Oct 22-25, 2026 | Calgary, AB
Eleanor Winters
COPPERPLATE VARIATIONS
(Class size 20 People)
You already know Copperplate.
Now it’s time to make it yours.
If you’ve ever finished a piece and thought, “What else can I do with this?” this workshop is your next step.
In this class, you’ll learn how to thoughtfully expand the rules of Copperplate while staying grounded in its essential structure.
You’ll play with scale, working both smaller and larger than “normal,” explore new proportions beyond the traditional 3:2:3, and broaden your alphabet without losing the elegance that makes Copperplate so compelling.
You’ll go well beyond the basic 26 letters, experimenting with a rich range of alternate letterforms, from beautifully restrained to more ornate variations, for both minuscules and capitals.
Most importantly, you’ll learn when and why to use these variations, so your writing gains texture, rhythm, and visual impact, not just decoration for decoration’s sake.
This is Copperplate that still feels classic, but looks confident, expressive, and unmistakably yours.
Elenaor Winters
COPPERPLATE VARIATIONS
Oct 23 & 24
COPPERPLATE LAYOUT & DESIGN
Oct 24 & 25
Copperplate Layout & Design: From Idea to Finished Artwork
(Class size 20 People)
Great Copperplate isn’t just about beautiful letterforms.
It’s about decisions.
In this two-day workshop, you’ll learn how to take Copperplate calligraphy from a blank page to a finished, intentional piece of artwork, using a clear, step-by-step approach to layout and design.
You’ll begin with a short text, learning how to analyze the words before you write them, so your choices around size, spacing, texture, color, and composition actually support the meaning. You’ll explore both traditional and more contemporary layouts, creating multiple designs and learning how to spot what works (and what doesn’t).
From there, you’ll move on to a longer text, applying practical rules and design principles that take the guesswork out of composing a piece.
You’ll learn when color elevates the work, when restraint is stronger, and how flourishing can enhance a piece, or quietly step aside when simplicity says more.
The goal throughout is elegant, expressive Copperplate paired with balanced, harmonious design, so your finished work feels confident, considered, and complete.
Experience with color and flourishing is helpful but not required. A solid working knowledge of Copperplate letterforms and the pointed pen is essential.
Elenaor Winters
COPPERPLATE VARIATIONS
Oct 23 & 24
COPPERPLATE LAYOUT & DESIGN
Oct 24 & 25
The Hand You’ll Learn From:
Eleanor Winters has been a leading voice in the international calligraphy world for more than four decades.
She is the author of six influential books, including the widely regarded Mastering Copperplate Calligraphy and Calligraphy for Kids, which have shaped the practice of generations of lettering artists.
Her most recent book, Paris / Auschwitz: Remembering the Children, features calligraphic paintings created in memory of the children of Paris murdered during the Holocaust. Works from this series have been exhibited internationally, including at the Anne Frank Center in New York, the Holocaust Memorial Center in Detroit, the Centre d’Art et Culture Juive in Paris, and the Jewish Museum of New Jersey.
Eleanor was Director of the Calligraphy Workshop in New York City for 25 years and a Professor of Art at Long Island University from 1990 to 2005.
Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries across the US, Europe, and Asia, and in 2025 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Brooklyn College (CUNY).
She lives and works between Brooklyn and Paris with her husband, fine artist Leendert van der Pool.
Best for:
Calligraphers who value elegance, discipline, and depth, and artists who want their lettering to feel polished, timeless, and deeply considered.