Litterae-box

11/01/2026

Two pages from my recently published book, PALIMPSEST. They illustrate several of my intentions in compling this collection.

1. Calligraphy is a broad concept. It encompasses legible text as well as abstract linework and everything in between.

2. I wanted to juxtapose pure black-and-white letterwork with calligraphy embedded in painterly tecniques.

3. The collection contains numerous examples of formal, gestural and drawn lettering.

4. The left page was created with traditional writing instruments, the right page with Procreate brushes. Whichever instrument you use, the design issues remain the same.

To order a copy of Palimpsest (67 pages, 25 €) simply go to www.yvesletermeletters.com and fill in the order form.

04/12/2024

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! In- person Calligraphy Retreat - May 18-23, 2025 in Holly, Michigan, USA

We are delighted to announce a calligraphy retreat with not one, but two classes to choose from!

One option is Capital Mood Swings. The keyword for this workshop is variety. The idea is to focus on all sorts of capitals, expand the horizon and explore new territory by switching tools, styles, layouts, sizes and colors and all this under my guidance and watchful eye.

The other option is The Golden Age of Engrossing Revisited. Students will be taking a deep dive into the certificates from the golden age of engrossing, as they design and letter their own certificates. IAMPETH Master Penman Harvest Crittenden will be your guide here.

For more information and registration, please go to the homepage of acornartsclasses.org

29/10/2024

The next month of April 2025, dates 3/4/5/6, I will be in Italy, precisely down south in Lecce, the outhouse of Italy baroque capital, with a very particular workshop named CAPITAL MOODSWINGS.

In this workshop prepare to be exposed to a wide range of capitals, tools, techniques and layouts as we swing between lettering, styles and moods. Get a taste of all the offerings, dig deeper in the styles you love most and take home a sample book plenty of fresh ideas.

The workshop will be held at LA FABBRICA DELLE PAROLE, in the historical building of Ex Convitto Palmieri, in the heart of the historic centre of Lecce.

Info and registrations:
Alessandro Fiorentino mail: [email protected] cell.3476484229 (WhatsApp)
The workshop is organised by the association Kounè-Linguaggi Comuni

03/10/2024

I'd like to thank everyone for the warm shower of BD congratulations I got from friends, colleagues and students far and near. I'm officially a senior citizen now, a fact that I celebrated with a visit to the KMSKA in Antwerp to see the old masters, some new masters and a special exhibit around the painter James Ensor. Determined to do this more often - we have such a rich heritage.

29/09/2024

SAVE THE DATE!! May 18 - 23, 2025 in Holly, Michigan USA

I was happily surprised by the heartwarming wave of enthusiasm following my previous post when I mentioned preparations for a class on nothing but capitals. Thank you!

And look, I may have some good news for you… I’m pleased to announce a calligraphy retreat next year in May at which I’ll teach that very topic for five days.

The key word in my Capital Moodswings workshop is variety. We will focus on capitals in all their variations as we switch writing instrument, style, size, color, design etc... Whatever level you find yourself at, your horizon will expand, your skill sharpen, your sense for layout refine.

But there’s more!
On this occasion I team up again with IAMPETH MP Harvest Crittenden. Harvest will take a deep dive with her students into the past and, more specifically, into the certificates of the Golden Age of Engrossing. They will design and execute their own certificate under her guidance.

You can’t have your cake and eat it too: participants will have to choose between these two totally different but equally tempting workshops.

Much more information will be forthcoming, but for now - SAVE THE DATE; May 18-23, 2025.

25/08/2024

Today, August 25th, my musical hero Elvis Costello turns 70. A daily companion for me for more than 40 years, his music never fails to touch me deeply and in various ways - he's simply the best.

Out of the wealth of his repertoire I cherry-picked 'Favourite Hour', the closing song of his 1994 album 'Brutal Youth' and gave the chorus a calligraphic treatment.

Please, do yourself a favor and give it a listen. It's such a beautiful melody and Elvis' performance and voice are outstanding. Not sure how to interpret the obscure imagery of the lyrics - it's about the su***de of a young man -, but that doesn't make the song any less mesmerizing. EC himself mentions this song as one of his best.

https://open.spotify.com/track/2PbklZXd1mtF8bvAb0XOTE?si=655d2ed526254a59

Happy Birthday, Maestro, and thank you so much! Here's to a long and productive life.

31/07/2024

Again, I tried out all sorts of things but at a given point I remembered the old advice 'less is more'. Though I don't hold this as an absolute truth, in this case I obeyed and I threw out all colors while a few special effects went down the drain as well. And yet, when finished, I couldn't resist adding one more striking color element. I wonder whether you would prefer the B&W version or the colored one.

This may be straying away from calligraphy such as we know it, but it does look powerful in a modern interior, no?

14/07/2024

Some Silly Sunday nonSensical Scribbles

01/07/2024

And just when you think you found a clever, 'catchy' title for your class, you realize it only takes a comma to have it boomeranged right in your face. 😁

Hard to express in words how much I enjoyed this conference. It was lovely to meet up with old and new friends and colleagues, to talk nerdly about pens and serifs, to get an idea of the full legacy of Father Catich, to guide students into your favorite corner of Calli-land, to sense that passion for letters wherever you found yourself on campus, and all this while you were being taken care of by people who provided you with just about everything you needed before you even felt the need.

Lisa, Kathy, Linda, Karen and the rest of the team, you are AWESOME beyond belief. You set up a conference with so much love and an incredible eye for detail. I can't thank you enough for this unforgettable experience.🙏🙏🙏

On the way back to the airport, I managed to gather two of my favorite calligraphers at my side for a photo against a backdrop that is hard to beat.
Fr. Catich was harder to engage in conversation, but eventually I found him willing to pose also.

17/06/2024

Met het oog op de A LA CARTE-sessies bij mij thuis heb ik mijn website aangepast en aangevuld met foto's en informatie om het mijn toekomstige deelnemers/deelneemsters zo duidelijk en gemakkelijk mogelijk te maken.

Deze link brengt je meteen naar de pagina waar ik het concept uitleg.
https://www.yvesletermeletters.com/a-la-carte-workshops.html

En deze link geeft je een overzicht van de onderwerpen waaruit je kan kiezen:
https://www.yvesletermeletters.com/lesonderwerpen.html
(Bij het aanklikken van een onderwerp krijg je telkens een paar foto's ter illustratie te zien)

Iedereen is welkom, beginners en gevorderden. Anne en ik doen er alles aan om het voor elkeen gezellig en interessant te maken.

Contacteer mij bij interesse - zo eenvoudig is het.

En alvast bedankt om dit te delen!

Met een select groepje lettervrienden een zelfgekozen workshop bij mij thuis volgen, hoe klinkt dat? Ik ben er na al het online geweld van de afgelopen jaren weer aan toe om ‘live’ aan de slag te...

08/06/2024

Four pages out of the forty page handouts that comes with my online class on the pointed brush or brushpen. Learn all about the sideways and upright position of the tool, the underpinning principles of proper gestural writing and its endless variations and so much more, and all this at your own pace.
Look for this class on:
Www.acornartsclassroom.org

14/05/2024

At the Roman Holiday Conference I’ll bring three (or four?) different lettering styles to the table, each with their manifold variations. These small and quickly executed caps are one of them. You won’t be bored, I can tell you. 😃