It’s no secret, I’m a fan of education…

I’m a teacher…Duh.

One of the biggest mistakes you could ever make as a calligrapher is to disregard the value of continued education. Regardless of whether you’re seeking a professional certificate or just an additional skill or two, education can make a world of difference when you are sensitive to your interests and needs as an artist.

As for me, my areas of concentration fall under three umbrellas: calligraphy, engraving and painting. If you’re new around here, to recap:

Calligraphy is most often thought to be on paper, but doesn’t necessarily have to be. It can also be heat foil or completed on glass or mirror surfaces, etc.
Engraving on glass bottles is one of the most popular combinations. But, metals can also be engraved. Wood can be burned…and leather, debossed. All of these can be with calligraphy or illustrations.
Painting is most often on glass bottles for me, but, like everything else, it doesn’t necessarily have to be. Boxes, wood and leather items, etc, can also be painted on.

There’s a lot of freedom in each umbrella to explore the craft in myriad ways…And that’s just the how. The what or the content range is just as wide, from names and phrases to florals…to detailed, illustrative pieces and more. And let’s not even get into style choices.

Or, shall we?

With muscle-memory crafts like calligraphy, I think it’s safe to assume you will be practicing the basics a lifetime in order to maintain any level of skill, possibly adding scripts to your tool belt as you go. And, for other items that you offer as an artist, ongoing education may be just as crucial.

Case in point, two new-to-me classes I’m currently enrolled in are Madarasz Script by Schin Loong and Wedge Brush Wildflowers by Jen Sweeney. Both classes can be found at Learn Calligraphy with Kestrel Montes from Ink Me This.

For this post, I’m going to focus on Schin’s class and calligraphy classes I’ve taken in general.

The Madarasz class with Schin has been on my invisible bucket list for the longest. It’s obvious to know why when you have seen how versatile a script it is and the fact that flourishes (which I have been obsessed with since I began my calligraphy journey) play a huge role in how she executes the script.

But first, a little backstory…

Copperplate, Spencerian and Flourishing

When I began calligraphy, I started with learning Copperplate and Flourishing. The next year, I leveled up with Spencerian. I took all three classes with Younghae of Logos Calligraphy. They’re super classes if you want to learn since you can return to them whenever you forget something with her lifetime access. The fact that you can join a class at any time she’s running it is amazing for people with schedules like mine, and I still go back from time to time as my schedule allows. Younghae is a very thorough teacher and she even comes up with resources for things her students struggle with like her practice sheets with embedded ovals. Younghae’s classes are quite an investment starting out…

But you really can’t go wrong with either of them and any beginner will get a solid foundation starting there.

Madarasz Script

Copperplate and Spencerian are both classic forms of calligraphy. It only followed for me to learn Madarasz. Why?

Because as Kestrel Montes says:

“Madarasz is like if Copperplate and Spencerian had a baby.”
~ Kestrel Montes

Madarasz combines the thick downstrokes of Copperplate, with the angular aspects of Spencerian…But it’s fully neither. And where Copperplate and Spencerian tend to be conservative and fairly formal when compared to modern calligraphy, Madarasz, the way Schin teaches it, has no such reservations. It’s bold and showy, and walks the line from being a fun and carefree spirit to commanding all the attention in the room…Not to mention, it’s just fun!

For this class, on Learning Calligraphy, I had to wait for an opportunity to take it because there isn’t a lifetime access component to the instruction. With a lower price point than many lifetime access courses, the class is offered live and the recordings accessible for a few months out of the year. Then it goes back in the vault until the next run. For me, the best time to take any courses on the site would be in the summertime when teachers are off. I was very fortunate to find Schin’s class on the roster for this summer and I did not hesitate!

There is a new component that Kestrel has added with forums to show your work and see the work of others across the classes. You do get lifetime access to that. It’s helpful because, while you can’t revisit the instruction until next time, you can keep learning from your classmates and continue to get feedback well after the class is over.

I’ve been practicing my Madarasz for a couple weeks now whenever I’ve had the opportunity and I’ve already found a few new uses for it in my engraving as well as in writing for others. Below, I used what I was learning in Schin’s class on a card for an anniversary party.

I’m still working on mastering Madarasz (well, all of the scripts I’ve learned). But I love that Madarasz fits right into my favorite parts of the classic scripts I’m already familiar with and that it gives me many opportunities to improve on my flourishing.

Practical Uses for Learning Scripts

I like having a versatile toolbox.

Copperplate is probably the most widely recognized calligraphy script, even by people that don’t practice the craft. It’s also usually the gateway for most beginning calligraphers into the practice. It was only natural I start there.

My most requested service is still engraving. When working live events, it easily falls into the realm of calligraphy for most passersby that want to see something fancy. But, I found, over time, finessing strokes can take more time with engraving than I may have at an event. Spencerian isn’t as fussy and can be completed much quicker. Also, since I naturally tend to write at a generous size and can be a perfectionist at times, knowing how to calligraph in tight areas or on trickier surfaces in a monoline style was crucial. Again, for me, Spencerian gets the job done stylishly with minimal fuss.

On the other hand, Madarasz wants ALL the smoke.

If you do have the time and would like to fill up a large space with some showmanship rather than quietly compose it, scripts like Madarasz could be your guy-especially when you channel your Schin and incorporate swoops, swirls and flourishes in the mix! Often used for headlines when it was initially developed, Madarasz is an exercise in doing the absolute most…and I love it for that! Where Madarasz has rules, just like any other script, they do not feel as rigid as Copperplate and Spencerian, giving the impression of a slightly more relaxed and modernized version of the two beloved classic scripts.

Final Verdict

I loved this class! Schin’s knowledge of the subject matter was vast and her teaching style was humorous throughout, making the challenge of learning a new script so much more enjoyable. She even has me aspiring to attempt it without guidelines.

Or at least aspiring to…Sometimes. 😂

The script is also immediately useable. I’ve already completed a commissioned project with it…Totally unexpected!

And, as shown above, adding a script to your toolbelt doesn’t mean the others have to grow dust on them at all. Many times, they can all be used in a project, preventing both bombardment and boredom. Sweet!

I also have to add that, even though it’s not a lifetime access to instruction, I got what I needed with this class. Aside from the limited-time access, that was one of the things that initially gave me pause taking a calligraphy class on LC…possibly not having the time to digest enough material to justify the cost. If you’re feeling the same about this class, not to worry. It’s the perfect amount of instruction for the time. I’m not sure I would suggest this class for an absolute beginner unless you are able to meet every live class. But then, I’m not sure that many start off with Madarasz. Either way, without hesitation, I highly recommend this class as your next favorite, the next time it’s offered.