Author Archives: raoulpat

About raoulpat

I got started as a calligrapher in 2009, and haven't put my pen down since. Some of the services that I provide are wedding calligraphy, quinceañera calligraphy, envelope addressing, place cards and transforming inspirational citations into framable artwork.

You are Fabulous

Posted on September 29, 2016 by raoulpat

Inspired by Rachel Yallop in her course Copperplate: A Different Look at the Swelling Line. This will be auctioned off at the Horizons Foundation’s annual gala.

Posted in Calligraphy, Copperplate, Pointed Pen, Quotes | Tagged Calligraphie, calligraphy, Calligraphy by Raoul, Copperplate, Dr. Martin's Bleedproof White, Gouache, Horizons Foundation, Pointed Pen, Quotes, Rachel Yallop, You are Fabulous | 11 Comments

They Were Gay (continued)

Posted on July 1, 2016 by raoulpat

As my final project for Chris McDonald’s Foundational class, which ended last April, I decided to do another take on Gertrude Stein’s famous quote from Miss Furr and Miss Skeene (1922). (See my earlier post They Were Gay). This one has a formal Humanist … Continue reading →

Posted in Calligraphy, Foundational, Illumination, Quotes | Tagged Calligraphie, calligraphy, Calligraphy by Raoul, Chris McDonald, Foundational, Gertrude Stein, Gold Leaf, Illumination, Miss Furr and Miss Skeene, They were gay, Watercolor | 4 Comments

I Would Die 4 U

Posted on May 28, 2016 by raoulpat

In homage to Prince, a great songwriter, musician and artist. From his 1984 album Purple Rain.

Posted in Calligraphy, Copperplate, Pointed Pen, Quotes | Tagged Calligraphie, calligraphy, Copperplate, I Would Die 4 U, Prince, Quotes | 6 Comments

Just Rewards

Posted on May 5, 2016 by raoulpat

Friends of Calligraphy asked me to write the names on the honorary certificates for their Annual General Meeting at the San Francisco Public Library on May 1st, 2016.

Posted in Calligraphy, Fraktur variation, Illumination | Tagged Awards, Calligraphy by Raoul, certificates, Fraktur, Friends of Calligraphy, Gold Leaf, Gouache, Illumination | 4 Comments

Joyeux Anniversaire, Alexis!

Posted on March 11, 2016 by raoulpat

Mon petit neveu, Alexis, fête ses quatre ans demain. Joyeux Anniversaire, Alexis! Pour voir le vidéo, veuillez cliquer sur l’image ci-dessous. My grandnephew, Alexis, is celebrating his fourth birthday tomorrow. Happy Birthday, Alexis! To view a short calligraphy video, please click … Continue reading →

Posted in Calligraphy, Copperplate, Pointed Pen, Video | Tagged Alexis, Anglaise, Birthday, Copperplate, Happy Birthday, Joyeux Anniversaire | 5 Comments

Blue Illuminated Letters

Posted on March 1, 2016 by raoulpat

Several weeks ago, I took Harvest Crittendon‘s Illuminated Initials class, and was so inspired that I created illuminated initials for several of my friends’ birthdays. Media: gouache, Finetec Inca gold and gold leaf on Arches hot press watercolor paper. I’m on … Continue reading →

Posted in Calligraphy, Illumination, Lombardic | Tagged calligraphy, Gold Leaf, Harvest Crittendon, Illuminated Initials, Illumination, Lombardic | 4 Comments

SF Opera Ball 2015

Posted on September 15, 2015 by raoulpat

Last Friday, I did the calligraphy on the place cards at the San Francisco Opera’s annual gala. A big thank you to Drew Altizer Photography (@drewaltizerphotography) for taking this video.

Posted in Calligraphy, Copperplate | Tagged calligraphy, Copperplate, Opera, Place Cards, SF Opera Ball 2015 | 4 Comments

They Were Gay

Posted on September 1, 2015 by raoulpat

This text is from Miss Furr and Miss Skeene, a short story by Gertrude Stein containing over 100 occurrences of the word gay. Many of Stein’s writings used repetition, or as she referred to it, “insistence”. Is it a portrait of … Continue reading →

Posted in Calligraphy, Pointed Pen | Tagged calligraphy, Gertrude Stein, Miss Furr and Miss Skeene, Pointed Pen, They were gay | 11 Comments

Kalligraphia XIV Copperplate Exemplars

Posted on August 25, 2015 by raoulpat

The Copperplate exemplars and guidesheet from my Kalligraphia demo are online at Kalligraphia XIV Copperplate Exemplars. This page contains links to downloadable PDF files. The Copperplate guidesheet is the same one that I used in my demo. Place it underneath your writing … Continue reading →

Posted in Copperplate | Tagged Copperplate demonstration, Copperplate exemplars, Copperplate guidesheet, Kalligraphia XIV | 2 Comments

On the Nature of Things

Posted on June 16, 2015 by raoulpat

While reading Stephen Greenblatt’s The Swerve, I became interested in Lucretius, the Roman philosopher and poet who authored De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things). This quote from his book expresses one of his principle beliefs: that it is useless … Continue reading →