THE GOLDEN AGE OF ENGROSSING REVISITED
Master Penman Harvest Crittenden, Instructor
Calligraphy Retreat 2025
May 18-23-2025
*** This workshop is now sold out. If you would like to be waitlisted, please email [email protected]. Occasionally people need to drop out and spots may open up! ***
While classes will be held separately, we will come together as a group for meals.
There will also be 3 evening programs held jointly.
Used primarily for resolutions, recognition certificates, and corporate scrolls, the practice of traditional Engrossing has become a lost art, with few opportunities for interested students to learn the vintage techniques of master penman from more than a century ago.
Through this workshop, the door to this learning opportunity will once again be open! Students will be taught various elements of this beautiful art -- see below section for details.
Previous experience in Engrossing is not required, but knowledge of basic calligraphy will be helpful.
These are just a few of the things that we will cover...
- Engrosser's text lettering
- The necessary elements of a certificate
- Lettering on a curve
- Layout and composition
- Developing acanthus leaf patterns
- Stippling, filigree, and cross-hatching
- Creating decorative Title Letters
- Gold leaf application
- Painting with gouache and watercolor
- Toning background areas with watercolor and pastels
- Designing useful and attractive borders
The Golden Age of Engrossing Revisited
With Harvest Crittenden
A five-day in-person workshop
$1,200.00
Register today with a non-refunable deposit payment of $250
Full balance will be due March 1, 2025.
This rate includes the workshop fees and meals for the 5 days. This rate does NOT include accommodation, which can be booked separately after registration. Please refer to the retreat page for more details.
About Harvest
HARVEST CRITTENDEN, IAMPETH Master Penman, has been a professional lettering artist for more than 40 years. Past owner of The Gold Leaf and founder of Acorn Arts, Harvest specializes in calligraphy, illumination, and engrossing. Harvest is a past winner of the Marjorie Pavelich Calligraphy Grant, and past president of The Michigan Association of Calligraphers. She has studied illumination and lettering in the United States and Italy and has served on the faculties of numerous regional, national and international conferences and offers workshops internationally. Harvest is the Director of Acorn Arts, a premier online school that has calligraphy classes with instructors and students worldwide.
Her work can be seen in museums, galleries and private collections throughout the United States and Europe. She has been published in numerous publications, including: American Artist, Pen World Magazine, Bound & Lettered, Somerset Magazine, Morphing Monograms, The Speedball Textbook and many others.
