Modern Calligraphy Workshop: Street Kohi Maginhawa, QC

The recent modern calligraphy workshop at Street Kohi Community Cafe in the heart of Maginhawa, Quezon City, turned out to be a fun and memorable experience for all of us.

Though it started out as a rainy morning in Quezon City (and probably the rest of Manila!), I was very much determined to make the best of it. After all, I believe a bit of rain would be the perfect backdrop for a cozy, creative gathering.

The attendees dove into the world of modern calligraphy with enthusiasm. In this workshop, I introduced the newly-printed latest edition of the ‘Make Your Own Happy Hour’ calligraphy workbook that is exclusively distributed in the Happy Hands Project calligraphy workshops.

Aside from the usual calligraphy drills and practice strokes, I shared tips and tricks to make writing in calligraphy better and more enjoyable. As I would always say, ‘Practice Makes Pretty’—as we were not aiming for perfection but legible letter forms and good composition. We laughed at ink smudges, and cheered on each other’s progress.

We also enjoyed Street Kohi’s specialty coffee and pastries.

Our modern calligraphy workshop in Maginhawa, Quezon City was a morning well-spent. Stay tuned for more exciting workshops and events from Happy Hands Project. If you’d like first dibs on upcoming classes, leave your details here and you’ll receive an email or SMS before everyone else.

Curious about other past workshops? Read about the calligraphy workshop at Art Caravan, BGC here.

Modern Calligraphy Workshop in Manila 2022

We had such a fun session during our Modern Calligraphy Workshop in Manila! We were lucky to have Antipodean Coffee in Salcedo Village, Makati all to ourselves for the three-hour session.

Modern Calligraphy Workshop Manila via Happy Hands Project
Modern Calligraphy Workshop Manila via Happy Hands Project
Thanks to Antipodean Salcedo for hosting our calligraphy session!

The modern calligraphy workshop is an introduction to the art of beautiful handwriting. Fondly called ‘The Happy Hour‘ Workshop, this class started in Singapore in 2014 and has been a regular class offering by the Happy Hands Project. I can’t believe it’s been that long!

Modern Calligraphy Workshop Manila via Happy Hands Project
Calligraphy and cake is such a great combination, don’t you think?

Our class started with the description of the tools used in pointed pen modern calligraphy and how to prepare them for practice. In this class, we used the traditional pointed pen nib dipped in ink. Afterwards, the participants eagerly tried the writing exercises. Everyone was very keen to give it a try, and I must say that I was so proud of how their calligraphy have turned out. I also walked around and checked on their practice sheets, and everyone really did well.

Modern Calligraphy Workshop Manila via Happy Hands Project
Happy faces at the workshop

Of course, the modern calligraphy workshop is never complete without good food and drinks. As I always say, never practice calligraphy on an empty stomach (it’s true!). We had an assortment of finger food, cake, cocktails and beer. All thanks to the lovely ladies of Citadines Salcedo Makati who organized this event.

Modern Calligraphy Workshop Manila via Happy Hands Project
Modern Calligraphy Workshop Manila via Happy Hands Project
Arigato gozaimasu to our Japanese participants for coming!
Modern Calligraphy Workshop Manila via Happy Hands Project
Going around each table for a calligraphy demo and sharing some neat tricks

To sum up, we all had a fantastic time learning a new craft.

Want to book a workshop for your group as well? The Happy Hour modern calligraphy workshops are available as in-person classes in Manila. Just send a message with the number of participants and class date and I’ll get back to you on the availability. Additionally, classes for corporate groups and brand collaborations are welcome as well. It’ll be fun, I promise!

Thanks to everyone who came to the workshop. Looking forward to the next one!

Modern Calligraphy Workshop — Revamped!

Modern Calligraphy Workshop via Happy Hands Project

The Happy Hour modern calligraphy workshops here in Singapore just had a makeover with a revamped calligraphy kit. Rebranding has been in my mind the past few months and it’s still ongoing as I try to update the tools here and there.

Modern Calligraphy Workshop via Happy Hands Project

Last September, I launched a new modern calligraphy kit for the workshop which includes an all-new theme and additional tools and inks while retaining the ‘Make Your Own Happy Hour‘ workbook which is exclusive to the class.

Modern Calligraphy Workshop via Happy Hands Project

A fun (yet useful) addition are the clay pen rests that I made specially for the class! During classes, the pen holders either roll off or drip ink on the table (or both) and these teeny pen rests keep those holders in place.

Modern Calligraphy Workshop via Happy Hands Project

On top of that, I have significantly reduced the class size, making it even more beneficial to participants. Food and drinks will always be a mainstay in all Happy Hands Project workshops as I always say that writing with an empty stomach is definitely a no-no.

Modern Calligraphy Workshop via Happy Hands Project

Have you always wanted to learn the art of modern calligraphy? You can subscribe to the workshop newsletter to get first dibs, follow Happy Hands Project on Instagram, or check out the workshops page to sign up for the next one.

Hope you can join us!

Modern Calligraphy Workshop via Happy Hands Project

Modern Calligraphy Workshop via Happy Hands Project

6 Reasons Why A Creative Workshop Is Good For You

Never Stop Learning via Happy Hands Project

I have attended a few creative workshops in the past 5 years, and they have been nothing but amazing. I tend to be picky and only attend classes that are of my interest, so that means it’s mostly calligraphy, and these classes have taught me so much more than what I can teach myself in a  year.

I have taught myself creative or modern pointed pen calligraphy, but what really got me going was after I attended Maybelle Imasa‘s class here in Singapore. I’m all for self-study, but nothing beats an in-person workshop, based on my experience. Here, I have put together 6 reasons why going to an in-person workshop is good for you.

1 :: It speeds up the learning process

It took me 2 years to teach myself pointed pen calligraphy. If only there were workshops here in Singapore back in 2012, it would have taken me just a few months! I had Eleanor Winters’ Mastering Copperplate Calligraphy book for ages, and I could just follow the instructions if I allowed myself to learn from the book. But when she came here in 2014 and taught our class how to write the strokes, I had so much insight that I could not wait to get home to practice.

Same thing with Spencerian. This is a hand that I’ve been wanting to learn for years. I bought the Spencerian Workbooks by Platt Rogers Spencer. I’ve had it for a year and have only begun on the first workbook (it had 5). I could not even master the entrance strokes.

Last month, I attended a 2-day beginning Spencerian class with calligrapher Michael Ward. After the class plus weeks of practice, I can already write monoline Spencerian in lower case (while using his exemplar as a guide). It would have taken me years if I depended on my time management skills and the workbooks.

2 :: Someone points your mistakes (and commends you when you’re right!)

Eleanor slightly adjusted the nib on my plastic oblique holder during class. It has been angled wrong all along! During the classes I teach, we were able to address minor issues right away—scratchy nibs, ink blobs and usually the most challenging—connecting letters to form words.

You will be inspired and encouraged when your teacher tells you you’re doing something right, and it’s something you won’t forget that easily. The most effective teachers I’ve met were those who point out mistakes but were never patronizing nor condescending. I wouldn’t say everyone’s a snowflake, but it sure feels good when students receive a little encouragement.

3 :: You learn tips and tricks that you wouldn’t learn elsewhere

When the teacher is right there in front of you, you can just ask a question and receive instant feedback. It’s hard to judge your work when you’re alone. I remember a question I posed to Mike Ward during class. I showed him my uppercase B’s and asked, “these look right to me, but something’s off. Can you tell what it is?”, and he took my sheet and marked the first loop. It had to be a tad rounder.

Calligrapher Paul Antonio taught us the importance of good posture and a breathing technique to make writing easier. And I have applied it to the way I write.

4 :: You will find the value of practice

These teachers give lessons because they are experts in their own field. You will realise the hard work they’ve been through to get better in their craft. Nobody becomes an expert overnight, and after learning from these experts, I have found the value of practicing in order to refine my writing.

You can spend so much money going to different classes but without practice, you will never get better at it. It pays to flex those (hand and arm) muscles and put on paper what you’ve learned so that the workshop fees you’ve paid for truly is money well-spent.

5 :: Your passion will be ignited

Being around people in a creative environment is enough to super-charge your passion. Writing calligraphy, lettering, or even painting, can be a solitary activity. But spending hours or days with people who share the same passion as you will trigger a certain passion inside you. It is up to you to do something about it!

I love hearing the teacher’s creative journey—how they started and how long it took them to be where they currently are. Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t all roses and sunshine, but hearing how they got better at their craft was enough to inspire everyone in the room to keep going.

Have you ever gone to a painting class and could not wait to get home and get your painting tools out? If you have, that’s exactly what I was talking about.

6 :: You make new friends

During those breaks during class, you’ll end up chatting with those around you. You’ll exchange Instagram handles, or plan the next art jam, or ask each other which class you’re going to next. Either way, you’ll get to know those like-minded individuals and you might just hit it off with one (or even two) of them!

So there you have it. I hope this year you’ll decide to go to a class and learn something new. The next blog post will all be about online workshops—and why they’re good for you, too—specially when in-person classes are out of the question. Let’s all keep on learning!

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Brush Lettering Workshop

Watercolour Brush Lettering Workshop via Happy Hands Project

We had all sorts of colour gradients during last month’s brush lettering workshop. This is a more relaxed class (compared to pointed pen calligraphy, in my opinion), and a more colourful one for sure.

The latest brush lettering class was all freehand, where the students learned to write thin and thick strokes with my favourite brush pens. After that, writing words with watercolours and a water brush came next. I love the part in class when I show them how to make the colours blend naturally using watercolours, creating the ombre effect… and they fell in love with it instantly!

Watercolour Brush Lettering Workshop via Happy Hands Project

Each one has her own unique style and colour preference, and you’ll see that on the photos of their artworks below. The next brush lettering class is still in the works. If you’d like to get the first dibs, you may subscribe to the email newsletter on the right sidebar (no spam, just calligraphy and lettering news!).

Watercolour Brush Lettering Workshop via Happy Hands Project

Watercolour Brush Lettering Workshop via Happy Hands Project

Watercolour Brush Lettering Workshop via Happy Hands Project

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Brush Lettering Workshops With Pentel Singapore and Tokyu Hands

 

Brush Lettering Workshops with Pentel via Happy Hands Project

Tokyu Hands at Westgate Mall had its share of Pentel brush lettering workshops last August. Organised by my friends at Pentel Singapore, we had 2 afternoons of short classes for brush lettering beginners. Similar to the classes we’ve done at Tokyu Hands at Orchard Central, we used the ever-so-colourful Pentel Fude brush pens.

Brush Lettering Workshops with Pentel via Happy Hands Project

It was my first time visiting Tokyu Hands at Westgate Mall, and the shop is quite huge. This time around, we had a lot of families coming for the 40-minute crash courses. There were quite a lot of kids this time, which made the classes all the more fun. Kids love to experiment and are very eager to learn and they don’t overthink the process—we can always learn from them, don’t you think?

Brush Lettering Workshops with Pentel via Happy Hands Project

What I love about the Pentel fude brush pens is that it’s very easy to use. Kids had a lot of fun exploring the vast array of colours. It was also quite easy for the young ones to follow the alphabet guides provided—mostly because they get to choose what colour of pen to use. The more colourful it is, the more fun they have!

Brush Lettering Workshops with Pentel via Happy Hands Project

Here are more photos from the event—feel free to share online if you’re in them! We’ll be back for a third instalment of brush lettering workshops with Pentel, this time at Tokyu Hands at Suntec City Mall. See you guys on 11-12 November! Click here for the schedule and sign-up details.

 

Brush Lettering Workshops with Pentel via Happy Hands Project

Brush Lettering Workshops with Pentel via Happy Hands Project

Brush Lettering Workshops with Pentel via Happy Hands Project

More photos from the event can be found on Pentel’s Facebook page. All photos courtesy of Pentel Singapore.

Modern Calligraphy Workshop in Manila

Calligraphy Workshop in Manila via Happy Hands Project

Last January marked my first modern calligraphy workshop in Manila, Philippines. It was a lovely Saturday with absolutely no traffic jam. It was sunny, and bright light was streaming down the floor-to-ceiling windows of The Picasso‘s function room. I’ve set up without a hitch, with fairy lights nicely hanging on the glass wall.

I brought all tools and workpads from Singapore, so the class in Manila was basically the same Happy Hour Workshop that we have in here. Thanks to my kids who have airline baggage allowance for themselves (even infants get 10kg!), I did not have to pay extra for more than 20 sets of workshop kits! Yay!

Calligraphy Workshop in Manila via Happy Hands Project

We were packed to the brim that day. These amazing ladies got to work, practicing their letter forms, as I went around to see how each of them were doing. It’s so satisfying to see them struggle during the first strokes of the drills, then start improving as they start filling the pages with more letters.

Of course, a workshop is not complete without coffee and pastries, so we stopped mid-way to refuel and mingle. It was great to get to know each and everyone of them, find out what they do for a living and how they stumbled upon this workshop (someone said Google, which was awesome).

Thanks to everyone who came to the Beginners’ Class — hopefully I’ll be back later this year for an intermediate one, or even brush lettering! We’ll never know. Hugs to the ladies who had to travel quite far just to get the workshop. Lastly, high fives to the amazing team at The Picasso Boutique & Serviced Residences for giving in to my requests and setting up so nicely. I can’t wait to be back! Now here are more photos of the class. To those who weren’t able to come, hope to see you guys next time!

Calligraphy Workshop in Manila via Happy Hands Project

Calligraphy Workshop in Manila via Happy Hands Project

Calligraphy Workshop in Manila via Happy Hands Project

A Peek Into The Calligraphy In Colour Workshop

Calligraphy In Colour Workshop via Happy Hands Project

I was amazed by so much talent during the first Calligraphy In Colour advanced modern calligraphy workshop here in Singapore. I was happy to be back at Joo Chiat Place, too! There were some familiar faces, ones who I’ve already met in my beginners’ classes. There were new faces, too, and all 12 ladies were very enthusiastic about mixing colours and exploring new styles.

Calligraphy In Colour Workshop via Happy Hands Project

During 2014, I’ve always had beginners’ classes where we use black ink and focused on drills and basic letter forms. In the advanced class, we used different types of coloured paper, different kinds of inks and paint, and an end project that everyone so creatively pulled off. We got a little technical as well, because I believe that these things are better taught during an advanced class where everyone is already familiar with pointed pen calligraphy.

Calligraphy In Colour Workshop via Happy Hands Project

Oh, and as always, we’ve got a sumptuous menu for our lunch specially catered by Carpenter and Cook.

Calligraphy-In-Colour-via-Happy-Hands-Project-4

I’m looking forward to having another Calligraphy In Colour class in the next few months! If you’re curious if this class is for you, well, you just need a basic knowledge of using a flexible nib and be familiar with the letter forms. A more detailed class description can be found here. After practicing calligraphy in black ink, it’s a whole new experience when you start customising colours and finally creating your own work of art. Thanks to everyone who came, you were all awesome!

Calligraphy In Colour Workshop via Happy Hands Project

Venue: Studio @ Heaven In A Wildflower
Catering: Carpenter and Cook

Beginners’ Calligraphy Workshop {October Edition}

Modern Calligraphy Workshops via Happy Hands Project

I’m still on a high from last Saturday’s Happy Hour Workshop! I think this is the first time that we had 3 Michelles in the group! Who would think modern calligraphy drills would actually be fun? I was teaching myself years ago and drills were a chore (albeit necessary). I’m still quite amazed at how patient these ladies were, even when there were quite a few scratchy sounds, ink blobs and spills.

Modern Calligraphy Workshops via Happy Hands Project

 

They were all so into writing, it was difficult for me to coax them out of their seats to have lunch! Finally, the smell of Quiche Lorraine and pastries lured them downstairs and we all enjoyed a hearty meal (thanks to Carpenter & Cook, as always!).

I should’ve known that this group is really into learning modern calligraphy. When I opened the registration for this class, all seats were snatched in minutes. I was in awe!

Modern Calligraphy Workshops via Happy Hands Project

I’ve been receiving a lot of emails regarding the upcoming workshops – looks like everyone wants to get into the craft before the year ends! Great news – I’ll be having one session specially for those wait listed from this October session. Another will be for subscribers of the Workshop Newsletter, so leave your email address on the right sidebar to get the first dibs. I cannot wait to meet all of you, and I promise to have more classes in 2015.

I’m sending another shout out to Heaven In A Wildflower for having us at her lovely, lovely, lovely home studio.

The Happy Hour Workshop: August Session

Last August’s Beginners’ Modern Calligraphy Workshop was super fun! What I love about these classes is meeting different individuals from different fields, all eager to learn a new craft. Some are even eager to take an advanced class (which I’m preparing for, by the way – thanks for the feedback!). Here are the photos from The Happy Hour!

Venue: Studio @ Heaven In A Wildflower  |  Catering: Carpenter & Cook

Calligraphy Workshop Aug2014 via Happy Hands Project

Calligraphy Workshop Aug2014 via Happy Hands Project

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