April 22 Meeting: Meandering Books with Wendy Cowley (In-Person)

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Time: 7:30 to 9:00 pm
Location: Peace Church Peace Church, 659 52 AVE E, Vancouver, BC V5X 1G8.

The meeting handout is available at the members-only portal (please log in and go to Program Recordings): https://wcs.s1.yapla.com/en/

Wendy will be teaching her simple book-making method that she uses as an alternative to bookbinding and has turned into thumbnails, cards, alphabet books, and even a record of a lettering class she took.

“Folded and meandering books are simple books made out of a single sheet of paper. I am not a bookbinder, but I can make these simple books successfully. I use them for thumbnails, cards and alphabet books. I even have one that is a record of a lettering class. We will look at several ways of folding a single sheet of paper into books with 8 to 32 pages using simple folds and cutting on selected folds. Folding directions are included in this notice. Please print them  and bring them with you.  All paper will be provided. Please bring a bone folder if you have one and scissors and/or a cutting mat, x-acto knife, and metal ruler. (I will just be using scissors,) I hope we will be able to complete 4 books at the meeting. 3 will be with 8 sections and one with 16.” – Wendy

Folded Books with Wendy Cowley

We will look at several ways of folding a single sheet of paper into books with 8 to 32 pages using simple folds and cutting on selected folds.

Folding diagrams and instructions has been sent out to members. All paper will be provided.

Supplies to bring:

  • Scissors and/or cutting mat and x-acto knife
  • If you have one : a bone folder

 

WCS Presents: Gothic Cursive—An online workshop with Nina Tran

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Registration opens April 5th, 2026, and closes on May 18th, 2026
2-Day Zoom Workshop: Saturday, May 23 and 30, 2026
10 a.m. to 3:00 pm Pacific (includes 1/2 hour lunch)

Fees: Members $95.00 CAD This fee includes service and transaction fees.

YOU MUST BE A MEMBER OF WESTCOAST CALLIGRAPHY SOCIETY TO REGISTER. Not a member? Click on this link to join our Society. Membership has its privileges.

The class minimum is 25 and capped at a maximum of 50 participants.

The sessions are delivered via Zoom and are recorded and available to view for 60 days from the last session. Review of submissions made on Padlet by registrants will be made until June 5th, 2026 by Nina.

TO REGISTER

Step 1: Email Violet Smythe at seminars@westcoastcalligraphy.com to be put on the class list.

Step 2: Between April 5th to May 18th: Visit the Event Registration page at https://wcs.s1.yapla.com/en/events and click the Register then click “I am a member” and log in with your membership email and password. Click Next then click “+ Add A Participant” and proceed with the registration. Once the process is complete and payment has been made and verified, you will get an email confirming your registration in the workshop.

Didn’t join and register in time? Send Violet an email to be added to the waitlist. is no refund unless the spot can be filled from the waitlist.

MATERIALS LIST

  • Broad edge pen of your choice: 
    • Pilot Parallel Pens (PPPs) 1.5 and 2.4mm
    • Mitchell sizes 1.5 and 3
    • Brause 2.5 and 1.5mm
  • Ink (cartridges for PPP or in an inkwell for dip pens)
  • Straight pen holder for dip pens
  • Paper: 9×12″ Borden & Riley Boris 37 Marker Layout
  • Mechanical Pencil
  • Eraser
  • 12″ ruler
  • Low-tack adhesive tape such as washi, Scotch, artist’s tape, etc.
  • Paper towels
  • Small container for water
  • Optional: Small brush for mixing and applying gouache (if using gouache)

OUR GUEST INSTRUCTOR

Nina Tran is a calligrapher based in sunny Los Angeles, California. In 2015, she was introduced to Copperplate calligraphy and has not put the pen down since! She currently teaches in-person and online classes including Copperplate, Spencerian, Pointed Pen Flourishing, Monoline Foundational, Gothic Textura & Fraktur, and Gothicized Italic. A beloved and talented teacher, she has taught for the Society for Calligraphy, and numerous Calligraphy Societies and Guilds as well as a number of conferences.

As a single mom of three, she finds balance by reserving her early mornings for reflection and journaling. Since 2016, she has conducted over 350 live Q&A sessions via Instagram. You can tune in every Wednesday from 6:30 to 7:00 a.m. (Pacific Time).

June 6 Meet-Up: To B or Not to B – B nib Monolines

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Saturday, June 6th, 2026
Time: 10:30 a.m. start until 2:30 p.m.

Date:           Saturday, June 6, 20206
Time:           10:30am to 2:30pm – Please arrive by 10:25 a.m. to set up your spot
Location:     Surrey Library, Clayton Branch – located inside the Clayton Community Centre on the 2nd floor.
Address:      7155 187A Street, Surrey BC V4N 6L9 (Clayton Community Center is easily accessible from 72nd Street.)

Supplies:

  • Speedball B Nib #2 or #3 or like nib and Nib holder
  • Paper – layout bond
  • Ink, your choice so long as it works with your paper
  • Inky Dip if you have one (great for all kinds of ink, Bister, Brusho, Ecoline and Fountain pen inks)
  • pen or pencil for taking notes
  • ruler

Bring your bag lunch, snack, beverage of choice.

Maximum: 20 registrants. RSVP is required to attend. Membership has its privileges! There will be no fee for members to attend.

Guests and Non-Members:  Contact us at seminars@westcoastcalligraphy.com to ensure we are prepared to welcome you to your complimentary first visit.

There will be a nominal fee of $10.00 for non-members to attend subsequent sessions. Your first visit is complementary.   Please note that the increase in the fee is due to a marked increase in the room rental rate at the library.

March 25, 2026 Meeting: Italian Print with Violet Smythe (In Person)

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Time: 7:30 to 9:00 pm
Location: Peace Church Peace Church, 659 52 AVE E, Vancouver, BC V5X 1G8.

Handouts and printable guideline sheets are available at the members-only portal (please log in and go to Program Recordings): https://wcs.s1.yapla.com/en/

Membership has its benefits – register here to become a member.  
Would you like to check us out before committing? Please contact our Membership Chair at membership@westcoastcalligraphy.com to arrange a complimentary guest visit during this in-person meeting. We would love to meet you!

 

“This is a hand that I discovered in my research for a workshop I was creating in Art Nouveau letters.  It is from the Draughtsman’s Alphabets – A series of Plain and Ornamental Alphabets designed especially for Engineers, Architects, Draughtsmen, Engravers, Painters, etc. by Hernamm Esser.  Published by Keuffel and Esser Co. New York 20th Edition.  I found it on Archive.org which is a great resource: https://archive.org/details/draughtsmansalp00essegoog/page/n6/mode/2up

The handout I created is based on this hand using Pilot Parallel Pens (PPP) 3.0mm size pen.  I have created guidelines for pen sizes 2.4mm to 6.0mm so you need only print off the guide sheets that correspond with your pen size.  If you don’t have a Pilot Parallel Pen then you can try the hand with a broad edge nib like a Speedball C 2 nib.  

See you at the first in person Meeting on March 25th!”

– Violet

March 7, 2026 Saturday Meet-Up: Decorated Versals

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Our first sessions were a great success! Join us for our next Saturday meet-up where we will be working on decorated versals.

Registration is now open for members for our next Saturday Meet-Up! There will be no fee for members to attend.

Program: Decorated Versals
Location: Surrey Library -Clayton Branch (2nd floor)
Address: 7155 187A Street, Surrey BC V4N 6L9
Maximum registrants: 20

Registration for non-Members opens on February 9th.
Please email seminars@westcoastcalligraphy.com
to register! Membership has its privileges!

Guests and Non-Members Contact us at seminars@westcoastcalligraphy.comto ensure we are prepared to welcome you to your complimentary first visit. There will be a nominal $5 drop-in fee to non-members to attend subsequent sessions.

This is also an opportunity to bring other calligraphy projects to work on alongside your fellow society members, brainstorming ideas, and learning valuable tips from others to share in our love of letters

 

February 28, 2026 Program: Brush up on Brush Pens (via Zoom)

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What: Brush up on Brush Pens – Minuscules with Valerie Akkerman

When: February 28, 2026 (Saturday) from 10:00am to 12:00pm
Where: Online via Zoom

The Zoom recording and handout is available in the Members Portal: https://wcs.s1.yapla.com/en/
Log in to your account and go to Program Recordings.

Join us for an exploration into brush pen calligraphy!

In this workshop we will look at the various pen options available, basics strokes, and the press/release techniques needed to create a minuscule alphabet.

Brush up on Brush Pens – Minuscules with Valerie Akkerman

Supplies:

  • Brush Pen – chances are, you have a pointed brush pen somewhere in your stash of supplies!
  • Valerie will be demonstrating with a variety of brush pens.A good beginner pen is the Tombow Fudenosuke.
  • -aper – Smooth paper works best!HP32 laser paper, Rhodia pads, and Canson marker paper are great options
  • Optional: Ecoline watercolor

Please log in to Zoom around 9:45am so we can be all ready to go at 10:00am.