Denise Lach

This book is probably perfect for curing the illness known to writers as ‘writers’ block’. There is more than likely a similar problem suffered by calligraphers, which may go under the same name. It is that painful situation where you just sit and stare at a blank sheet of paper, and haven’t a clue where to begin, or even what to begin. The advanced form of this illness is when you know what you want to do, but can’t think of a suitable layout, and simply end up with the waste paper basket surrounded by A4 pages (hopefully layout paper), thrown in disgust in that direction, each with a few unsatisfactory pen marks.

Now, this is where a book such as this comes in very useful. The book is not just another book to help to learn the basic skills of calligraphy; it is more an invitation to play with written letterforms. Surfaces are filled with lines, but in a deliberate rather than in a random manner. The book is a rich treasure trove of ideas. One aspect of this is the choice of writing or drawing instruments: nibs, brushes, ruling pens, cola pens, and pipettes are just a few possibilities.

One of the main emphases is on texture, a word deriving from the Latin textere, ‘to weave’ and weaving of images and materials is well represented, producing a variety of ideas for work, to block that ‘calligrapher’s block’.

The price of £19.95, is in my opinion, expensive, but it’s almost certain to be available on the internet at a far reduced price. If you don’t want to buy it, then there’s always your local library!… (más)

There is ornamental calligraphy, which is basically using calligraphy to write something beautifully, and then there's calligraphy as an art form, but it would take too many words to define what can be instantly recognized in Denise Lach's masterpiece. Libres et Egaux is in French and unfortunately untranslatable, but I just had to bring it to the attention of another part of the public.

The title means "free and equal", because this is a calligraphied rendition of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: one article, one composition. But it is not about spelling out each article beautifully, which would merely look nice at first and quickly get old. Using a wide array of styles and techniques (tools and materials are revealed at the end of the book), the artist managed to express the contents of each article with nothing but the written word and (sometimes) an abstract use of color. Often the word can no longer be read, becoming pure expression: the 50 compositions are as many exemples, for the amateur calligrapher, of how to break out of conventional calligraphy. It is also evident she has studied and absorbed the essence of other traditions, noteably from the Far and Middle East, to enrich her own. Flipping through leaves me with the impression I have just seen the voices (oxymoron intended) of many people from many parts of the world – how appropriate, given the subject!

Considering its price and language, the book is probably only accessible to a small niche of avid calligraphers or calligraphy lovers. Alas!… (más)