Italic Handwriting Competition

[James Pickering]

http://www.jp29.org/cal199.jpg

 

As I am sure most of you know, I model my practical Italic writing hand on that of Bernardino Cataneo, a teaching master of Siena, Italy, circa 1545, whose minuscule letter forms I greatly admire. A number of years ago I purchased several first edition (1981) copies of

 

http://www.jp29.org/cal185.jpg

 

with the avowed aim of presenting them to outstanding students of mine and other worthy individuals with a passionate interest in beautiful and elegant Italic handwriting. That I have done over the years. I still have a few copies left and I think the time has come for me to dispose of them before it is too late. So here is what I propose to do here:

 

I will award two of these books (which are brand new in their original cellophane wrappers) at no cost to the individual members of FPN who post renditions in this thread that I judge to be the two that best exemplify beautiful and elegant Italic handwriting and the spirit of its execution. I am not interested in display calligraphy -- my own passion has always been for practical handwriting that can be used in everyday pursuits such as correspondence, journaling, notes and personal cards, etc. -- and so precise layout and decoration is not a consideration. I have no concern for cross-outs, corrections or insertions -- for they are inherent in practical handwriting -- as long as they are tastefully executed. Therefor you don't have to worry about post-mortem mistakes you discover in a rendition that you are sure you could never duplicate. Use your own style of Italic handwriting.

 

Here are the competition rules:

 

1. Renditions must be in the poster's own hand, scanned and displayed on this Board in this thread (see below).

 

2. I will host and post renditions for those who do not have access to a Web host -- send me an e-mail with the scan attached (see additional posting by Wim).

 

3. A fountain pen (no dip pens or reservoired quills/cane pens), black ink, and paper must be used (detailed as part of the submitted rendition).

 

4. Plain or base-lined paper must be used -- no graph or letter body guide paper allowed.

 

5. Rendition must be full page (or thereabouts) -- it is easy to render a few lines of writing -- much more difficult to render a page.

 

6. All renditions for consideration must be submitted by 15 October 2006 -- I will announce the winners here shortly after that date.

 

7. Winners will have to provide me with their shipping addresses via private e-mail.

 

http://www.jp29.org/cal23.jpg

Example of suggested submission -- layout and composition of rendition is at the discretion of the submitter, but it should be about this long

 

JP

Edited September 11, 2006 by James Pickering

[BobR]

Thank you for this--although my handwriting would never win anything. So good to see you posting again!

[Dawn]

You have the most beautiful handwriting James, I wish that I could write a fraction as well as you.

 

Dawn

[J. John Harvey]

I hope to be able to participate in this competition. But wouldn't you know, Michael's doesn't have Pelikan Script pens anymore, and I wanted to use one for this. I'll figure something out.

[a11en]

What a wonderfully kind gesture, James! May you get a ton of wonderful entries. I know it'll be wonderful to see everyone's submission.

 

Thanks for showing us your beautiful lettering and giving everyone the opportunity to win such a wonderful gift!

-Allen

[JimStrutton]

James,

 

So glad to see you posting again

 

My scribble would never make it so I won't insult you Just glad you are around again.

 

Keep it up with the flat cap and Whippet :ltcapd:

 

Jim (Softie Southerner) :bunny1:

[Ruaidhri]

James,

 

Lovely idea

 

I've been drooling at your writing for a long time and await the results eagerly.

 

Personally I wouldn't dare - and that is not false modesty, just self awareness

 

Good luck everyone.

 

R

[wimg]

Hi James,

 

This is a very nice gesture!

 

If I may, I would like to suggest to make the competition run a little longer, let's say until the end of September or middle October. I'll ask our moderators to pin this topic as well, to promote visibility of this competition..

 

 

To all our members:

 

If anybody has any questions regarding attaching a scan or picture to a post, please do ask here, preferably a separate thread, and we'll explain.

 

 

James, thanks again!

 

Warm regards, Wim

[James Pickering]

Hello, Wim - you wrote:

 

.......... I would like to suggest to make the competition run a little longer, let's say until the end of September or middle October ...........

 

Yes, of course, Wim -- until 15 October -- I will edit my original posting to reflect this.

 

James

[wimg]

Hello, Wim - you wrote:

 

.......... I would like to suggest to make the competition run a little longer, let's say until the end of September or middle October ...........

 

Yes, of course, Wim -- until 15 October -- I will edit my original posting to reflect this.

 

James

Thank you very kindly, James!

 

That way a few more of our members may be able to take part!

 

And thanks again once more for sharing your excellent exemplars! They're always a great sight to behold!

 

Warmest regards, Wim

[Stumpy]

James, it is very nice of you to host this competition. Thank you.

 

I will email you something in a few days, as soon as I can get a page scanned.

[sonia_simone]

My italic is not very good, but I want to play. This is a lovely idea, thank you James, and thank you also for the wonderful inspiration.

[wimg]

James, it is very nice of you to host this competition. Thank you. 

 

I will email you something in a few days, as soon as I can get a page scanned.

Hi Stumpy,

 

Please post your scan here, if you don't mind.... If you need help, I'm only a PM, email or post away...

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Warm regards, Wim

[James Pickering]

James, it is very nice of you to host this competition. Thank you. 

 

I will email you something in a few days, as soon as I can get a page scanned.

Hi Stumpy,

 

Please post your scan here, if you don't mind.... If you need help, I'm only a PM, email or post away...

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Warm regards, Wim

Stumpy:

 

Wim's idea is best -- if you, or anyone else, did send a rendition to me as an e-mail attachment, I would load it on to my server and post it here in your name. However, please do follow Wim's guidance.

 

James

[Stumpy]

OK - will do, and thanks!

[yiterp]

i want to enter the contest but haven't got a scanner--is their anyone i could fax my sample to and scan and post it for me?

[James Pickering]

Bernardino Cataneo was Writing Master (maestro di scrivere) at the University of Siena, Italy, c. 1544-1560. The only known surviving exemplars of his writing are twenty vellum leaves bound in a manuscript copybook, dated 4 February 1545, which is dedicated to Edward Raleigh, an Englishman (Signor Odoardo Ralyg Gentilhuomo) and which has been published in facsimile with introductory and explanatory notes by Stephen Harvard.

 

Here is the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America web page relating to this book that I am awarding as prizes in this competition -- includes an illustration of the book cover. Stephen Harvard -- An Italic Copybook. The Cataneo Manuscript:

 

http://search.abaa.org/dbp2/detail.php?booknr=279090274

 

Stephen Harvard was an outstanding calligrapher, illustrator, book designer, stonecutter and letter type designer. The following web pages contain biographical information relating to this remarkable craftsman and researcher:

 

The American Printing History Association Stephen Harvard Memorial Publications Fund:

http://www.printinghistory.org/htm/misc/pubfund.html

 

The Leab Awards:

http://www.rbms.info/committees/exhibition...rs/reg/021.html

Edited September 11, 2006 by James Pickering

[wimg]

i want to enter the contest but haven't got a scanner--is their anyone i could fax my sample to and scan and post it for me?

Hi yiterp,

 

Can you fax to an email address? That way you have a scanned exemplar straight away, I mean, provided you fax it to yourself.

 

Alternatively, I'll check if my fax connection is still working, as I haven't used in a very long time. I'll let you know b/c. May take a little time, as I am bedridden right now, just give me a few days.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[sonia_simone]

I am practicing a bit to improve some of my bad habits, and I suspect others are as well, so James, I hope you won't take the quiet here as a sign of lack of interest.

[James Pickering]

Sent to me by yiterp -- scanned and posted as his submission per his request.

 

JP

 

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