Simple Italic Writing

March 30, 2010

Ken... thank you for you most kind comments... something that I did not expect since I decided to to post my samples for I seemed to be constantly asking to see the work of others and especially your work... your comments were most kind indeed... although I don't feel I am up there with the likes of HDoug, Ann Finley, Italicist ... I am forever grabbing any images of their samples posted

I think I enjoy italic so much because of my previous architectural life where the "architects style" is somewhat similar to italic... but I still have a way to go to get a real spontaneity in it... or a least what I see as spontaneity... I love the look of a lot of Briem's handwriting... there are a couple of delightful ones on his site that I really enjoy

regarding the pointedness there are several of the 15th century master whose copybooks had a version of the pointed italic that saw a rise to prominence in the 1970's and 80's calligraphic boom years... Tagliente comes to mind, as his style, or at least one of them, was quiet pointed and another the name of whom escapes me at the moment

Jasper... good pick... it is great line and obviously coming very much from his Zen experience.. and thank you for your comment... when one looks at your own handwriting day in day out one looses any real notion of its worth

I don't dare to even think of how many lines of Briem's zigzags and endless drivel I have scrawled onto reams of paper... while watching the box or even so-so movies... a favourite is catching a phraze from some TV dialog and writing it... amazing how what ends up is a sort of Joycian style of poetic like prose or stream of consciousness... interesting really... maybe some unconscious linking going on there

Edited March 30, 2010 by TrevorML

March 30, 2010

regarding the pointedness there are several of the 15th century master whose copybooks had a version of the pointed italic that saw a rise to prominence in the 1970's and 80's calligraphic boom years... Tagliente comes to mind, as his style, or at least one of them, was quite pointed and another the name of whom escapes me at the moment

Trevor,

Prompted by your earlier reference, I looked out my copy of "Masters of the Italic Letter" and there is indeed greater variation in approach than I had remembered. I think that it depends which model you happen to be following. Certainly, there is great diversity and the 'rules' are much looser than I had implied.

I'm sorry if I inferred that this was an error on your part. I think that your handwriting is truly admirable and does, in fact, follow the examples by Tagliente, Palantino and others. Thanks for pointing this out.

I'm self-taught in Italic and my main period influence/inspiration was (and still is) the work of Bennardino Cataneo. Although cursive-Italic, the modern writing of Tom Gourdie is not dissimilar.

caliken

March 30, 2010

I'm sorry if I inferred that this was an error on your part.

not at all Ken... not at all... I very much saw it as it was intended, as a an astute observation from one whose work I greatly admire... and my comment was merely to point out a similarity between my humble handwriting and that of one I admire greatly

Cataneo is definitely on my list of favourites... as is Sanvito... and Bartholemew Doddington's work is just sublime

March 30, 2010

Tagliente comes to mind

March 31, 2010

Thanks for the kindly comments Jim... I do enjoy the study of the 16th century masters of the handwritten text... it still constantly amazes me that so long ago there was already a concern about the loss of good handwriting skills and the importance of practice even for those who were not professional scribes... it just goes to show that not a lot really changes over time

and then the master that is Leonard Cohen... a true master of the words... and, by the evidence of his words, a master in zen as well

zen and italic mean a lot to me... the momentary cessation of thought as the breath floats on every stroke... pure joy of the moment

Edited April 1, 2010 by TrevorML