Courses

After 2,000 years, the geometric forms and rich symbolism of the Elder Futhark runes continue to influence our daily lives—from Bluetooth to modern magic. We will cover the history of Norse runes, including Elder and Younger Futhark, Anglo-Saxon runes, and the Ogham alphabet, learning their names, meanings, phonetic equivalents, structures, and importance in contemporary design. Elder Futhark easily engages the visual artist with its angular and straightforward construction and sense of coded mystery. This course will offer an opportunity to explore diverse calligraphy methods while focusing on Celtic, Germanic, and Scandinavian cultural history relevant today. The Bluetooth logo, for instance, is based on the runes for H and B, which form a bindrune referring to Harald Bluetooth, the 10th-century king who unified Norway and Denmark. Course activities include constructing the 24 symbols of Elder Futhark; designing runes as word, monogram, or repeated pattern; and creating simple to complex full-page layered designs. Individual hand-lettered design projects using ink, resist, and watercolor techniques, as well as a wide variety of pens and brushes, will guide the student to build gradually toward creating original artwork. This course is a unique opportunity to delve more deeply into ancient runes and how to use them, following basic design principles and a classic grid method that will help shape your artistic footprint in a fun, engaging, and inspiring way.