Practising Carolingian Script...

[zaga]

Pe2dave,

 

And indeed, if I Google, I see the Carolingian script sloped only in modern variants. I looked for manuscripts of that script as it’s learned today in the courses on calligraphy – sloped. I also joined one of those short calligraphic courses, and the lady who was teaching us said, that Carolingian script should be written in the angle of 30 degrees. I really don’t know why, when in old manuscripts the script is straight. :hmm1:

Here I dive you one example from the leaflet of the one of those calligraphic workshop.

Carolingian script is the seventh on the picture,

Edited November 2, 2010 by zaga

[zaga]

Here how we are learned Carolingian script on the course. Please, disregard the inexpert performance – it’s my naïve execution, but the letters should be something alike.

Edited November 2, 2010 by zaga

[zaga]

And here I tried to make some small variation. It’s a pretty inconsistent, but I do try to make it better.

[zaga]

And, finally, this is an example of the Carolingian script I found today on the web. I would say it’s a very original example and very original sort of playing with the script. Don’t know for you, but I like it a lot.

[pe2dave]

And, finally, this is an example of the Carolingian script I found today on the web. I would say it's a very original example and very original sort of playing with the script. Don't know for you, but I like it a lot.

 

I agree, it does look very nice.

I think you've hit it on the head though. Of the 30 or 40 examples I've seen from 800-1200, none have been

italic. Perhaps it is just applying modern designs to an older script.

 

 

Dave

[Fuddlestack]

...

Daisy,

 

Yes, now I write this way.

In the fact, it is not hard or completely different from the usual manner of writing. A letter is still composed of a one or several strokes in a different direction and their shapes which are always in some relations with each other. In a matter of fact, everything is about trying to repeat a given shape. So in eyes of a performer letter is decomposed in a series of abstract lines and if we succeed to forget that particular sign we know, then its upside-down performance is not so different than the regular one.

 

Somewhere recently I saw a clip that said that this was the way to forge a signature: you turn the original upside-down or even face-down if you can read through the paper, and then the meaning of the writing dissolves and only the forms are left; and they are much easier to copy. You then ink the reverse side of your copy and trace it through onto the document you want to forge.

 

I should think this is much easier when people use ball-points or rollers to sign with - another reason to use a pen and ink.

[Chevalier]

But pen and ink often bears the danger, that someone might apply your very own signature to the forged document.

[Vargouille]

Beautiful handwriting, but one little grudge. From my studies in AP World History, one new pet peeve is people stating that Charlemagne is part of the Holy Roman Empire when he is not. Charlemagne is an emperor of the Carolingian empire, and the Holy Roman Empire started in 962 when Pope John XII named Otto I of Saxony the emperor of what would be later called the Holy Roman Empire. Just a little history lesson.

[pe2dave]

I said I've never seen Carolingian, with a slope?

I stand corrected.

 

'Writing and illuminating and lettering' E Johnston, P8, quotes

from British Museum, Harl MS 2790, from first half C9,

shows a 'gently' sloping script marked as Carolingean.

 

 

Dave

[Bloch]

I don't know if you are familiar with John Neal, Bookseller, but he has a wonderful site devoted to calligraphy and book arts and the sale of books and supplies for them.

Here's a link:

http://www.johnnealbooks.com/

Or you could just Google John Neal, Bookseller.

It's a relatively small company, but the folks who run it are very nice.

Julie

[bernardo]

Hello,

 

I've been practising a few different italic styles of writing to get to know my pens better! This is a sample of a quotation I found from an appropriate period involving 'Carolus Magnus' himself, Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne.

 

Cited courtesy of:

 

John Foxe. Acts and Monuments […] (1576 edition), [online]. (hriOnline, Sheffield). Available from: http://www.hrionline.shef.ac.uk/foxe/. [Accessed: 21st September 2010]

 

Written using a Parker 61 with black Quink and a Parker 45 with red Quink. Both have gold stub nibs.

 

Any comments gratefully received!

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Mark

 

Impressive. I'd like to learn how to write like that!

[Achim]

And, finally, this is an example of the Carolingian script I found today on the web. I would say it’s a very original example and very original sort of playing with the script. Don’t know for you, but I like it a lot.

 

The page is from the David Harris' encyclopedia, available in different languages (mine is in German). Highly recommended.

[scribere]

As a medievalist who deals with medieval scripts that are too dang small, ill-formed, or just downright illiterate gibberish (too many to count ><), I can tell you guys that Carolingian is one of the better scripts. If you master it, you've effectively mastered what was the Times New Roman of its day. Carolingian became the standard in the Carolingian empire, particularly during the Carolingian Renaissance (12th century).

 

Dave, you're right - it can be italicised ever so slightly, Carolingian. Very few medieval scripts were italicised - just too much work and it took up too much room.

 

Also, if anyone else's interested in dealing with genuine medieval scripts and perhaps copying them, this is a great site: http://medievalwriting.50megs.com/scripts/scrindex.htm#topoflist

 

(A note for those of you who look at the site. You'll see a lot of odd squiggles, etc. in the examples from medieval manuscripts. Disregard those entirely, as they're scribal abbreviations that were employed to abbreviate Latin words heavily to save on ink and space.)

[Ghost Plane]

I consider it a sign of my singularly misspent youth that I recognized the Bede :embarrassed_smile:

[scribere]

I consider it a sign of my singularly misspent youth that I recognized the Bede :embarrassed_smile:

 

Ahahahah - awesome! I always thank my lucky stars that I never had to read Bede's Ecclesiastical History in the original Latin script - I'd have shot myself.

 

Did have to read about 10,000 manorial accounts for one major project, though. I can tell you that THAT script was designed by the Devil himself. ><