Estie-inspired retro script: first look

[BillTheEditor]

A lot of people want to improve their handwriting (me too). A lot of people buy flexible nibs for their fountain pens, thinking they will be able to learn how to do Copperplate calligraphy with them in a couple of weekends. In either case, they get disappointed quickly and give up.

 

Looking at the Esterbrook nib chart (you can find one on Richard Binder's site), there are three nibs shown with a line that says "Shaded writng" in a gorgeous, script written with a flexible nib. Two of the samples slant to the right, and one is vertical or has a slight back slant to it. The nibs are the 2048, the 9048, and the 9788. As it happens, one of my Esterbrook pens is fitted with a 9788.

 

That "Shaded writing" looked so simple, and yet so elegant that I decided to put in a little time developing a complete alphabet and numbers with the same "look." I've developed this to the point where I feel comfortable in showing it to you (see the image below). This is a Work in Progress, so as I improve the style of the letters (especially the large, or capital letters) and develop the numbers, I'll post updates here. Eventually I hope to put together a tutorial, although this is going to be such a simple script that anyone can probably pick it up without much help from me.

 

My objectives are to have this turn out to be a retro-styled script that can actually be written rapidly as a running cursive (not as laborious lettering, like Copperplate), to make use of the flex in the flexible nib so that the letters contain natural hairlines and swells, and to make the style compatible with mature adults, not children in primary school. This will be a script that you can use in a business setting and not feel awkward about it. It will be easy to learn, and will work with any modern flexible nib, such as the Esterbrooks named above or a DaniTrio flexible fine nib.

 

This "first draft" is more vertical rather than right-slanting. It was written out with my 9788 nib in a gray Esterbrook SJ, and Noodler's Eternal Brown ink, in a Moleskine Volant notebook. The color in the scan has not been corrected -- if you want to know what Eternal Brown looks like, there are a number of samples available here with a good color match.

Edited July 28, 2006 by BillTheEditor

[Judybug]

I like your retro-styled script! I have two Esterbrook desk sets and my husband has one. [i think it's only natural that I should have twice as many pens as he has. ] They all have 2668 nibs. If I wanted one of the "shading" nibs you mention, can I change it myself or should it be done by a professional? I've never even tried to remove one of these nibs.

 

Judybug

[BillTheEditor]

I have two Esterbrook desk sets and my husband has one.  [i think it's only natural that I should have twice as many pens as he has.  ]  They all have 2668 nibs.  If I wanted one of the "shading" nibs you mention, can I change it myself or should it be done by a professional?  I've never even tried to remove one of these nibs.

Esterbrook nibs are really easy to change, and in fact they were designed to be changed by the owner -- no professional help required!

 

Unscrew the old nib, and screw the new one in. (I would recommend emptying the ink from the pen and flushing with water first, though.) If you have an ear syringe that you use for flushing pens, use it to flush the ink out of the nib you have removed, then pat the nib dry with a paper towel and put it away where it won't get lost. When you screw the new nib into the pen, you don't have to get it supertight, just turn it in until it stops.

 

The three nibs I listed seem to be a little less common. Richard Binder may be able to help, and you sometimes see them on eBay.

 

Thanks for the nice words about the script. The design isn't quite finished. I'm not happy with the "p" or the "g" (which needs an alternate lower loop for when the g is at the end of a word), and the "f" is giving me some fits in deciding exactly how it should look. The capital letters are the next challenge. I think I've basically got the idea for all of them, but there are some style and speed issues to sort out. The proportion between the caps and the small letters, and the spacing, are all things I need to figure out. When the small letters are too nearly the same height as the caps, it slows down the speed you can write and it makes the script look sort of childish and not business-like or mature at all. On the other hand, when the small letters are too small, legibility suffers. But I'm working on it! :bonk:

Edited July 28, 2006 by BillTheEditor

[wdyasq]

Judybug,

 

If the nib doesn't come free fairly easy try a short hot water soak on the nib and section only. The Esterbrooks I have that had hard to remove nibs came out that way. I have 1555, 2048, 2788, 9048, 9550, 9668 and 9968 nibs. All have been eBay rescues. Some are nibs from pens that died.

 

None of the nibs are really that flexible IMO. As I have several of some of the harder nibs I plan on trying to make one of these flexible. Well, at elast as flexible as the old Sheaffer's that seem more flexible.

 

Ron'

[sonia_simone]

I have a 9048 and I like it a lot, although it is not so flexy as my vintage Moore or my two modified moderns. But it's a nice writing pen.

 

I don't have the courage to put the muscle into a pen to get really good line variation. I do get some nice subtle variation with my Falcon, and the Moore also gives me some nice curves.

 

Cool project Bill! I like the look of that hand a lot.

 

Sorta OT, I've found that using a line guide with an additional line to show where the "waist" of the letters goes has really helped my penmanship.

[Ann Finley]

Neat, Bill! Maybe it could be called Retro Script 9788 .

 

Best, Ann

[Margana]

Wow! Creating a new style is such a neat thing to do. The shading is beautiful. Prompted me to load an Estie but it'll take a whole lot of practice before I post a sample. <_<

[HDoug]

Very cool. I'd love to see something you've written using that cursive as you develop it.

 

Doug

[rosey]

BillTheEditor Posted on Jul 28 2006, 12:48 AM

Eventually I hope to put together a tutorial, although this is going to be such a simple script that anyone can probably pick it up without much help from me.

 

I would love to see a tutorial for this script. I'm very interested in learning how to write this way. I print everything and I would love to learn an easy cursive script.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing more posts on this subject!