East Wittering: Petals & Penstrokes Full Day

Inspired by the warm tones of the season, this full-day workshop invites you to explore the art of calligraphy alongside delicate botanical Celebrate the golden tones of autumn as you bring together graceful calligraphy and delicate hand-painted florals in this inspiring full-day workshop. Throughout the day, you’ll learn how to combine simple calligraphy techniques with loose watercolour painting to create beautiful designs. Suitable for beginners as well as those with a little lettering experience. We’ll begin the morning by exploring the foundations of modern calligraphy. You’ll practise forming elegant letter shapes, learning how to create contrast between light upstrokes and heavier downstrokes, and how to space your words so they flow naturally across the page. With a few warm-up exercises and guided alphabet practice, you’ll quickly start to see your lettering take shape. Once you feel comfortable with the basics, we’ll introduce simple layout ideas that work beautifully for cards, small artworks and meaningful phrases. You’ll experiment with positioning your words so there is space for decorative elements to grow naturally around them. In the afternoon, we’ll turn our attention to watercolour botanicals inspired by the colours and textures of early autumn. Using a relaxed, expressive painting style, you’ll learn how to paint leaves, berries and soft seasonal florals using just a few brushstrokes. These simple botanical elements can then be used to frame your lettering, weave between words, or create gentle borders around your design. By bringing the two techniques together, you’ll discover how lettering and illustration can complement each other, creating artwork that feels organic, expressive and full of character. Your tutor will guide you step by step, sharing tips on colour choices, composition and how to keep your designs feeling balanced and natural. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have created a collection of finished pieces, perhaps a set of autumnal cards, a small framed artwork, or a personalised gift; as well as gaining the skills and confidence to continue combining calligraphy and watercolour in your own creative projects at home.