About

I am a calligrapher and digital artist with a B.F.A. in Printmaking and an M.F.A. in Intermedia (Digital Art).

The majority of my calligraphy work is in the form of Illuminated Manuscripts incorporating calligraphy, painting and gilding using medieval-style materials and techniques.

This includes grinding my own pigments from Lapis Lazuli, Malachite and Azurite and using commercially available dry pigments with traditional egg tempera painting. My preferred support material is genuine vellum although some of my commissioned work is on hot-pressed watercolour paper.

I use a variety of gilding techniques including shell gold, patent and raised gesso gilding with gold, platinum and silver leaf. My article on “Raised Gesso Gilding” is available at Natural Pigments (originally published in the Sacred Art Journal, Volume 13 Number 3 September 1992, pages 113-119.)

“Legends”, A. Lucas 1990 (Title Page): Example of Raised Gesso Gilding and Patent Gold

I have taught calligraphy, illuminating and painting for about 10 years through community colleges, artist workshops and have lectured on the materials and techniques of illuminated manuscripts.

“The Tower”, A. Lucas 1990: Dry Pigments, Ink, Gold on Vellum

Zoomorphic Letter “T”, A. Lucas 2009: Pen & Ink

33 Comments »

33 Responses

on March 30, 2009 at 12:22 am | Reply knowledgetoday

I love your site. Keep it up !
on August 2, 2009 at 6:55 pm | Reply Virginia

I also love your site. It has so much information and techinque that I will be coming back over and over again.

Thank you for your dedication and for your fine work.
on April 20, 2010 at 10:18 am | Reply Elizabeth

Thanks so much for your good work. It’s a great website and has been very inspiring!
on December 11, 2010 at 7:23 pm | Reply Eileen

Thanks for sharing your expertise! I’ve just started to delve into it but already love it. I’ll be back for more!
on June 24, 2011 at 5:09 am | Reply Jay

Wonderful Site. Keep it up, by far the most helpful site/blog I’ve come across for beginners in calligraphy.
on July 22, 2011 at 12:37 pm | Reply Judy Sproles

I am looking for the N series nibs to purchase. Can you be of any help?
- on July 22, 2011 at 3:52 pm | Reply wolfgangcat
  
  I can think of a couple of “N” series nibs in different brands – not sure which brand you are looking for to purchase.
  
  John Neal Bookseller has a very large selection of nibs – you might find what you need there.
- on January 6, 2012 at 11:46 am | Reply Shari
  
  I agree – John Neal is a wonderful resource…..I just made my first purchase of Copperplate supplies (including a dozen new nibs) from them and am completely delighted! The delivery came far ahead of schedule, and everything I ordered was in the box. You should give them a look 🙂
on August 19, 2012 at 4:22 am | Reply Jim

This blog is the best source “of how to do it” information for illumination that I have found anywhere. I own many books on the subject but despite their beauty and cost they do not provide the instruction I need to learn new techniques. You are a great teacher. My compliments and thanks to you.
on January 16, 2014 at 4:06 am | Reply Norman Sidey

Hi Thanks great great website, I am a new would be calligrapher (inky fingers and all) and find the information so helpful. I will be a frequent visitor hopefully gain enough info and tips to realise my ambition of learning calligraphy, at the age of 67. Normski
on March 15, 2014 at 3:56 pm | Reply Aquila

I’m pleased to have found your blog. I expect to learn a few new tricks and techniques.
on March 27, 2014 at 1:13 pm | Reply venita

Calligraphy was a dream in my school days and as I was searching for tips on how to start with, your blog helped me a lot with useful info. Thank you so much for this wonderful site.
on June 6, 2014 at 2:41 pm | Reply Ailyn

Hi!
I’m so glad I found your site!!!!!! I love the way you explain things!!!! I’m new to lots of these things. All I know I’ve learned through books and practice I wish I had go to school for it!!! I’m always looking to learn new techniques and people like you are sooo inspiring!!!
Today I’m searching the web because I got a job that requires to have the art/writing done in pieces of paper with the following dimensions and I’m not sure yet where to get it. I’ve been using regular size pad paper for previous jobs but this is going to be engrave in either glass/acrylic with a much larger scale and I wanna make sure the paper I get will be easy to write on it!
12″ H x 20″W
18″ H x 31″W
12″ H x 15″W
18H x 22″W
I’m going to email a person at John Neal Bookseller which is usually where I get my supplies but do you have any suggestions? I would REALLY appreciate it!!! Thanks
on July 22, 2014 at 11:44 am | Reply Ilene Lollis

Thanks for sharing. So much information. Explained so well.
on September 18, 2014 at 5:59 am | Reply Gail

Just beginning to learn calligraphy with a keen interest in doing some raised illumination work. So happy to have found this site. Wonderfully informative. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and expertise!
on February 27, 2015 at 9:15 pm | Reply sshaieen

Your site is wonderful! Thanks for all the tutorials you shared. More power! 🙂
on July 31, 2015 at 2:45 pm | Reply Rebecca

How would I contact you to request permission to use an image on this blog that I like?
- on August 1, 2015 at 9:50 pm | Reply wolfgangcat
  
  Depends on the image and how it’s used.
on August 3, 2015 at 6:23 pm | Reply DianeY

Thank you for the nice clear explanations. I have a couple beginner questions:
1. What is the little circular indentations on top of some of the nibs? I notice when I load a nib like that with watercolor, it writes longer than ones without. However with the reservoir installed on top, the circular indent isn’t visible when am buying it and I don’t know what I am asking for.
2. No one told me about the oil coating until your site and I think I ruined the entire set I bought by soaking them overnight in water. Why don’t they put a little note in explaining you have to wash them?
3. I think gouache works better than transparent watercolor. Has that been your experience? Do you have any brand recommendations?
on August 9, 2015 at 5:48 pm | Reply Christina

I just want to say thank you so much for your advice and information on calligraphy! I found your site several years ago and I still come back to it for tutorials and recommendations. You have certainly helped jumpstart my interest in this wonderful art.
- on August 9, 2015 at 10:50 pm | Reply wolfgangcat
  
  Glad it was helpful!
on August 11, 2015 at 10:36 pm | Reply gina kelly

love yr site. would like to no the cost of a basic kit to get started. How do I pay for it and can it be couriered to me. Thanks alot, Gina.
- on August 12, 2015 at 8:04 am | Reply wolfgangcat
  
  I don’t sell supplies. You can find sets on-line or at a local craft or art supply store.
on March 23, 2016 at 3:15 am | Reply zerocreativity0

One of the best blogs on Calligraphy with much details on supplies and techniques. Thanks for sharing!
on July 21, 2016 at 9:31 am | Reply aasheeshpittie

Thank you for this smashing resource. Just the thing for a beginner like me!
on September 29, 2017 at 7:18 am | Reply hbs1991

I am curious, what ever happened to your blog, the last post was 2 years ago, I have found your post wonderfully informative. I work in many art forms, basketry and chair caning I did for over 25 years. Now without proper space to do either, I have had to re-invent myself, having “played”with watercolors since the mid 70’s, I have found that watercolor and calligraphy work very well within the limits of the space in which I have to work.

Though, a lot of people do watercolor, I needed to find a Niche, that would make mine unique to me and customers, enter Calligraphy, in this wonderful era of computer technology, where learning is made much easier, it also is the downfall of artistry, especially in the written form, which I sincerely believe as time goes on, the art of Calligraphy forms will be more important and viewed more as “ART” sure it can be replicated to some point in photoshop etc. but the real “ART” is done in person by hand. Thusly, my marriage of watercolor and calligraphy.

I have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy reading your blog post. I am so glad I found you! Thanks. 🙂
- on October 3, 2017 at 7:49 am | Reply wolfgangcat
  
  Nothing happened…just a full time job so time is limited and blog posts like these take a huge time investment. I’ve got a few on the go so I work on them when I can but real job gets priority because although I’d rather work on my calligraphy blog it doesn’t pay lol.
  Watercolor and calligraphy go great together! Good luck with your art!
on February 24, 2018 at 11:26 am | Reply Joe

My first visit to your site and I have learned much in a short time. Thanks for making this information available.
on December 25, 2018 at 4:13 pm | Reply Alma

Im so happy i found your blog. You’re inspiring, and you taught me what 2 books couldn’t, how i wished you could continue this blog eventually. Thanks!
on July 19, 2019 at 1:28 pm | Reply Althea Joseph

Just got myself a dip pen set and inks. So glad I found your blog on nibs and reservoirs when starting. Thanks for the help. A few more items to get before I start.
- on July 21, 2019 at 12:10 am | Reply wolfgangcat
  
  Calligraphy is a lot of fun – good luck!
on February 24, 2022 at 5:12 pm | Reply LORELEI M OCONNOR

I have been trying to find out if acrylic paint can be substituted for gauche when painting an illuminated manuscript.
- on March 10, 2022 at 12:10 pm | Reply wolfgangcat
  
  Yes if you use the proper support for it. I would avoid acrylics on genuine vellum but any surface you can prep for acrylics or paper should be fine. Doing a small test on the surface you wish to paint would be helpful if you’re not sure.