Barry Morentz:
Dramatic Lettering Workshops: Monograms, Dark Paper & Gold
(Class size 20 People)
Morphing Monograms 2 day
Monograms have always meant more than initials.
For centuries, they’ve signalled identity, status, and craftsmanship in just a few lines.
Barry Morentz shows you how to move beyond predictable monograms and into designs that feel layered, intentional, and visually compelling.
You’ll explore how letterforms can be deconstructed, reshaped, and woven together, allowing monograms to morph into elegant compositions with movement and depth.
This is not about following formulas.
It’s about learning how to think, see, and design with confidence.
Barry’s highly interactive teaching style means real-time feedback, thoughtful exploration, and hands-on guidance throughout the class.
You’ll leave with finished pieces, new techniques, and a fresh perspective on what monograms can become.
Best for:
• Calligraphers and lettering artists ready to push beyond standard monograms
• Designers who love structure, pattern, and visual problem-solving
• Anyone deeply obsessed with letterforms
Barry Morentz
Morphing Monograms
Oct 23 & 23
Dancing in the Night
The Romance of Writing on Dark Paper
Oct 24
Gold, Gold, and More Gold
Oct 25
Dancing in the Night: The Romance of Writing on Dark Paper
This is where lettering gets dressed for the evening.
Writing on dark paper with luminous color, white, and gold creates work that feels rich, confident, and quietly glamorous, when you know how to make it glow.
In this workshop, you will play with layered color, shimmering highlights, and painterly backgrounds that turn simple letterforms into something indulgent.
Think velvety blacks, jewel tones, metallic flickers, and the kind of contrast that makes your work feel intentional and elevated.
You will leave with techniques you can return to again and again, a sharper eye for color on dark grounds, and the confidence to create lettering that feels luxurious, expressive, and unmistakably yours.
(Class size 20 People)
Barry Morentz
Morphing Monograms
Oct 23 & 23
Dancing in the Night
The Romance of Writing on Dark Paper
Oct 24
Gold, Gold, and More Gold
Oct 25
Gold, Gold, and More Gold
(Class size 20 People)
Gold does something ink alone can’t.
It catches the light.
It stops the eye.
It turns ordinary lettering into something people keep.
This hands-on workshop is all about adding glow, shimmer, and richness to your calligraphy without making it complicated.
You’ll explore multiple ways to work with gold and metallic finishes, including six easy methods for applying gold leaf to both raised and flat surfaces.
Along the way, you’ll experiment with metallic powders, watercolours, gouache, pencils, and other luminous materials.
You’ll create a 32-square reference chart, testing each medium side by side, so you leave with a clear understanding of what works, how it behaves, and when to use it.
Ideal For:
Calligraphers curious about illumination
Lettering artists wanting to expand surface effects
Anyone who loves experimentation, texture, and shimmer
Classic gesso preparation is not included, as it requires more time than this workshop allows.
Barry Morentz
Morphing Monograms
Oct 23 & 23
Dancing in the Night
The Romance of Writing on Dark Paper
Oct 24
Gold, Gold, and More Gold
Oct 25
The Hand You’ll Learn From:
Barry Morentz works from his Manhattan studio creating calligraphic works, hand-made books, and lettered objects for institutions including The New York Public Library, The Museum of Modern Art, Cartier, and Columbia University. With a background in medieval history and decades of study under masters such as Sheila Waters and Gottfried Pott, his work is rooted in scholarship and alive with curiosity.
A gifted teacher and storyteller, Barry invites students to explore the emotional and visual power of letterforms, revealing layers of meaning that reward close attention and thoughtful making.
Best for:
Calligraphers who love history, illumination, and depth, students drawn to layered meaning in text, and artists who want their work to feel both intellectually rich and emotionally resonant.