Category Archives: Workshop

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).

March 28 & 29th Workshop with Richard Draffin (Official Calligrapher for Veterans Affairs)

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Both members and Non-members may register by clicking here: https://wcs.s1.yapla.com/en/events

For MEMBERS:
1. Click the Register button 
2. Select I am a member, and log in with your email and password. Click Next.
4. Click the button “+ Add a participant” and proceed with registration.

For NON-MEMBERS:
1. Click the Register  button
2. Select I am NOT a member
3. Then click the button, “Sign up without becoming a member”
4. Click the button “+ Add a participant” and proceed with registraiton.

** Registration ends March 23, 2026 **

An Introduction to Gestural Lettering – This con-temporary calligraphy uses gestural strokes to make more calligraphic than traditional letters. This work-shop will focus on the variations in letterforms, rhythm, and script that result from incorporating speed and movement into the writing process, using a variety of tools.

Class size is a maximum of 18 registrants.

WHEN: Saturday, March 28th & Sunday, March 29th, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m (please arrive by 9:30 a.m. to set up)

WHERE: South Surrey Recreation and Art Centre in the Turnbull Gallery
South Surrey Athletic Park, Address: 14601 20 Ave, Surrey, BC V4A 9P5

>> Download the FLYER here.

Fees: Canadian / American WCS Members registration is via the website live on February 1st, 2026. You have the option to pay by e transfer or credit card (all done through the Yapla platform). The workshop fee includes the processing fees. 

  • Members: $156.40  CAD        
  • Non-members: $171.75 CAD

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Violet Smythe at seminars@westcoastcalligraphy.com.

About the Calligrapher/Artist…

Since 2009, Richard Draffin has been the calligrapher who updates and maintains Canada’s Books of Remembrance for Veterans Affairs Canada. Calligraphy requires a great deal of care and technique. Using traditional methods of lettering, every brush stroke and every letter is done by hand and his meticulous work ensures that the books are preserved for years to come.

Richard has studied under many notable calligraphers. From Thomas Ingmire, he learnt to break from traditional with the introduction of Roman Cursive scripts. From Denis Brown, he gained specific skills on the stroke and where the stroke fits into a piece. From Yves Leterme, he learned how to move into gestural movements from known scripts (or a more common script) and from Brody Neuenschwander, he started to appreciate the whole broadsheet as one, which in some ways took him back to his studies with Thomas Ingmire.

Here is a link to a video that can be viewed on Facebook where Richard speaks to the work that he does on Canada’s Books of Remembrance: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BnGvt5jWB/