Filigrees, some news

 I've recently created new versals with filigrees, here is one of them :

They all are (or almost) available in my online store : www.benoitfuret.com/store/

And next year (that is to say very very soon), I will teach filigrees online again.

Filigrees, a manuscript approach is a 4 hours course (2×2 hours) where I will talk about different filigree patterns from several manuscripts.

The course (in English) will take place on January 14 and 15, from 6 to 8 PM, French time.

It will be taught via zoom and the recording will be available for one month after the live.

The cost of the course is 60€.

You can register by clicking on this link.

Merry Christmas

 It's that time of year so I'm sharing with you something quick made with liners, just to show that I'm thinking of you this time of year.

And if you don't find what you like under the tree, I've just updated the agenda with face-to-face classes as well as the list of online classes.

Chapels

 I have been neglecting you lately, I apologise.

I'm posting on social networks because it's quicker than describing my whole journey and taking the time to really address you here.

So a new message so that those who are not on those evil networks can see that I am still thinking of them.

These days I'm working on a commission from the town hall of Plouider, a small seaside town in Finistère.

I like this township, they plant a tree for each birth in the township and asked me to calligraph the children's names so that we can know which tree corresponds to whom. I did it last year and will do it again this year.

But today, it is another project: to calligraph 3 fragments of poems about the chapels and to put them around the Saint Fiacre chapel. The order is to do it on slate, it's up to me to choose how.

So I decided to use Art Nouveau lettering and acrylic paint on large 40x40cm slates. The advantage is that I will be able to use the same layout for the 3 poems and thus have a unity of treatment that I would have had more difficulty in obtaining with another writing.

Here is the first text, a french translation of Shakespeare.

And whilst I've got your attention, I'd like to talk about something completely different. I have been selected to participate in the Write on the Edge International Calligraphy Conference in Sonoma, USA, next summer, and as part of that I have just answered a number of questions about my practice. You can find the transcript of this conversation here. And if you want to register for the courses, you can find the description of my two contributions here and there.

ABC workshop

 I haven't posted anything on this blog for ages, too busy elsewhere.

Summer is here, time to make the workshop more visible for the tourist on the go.

I am open every Saturday morning from 9:30 am to 1 pm and at other times of the week, as soon as I am at work, the workshop is open.

You will have noticed that my taste for shimmering color mixes is becoming more and more pronounced with time.

Composition

There are still a few places left for this weekend's class in the workshop.
It will be dedicated to Art Nouveau and composition.
As an example of what will be covered during this course, some pictures of a work in progress on a fragment of Rilke's Sonnets at Orpheus.

first pencil version

second version reworked for justification

third version in ink, first draft of the final version without the decoration

If you are interested, you can still contact me :-)

Charles

Today is St. Charles the Good.
Bad luck, I'm working on the second Bible of Charles the Bald...

Here are some A's found in the manuscript and some border elements with small dots.

For those who are interested, I give a course on the subject on April 18 and 19, 2020 at the cultural center of Welkenraedt.

The kiss

Poem by Paul Althof, found in Ver Sacrum magazine.
It was therefore obvious to calligraphy it with the Art Nouveau lettering that I recovered from the same magazine.
The calligraphy was done with a palette nib, except for the separations between verses which were done with a drawing pen, all in acrylic ink.

And for those who would like to learn how to make this alphabet, I remind you that I am organizing a course in my workshop on April 4 & 5, 2020.
To register or for more information, contact me :-)

Workshops

I have finished composing my Art Nouveau lettering model from Ver Sacrum, I still have to work on a few decorative elements but, in the meantime, I am practicing a bit by preparing the workshop certificates for Montreuil Bellay.

I will propose a workshop on this Art Nouveau lettering in my workshop in April, the weekend of the 4th & 5th. If you are interested, you can already contact me to register.

carolingian script etc

Long time since my last post. It's because I'm preparing for the next workshop.

Working on my carolingian script

& on my knots

Ready at last !

I have just finished the course certificates for Turin, only have to get on the plane and, this weekend, I will teach the filigrees in MiroModo.

I can't wait to get there!

Paris !!

I've been too taken by the course to even think about taking pictures: -(
It was very nice, in a magnificent district (as a reminder, it took place at Gallery 67 in the Swiss Village).
I have therefore, as a souvenir to propose you, only a selection of my drafts explaining the course, brought home at the end of the training.

67

I already told you about it, I'm organizing a workshop on filigrees in Paris this summer.
it will take place at Gallery 67.
So I had to illustrate it. After about 20 hours of work, here is the result.

Just to be illustrative, a few heads are a good idea (I particularly like the one with the crown, what about you?).

There are still a few places left, if you are interested, contact me.

Virgilis Aenidos

I did a lot of things this weekend.
Few of them had anything to do with calligraphy.

I started to calligraph the Aeneid on the inside door of my workshop. At about 20 minutes per line, I'm far from being able to put it back!

Filigrees, the comeback

Long time I haven't told you about filigrees here, I'm sure you miss it ;-)

A little work in progress, on a cardboard that my wife previously used to make frame patinas.

I left the nib to play with an acrylic marker, here is a short video of a part of the process

and I would like to take this opportunity to announce that I am organizing a workshop dedicated to filigree learning in Paris on July 21 & 22. You can find all the information in the agenda.

Collecting

After the capital letters A, I continue to collect the initials of the Gospel of Lindisfarne for my Celtic workshop in Welkenraedt next March.
For those who are interested, hurry up, there is only one place left!!

Less variety on these letters than on the A's but still a lot of different shapes...

More filigrees on the windows

Another video of filigrees, another type of filigrees, another window of the workshop.

everything went well

3 hours is too short for a workshop about filigrees but the participants really took up the challenge.

It was a good afternoon, I hope everyone appreciated it, I was really delighted (and exhausted, I didn't remember how much energy one has to have to teach a course).

Can't wait for the next workshop !

ready

Everything is ready for this afternoon's workshop.
To be consistent with the topic, I drew some filigrees on the tablecloth.