VICTORIA KIBILDIS
Penwoman, Educator, Optimist
ABOUT ME
Hi and Welcome! I'm Victoria and my fondness for script lettering began one summer day when visiting my first annual international calligraphy conference in 1995. I can still see some of those images today. Being in that environment and seeing the amazing art of talented calligraphers made me want to learn all I could, as quickly as I could. I have to confess, the "quickly" part took a whole lot longer!
In the above images, I was a complete beginner, teaching myself from the Zanerian Manual, using a very sharp Gillotte 303 nib, which is a perennial favorite, and a red pencil that I still use when reviewing student work today. Time went by, I was not getting any better, and knew I needed a teacher who could teach me what I couldn't see for myself. There comes a point in our progress where it is in our best interests that we connect with someone more skilled than we are, if we want beautiful results. And that's what my teacher, master lettering artist Jean Larcher said to us, "It must be beautiful." And that is exactly what want to help you obtain for yourself.
For over 10 years, I have been teaching traditional Copperplate to students of various ages, the youngest being 10 yrs. old, either privately or as courses in academic settings. Every student is different, but some things remain constant. The excitement of the first day in class, the hesitancy when first writing with their new pen, and the excitement shown on their faces when they are successful. It is from those moments, filled with anticipation, that we move on to the work to be done.
A solid foundation in the basics of traditional Copperplate lettering is necessary, if we are to understand how the elements of structure, space, contrast, harmony, and curvature must work together to give us the beautiful results we desire. And so, the "dance of the pen" begins.
"All the letters are in the bottle of ink, waiting for you to pull them out."
Prof. Hermann Zapf, Keynote Speaker, St. Mary's College, MD. 1995.
