per week for twelve weeks. There is no downside to taking longer to complete each section than is prescribed via the speed they become available. You get to keep all the lessons. They don't go away. The only downside is in rushing through the materials. Embrace your own process. Do good work in your own way.
Hey there!
I'm David from Masgrimes, a calligraphy and lettering arts studio in Portland, Oregon. You may know me from Instagram, where I share some of the work that occasionally comes across my desk.
I love Engrosser's Script for several reasons, but the main one is the way it makes me feel. Once we get through the basic ideas and strokes, you'll find that there is this magical flow to the actual creation of script. It's peaceful. Grounding.
From working with thousands of students both in-person and online since 2015, I know that if you dedicate yourself to these materials and this course, beautiful, thoughtful script is waiting within your pen, just around the corner. I'm so excited to get to walk this path with you, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the amazing work you're capable of. See you in class!