Illuminated Borders: A Modern Take ONLINE WORKSHOP

HK$1,580.00

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Illuminated Borders: A Modern Take (online)
***Try this free Mini Taster Class here to get a feel for my course! This painting workshop provides a unique opportunity to explore modern techniques for creating border designs, inspired by historical medieval illuminated manuscripts. Tailored for beginners, participants will receive hands-on instruction in the artistic principles and methods behind these exquisite works.

Throughout the workshop, you will learn to paint and design intricate border decorations, botanical illustrations, illuminated letters and broad edge calligraphy, taking inspiration from the manuscripts housed in The New York Public Library's Rare Books and Manuscripts archive. No prior artistic experience is necessary, just a passion for history and a desire to create! Students of ALL levels are welcome!

[ Info ]
Language: English
Investment: HKD 1,580
10 hours of instruction + 4 months unlimited video recording replay from the date of purchase A recommended materials list with suggested suppliers will be provided after booking.

[ Course Cirrculum ] ***Try this free Mini Taster Class here to get a feel for my course!

• Brief History of Medieval Iluminated Manuscripts
• Lots of Watercolour Painting & Drawing Techniques

• Floral Painting, Motifs, Vines and Foliage
• Illuminated initials & Line Fillers
• Acanthus Leaves
• Textura Quadrata (broad edge calligraphy)
• Design Layout
• Projects Ideas with a Modern Approach

• Behind the scenes of my IAMPETH Certificate of Excellence in Illumination and Borders—from the very first rough sketches to the final gilded details!

[ What Happens After I Enroll? ]

Once I receive your registration, I’ll email you your login details for the Student Portal for this course (Do note the time difference with Hong Kong!) Inside the Student Portal, you’ll find everything in one place, including: Handout downloads, Zoom class links, video recordings, the supply list, and more.

[ Feedback from Students ]

"Your class was masterful, and I learned a great deal of valuable information. I now understand why your classes at IAMPETH are always full whenever I try to sign up.""I particularly wanted to mention that your handouts are very comprehensive and easy to follow. The painting class was good because you showed mistakes and how to deal with them. And Of course the proper way to paint with watercolor. I found it helpful to learn about the curved blade and sand eraser which I immediately ordered. Design portion gave me inspiration, I can do this!"

"Textura-Wow! I have taken a few of textura classes from very experienced calligraphers as it is my favorite style. What was a game changer for me was your method of counting for the quarata and lozenges. You gave excellent explanations for this text. The historical aspect of the manuscripts was detailed and delightful! Your particular choice of the manuscript was nicely aligned with your modern approach. The fact that you also made trips to the NY Public Library accessible to us was a surprise benefit. I had always thought it was only for the elite which of course you are! Every detail you shared was an inspiration! Your generous sharing of talents was genuine and motivationally challenging. I benefited so greatly from your classes!"

"I loved your enthusiasm for the subject. Thank you for sharing your experience and tips. Your work is spectacular!!!! I feel like I can do some of this with the class under my belt. Thank you for the screenshot of each illuminated letter. Very helpful. You are an excellent instructor and superior artist. I’m looking forward to upcoming chances to study with you. I’ll definitely post my practice/creations in the facebook group. Looking forward to seeing others.""Kalo, the work you put into the preparation for the workshop days and the handout was incredible! I've had the handout printed in colour and bound for future reference! I look forward to continuing to learn from you. Thank you for offering online workshops, and that time of day for the classes was perfect for me to attend live (unusual for most workshops offered online, as they are usually favour North American time or UK time – which is the middle of the night for me)!"

"This was an excellent class. Your teaching style is very clear and practical. I have taken many calligraphy classes online, and it can be frustrating when the instructor goes off screen a lot or isn't very comfortable with technology, and you were flawless. You also struck a perfect balance of being focused, professional and warm. I appreciated your grounding each lesson in history -- I think that gets left out of too many calligraphy courses and it's things we as calligraphers should know. I also appreciated how generous you were with your time (with sessions running long) and the extras you kept adding to the student portal. Now that I think of it, the handouts themselves were really well done as well -- easy to follow, packed with info and nicely laid out. I signed up for this class because I was blown away by the certificate you made Christen that was unveiled at the conference and have followed your IG posts where you shared your WIP as you completed the book you bought at the NYPL. I found both so inspiring, particularly the process you use to teach yourself new skills. As I watched your posts, for the first time ever I thought maybe illumination was something that wasn't too complicated for me to learn. And it turns out it wasn't! This was the perfect first step into illumination and I'm grateful that you broke it down in a way that made sense. And one last thing -- I was initially kind of disappointed that we were spending the last class on textura. I wanted to do more art and figured I could learn textura a different way, but your instruction really clicked for me (and I'm not even fully through that session yet so excited about what more I will learn). I was wrong about being skeptical and I'm truly happy you included it. Ok one more "last" thing I want to say is that I haver never gone anywhere near drawing acanthus leaves because they made my head hurt, and your instruction left me with such a sense of triumph! You made that so easy to understand. What I learned in that session alone made the course fully worth it to me. Thank you!"

[ Your instructor ] Kalo Chu is the first calligrapher in Hong Kong to receive IAMPETH’s Certificate of Excellence in Illumination and Border (included photos above). Kalo developed an interest in medieval illuminated manuscripts while studying European art history. In 2023, Kalo studied original works under the guidance of Master Penman Harvest Crittenden and Yves Letterme during the Illumination Saga in Michigan. In 2024, Kalo was commissioned to create a Royalty Manuscript for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, which is now housed in the Royal Family’s residence. Most recently, in 2025, Kalo designed the President’s Certificate as a gift for the president of IAMPETH — Kalo’s largest artistic commission to date.