Brush & Watercolour Workshop || #KLigraphy

As you all know, I signed myself up for a workshop with Inks&Calligraphy and Inezcalligraphy which I have been looking forward to since.... Well a month ago when I first found out about it from a friend. You didn't know? Then that's fine, just take a peek at my previous post [here] and you'll understand what I'm talking about.

Anyways  - after many long days of anticipation, the day had finally arrived and I was dead excited. Well not literally of course, or else I'd have wasted money on top of missing the opportunity to be a tiiiiny bit more artistic. On top of looking forward to the class, I was also quite excited about meeting my very talented friend who I have not met for quite a while now. Life being the way it is and both of us having our own things that keeps us busy, we rarely get the chance to catch up.

So, seizing the opportunity, we met up much earlier at Standing Theory where we ordered their staple Bacon & Waffles with Corn Flake Ice Cream. At first the combination sounded quite off to me because in my head, savory and sweet never mixed well. But this proved me very wrong because I was hooked from the first bite. Sweet from the honey (or maple syrup, not quite sure) and chilly ice cream to the crispy waffle then mixed with the salty bacon. MAJOR YUMS.

Mmm mmm mmmm~ Uncanny combination, but nothing short of yummy.

We shared this because Beatrice told me that food & some snacks will be provided at the workshop, apparently it'll be a waste to not try. And since she's attended it once before, I thought it's best to listen to the voice of reason. Experience wins greediness. HAH. We also tried their iced latte and... Boy, it definitely has a damn strong kick which is good for a non-morning person that relies on caffeine to keep me alive.

Though it was lacking slightly in the milky taste which I always associate with a 'latte', I was still pretty impressed with it. AND! Fun fact: I was informed by the cashier (after staring at this test-tube like container with black liquid in it completely baffled) their 'cold brewed coffee' is done by steeping their coffee beans in cold water for 24 hours to get all the flavour. As opposed to the conventional method of brewing via hot water. Kinda interesting right?

Food talk aside and after spending maybe a good five minutes snapping away plus savoring our meal, we got to have a very fruitful chat. Finally getting acquainted with each other's lives again and getting to talk about some things that are harder to over Whatsapp was very nice. Somehow it feels like no time has passed at all since our college days and.... It was really nice.

Then it was time for our class and we were super on time. By 'on time' - I really mean that we arrived about an hour early just to look around the place and also get the good seats. We're Chinese & kiasu like that.

To be honest; I had quite a high expectation based on the pictures I saw from my friend's Instagram and also the positive reviews that she's told me. Apparently I will really love the interior because it's simple but at the same time very pretty. And it was VERY true.

'Oh what a beautiful day~'
And there's Jil & Inez setting up the treats corner! :3

There was no over the top decorations - long white tables in the main area and several chairs surrounding it and all the necessary tools for the workshop already placed on the table. After all, minimalist is the current in thing and I'd prefer that over the now 'hipster' trend. That was cool before everyone decided it was too.

I wish I was not so dazed and took a proper picture of the whole place but I was incredibly distracted by the prettiness in front of me. Plus I was buzzing with excitement so I couldn't think straight. Sue me for being a complete derp at the wrong time.

My set-up with a pretty blue cup. Trust me to pick that one. haha.
And look at how beautifully written my name is. Someday, that'll me. I hope.

As stated on their workshop page, they provide Brush Calligraphy beginner's kit which consists of:

• 2 Waterbrush Pens
• 1 Watercolor Set
• 1 Brush pen in gold
• Watercolor Paper [Which I learned on that day is very important.]
• Worksheets with Drills, Letterforms, and Alphabet Guides
• Practice Sheets [You need them. LOTS OF THEM if you're a noobie like me. HEH] 

Since we had time to kill before other people arrive and for the class to start, I thought it'd be a good idea to snap more pictures. Aside from excitedly flipping through my worksheets and marveling at all I was seeing. Yet never thinking of taking a photo of the entire area, again me running on pure derp mode at that point.

Baby's breath. Such a pretty but simple center piece.

ASIAN AT WORK. :3

There's my attempt at being artistic and then, to my right is Beatrice who took a long time trying to get the near perfect picture. While I laughed at her and edit my own photo for instagram which took me about ten minutes all-together. I'm so mean but it was amusing as heck.

You know.... We usually only see really nice shots from the camera's point of view and never the whole picture, inclusive of what's going on behind the camera. Starting to understand why some photographers enjoy taking picture of another photographer taking picture.

Photographer-ception? Probably not.

Yum corner. Picture taken by Beaaa~ 

Just as Bea said, they do provide treats to nibble on midway through the workshop and if you're a dessert lover then this is meant for you. According to her, the last time she attended they had some sort of 'sandwich' with chicken as well. But this time, there was chocolate chip cookie which was crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside, chocolate brownie and some oatmeal coconut cake.

For some reason, dessert has never really been my go-to choice of noms. But these were so good that I still think about these at random times and crave for the yummy cookie again. Especially when it's late at night and there's nothing to eat. Also I can't eat anything since I'm trying my damnedest to curb my terribly bad habit of having supper. ;_;

Though seriously, if you have a sweet tooth then you should check MAD Treats out. So delicious.

Once everyone has arrived we finally got to start the workshop with Jil & Inez introducing themselves, also briefing us on the tools that they have provided. Sadly there are one or two of the pens they give can't be bought here so......... Amazon it is, when the difference in currency rates isn't so high anymore. ;_;

Strokes. HEHE. Sorry, but it's funny. The O's are the bane of my existence, no jokes.

So from what I learnt that day, the general rule of thumb when it comes to calligraphy (pointed pen or brush) is;

• To achieve the thicker lines, press down harder with the brush and that's always the down strokes.
• The thinner lines is almost the complete opposite since it's always an up-stroke. Basically you remove almost all pressure from the brush and just 'gently kiss the paper' as said by Jil.  

It all sounds pretty simple right? And I assumed it was because we've been learning how to write ever since we could hold a pen anyways. But nope, it is sooooo much more difficult than one would imagine.

After explaining the basics to us, they gave us time to get a feel of writing with the brush pens which was fascinating to someone like me who is completely new to anything remotely artistic. Though I admit that I had plenty of fun trying something new that day, even if I struggled a lot at first to just let go of all the control and let the brush have free reigns.

It's harder than it looks. And these are all just lines for practicing. 

As you can see, after shakily trying to mimic the printed pattern, this is the result which from afar is passable. But if you actually squint, you can see where my hand shakes every now and then.

Since there are two kinds of brush pens provided, I alternated between both to practice with and there is a reason why the lines in gold are less ugly looking. The brush tip of that pen is much more stiffer and it's almost similar to writing with a marker pen except it's more bendable, so that gives you so much more control when it comes to writing.

Then there's the other brush pen which has a very soft tip, almost similar to the regular painting brushes. A gentle touch on the paper and it bends so this really tests your hand control when creating different kinds of strokes. Though it ultimately creates the nicer looking typography - then again this might just be because of the ink.

Photo taken by Bea.Eugenie!

So here I am, trying my best to go through the worksheets while trying to get used to creating different type of strokes and patterns. Also I would alternate between both brush pens just to get the feel of them both which was encouraged by Jil & Inez.

Plus the gold one gave me the best results cause it is easier to manage than the other brush pen which I liked seeing. HAHAH.

And I'm really loving this picture. Almost everything is a yay until you notice my ugly roots showing which is a clear reminder that I need to go get it dyed again. Still loving how good this picture makes me look. Sorry not sorry.

While I was kind of struggling with getting the strokes and shapes correctly - to my right is my dear friend breezing right through it almost seamlessly. An artist characteristic which I have yet to grab hold of, still far too much of a control freak to ever be as good of an artist as Picasso.

But I really do admire Beatrice's talent in all things art. Which is why I am forcing asking her to teach me a little here and there whenever we got the chance to meet up.

These are other attendants of he brush & watercolour calligraphy workshop. And they were all so talented in their own way too!

What I enjoyed the most about the entire four hours was how therapeutic it was - despite the struggle I initially had with getting used to the brush pen. The ambiance was nice and bright, quiet but there was coffee house music playing in the background which is maximum love.

Jil teaching us fancy watercolour techniques. 

Once we got used to writing with the brush pens and had a ten minute break where we gobbled up the delicious treats, it was time to move on to more fun things. Time to bring out the water colours!~

There are four types of lettering that was taught to us and they're all pretty in their own way.

• Masking - using something called a masking fluid, easily bought from art stores.
• Faded
• Ombre [My favourite among the four!]
• Blotching [Very unique and interesting to look at on paper]

I would explain it all to you but, I think it is better if you watch how Jil does it firsthand.

And it is also safe to say that I was quite terrible at all of them even though I tried my best. The perfectionist in me just won't let me paint freely like some artist can. Whatever is in my head never turns out like that on paper - as is the same when it comes to writing as well.

However I believe that when it comes to art, there shouldn't be too much over-thinking as the art would somehow automatically present itself. Again this is something I really have to work on as I have a knack of over thinking everything which often times leads to a lot of self-doubt. Getting rather philosophical eh?

Anyway back to the workshop, despite my struggle initially, I still had fun trying out different styles in between trying to understand what I was doing. I think I laughed at myself more than actually trying to perfect the techniques.

"It's easy!" She says. 

And the only thing that crosses my mind is 'HELP' as I watch her do it effortlessly with wide eyes.

Pretty corner. A little vintage feel. 

I wonder if this typewriter still works or it was place there for aesthetic reasons. Honestly would not mind getting one for myself if it didn't cost as much as it does.

Maybe someone wanna get that for me as an early Christmas present? :3

Gnarly final product. 

All in all, I really think this was an amazing workshop for anyone who has a love for beautiful penmanship or is just looking to learn something new. Not gonna lie, Rm220 is a pretty steep price to pay - but the positives of the several hours I spent in the workshop definitely makes my money worth it. I mean, who wouldn't want to learn new skills right?

This was the first workshop that I've attended with them and it probably would not be the last one. There's also an introductory of pointed pen calligraphy workshop which I am definitely going to attend someday. So it's time I start saving up and re-calculating my budget again. :3

In the mean time, are there anymore interesting workshops in KL that I should attend? Let me know cause I'm always looking for new things to learn.

'If a man treats a life artistically, his brain is his heart.'

- Oscar Wilde

Until next time lovelies!