A Nib and a Bottle of Ink, Ninety Minutes

The pointed nib moves differently from anything you write with now, and the first half of the session goes on pressure alone. Thick downstroke, hair-thin upstroke, repeated until your hand stops fighting it. Most beginners press too hard on the upstroke and split the nib. Drills come before letters, and letters come before words. A starter kit goes home with you. The practice continues at home past the table, with drills you can repeat in ten minute stretches.

Lyric Market runs as a downtown food hall with vendor stalls around a central bar, and the workshop sets up at a long table in the middle of it. Noise carries from the kitchens. Ink and a plate of tacos share the same table, which nobody minds. You can order between drills. The room stays bright through midday, which matters when you are watching a hairline stroke land. Stalls stay open throughout, and the table is yours for the full session.

The class runs from noon to half past one on Sunday, October 4, at 411 Smith Street in downtown Houston. A starter kit is included. Ink finds cuffs, and a dark sleeve is the safer choice. Downtown parking is easiest in the garages off Dallas Street, and the Green and Purple lines stop nearby. Anyone hoping to leave with a finished piece should treat this as the first of several sessions. Seats are limited to what the one table holds.