Learning Copperplate...

[smk]

We have all been practicing fairly regularly and I believe have been making rapid progress too. I think its time to put our newfound skills to some use.

 

How about we all participate in a little project every couple of weeks or so? One of us can propose something and we can all participate and upload our attempts. Others can provide feedback and critique and we'll all have fun in the process. I think it'll be fun, what do you say?

 

I'll take the liberty of posting the first one. In lesson 6 of Baird's lessons, he asks the students to write up a cheque template. I think it'll be a swell project for us to try out. Here's the link: Baird Page 6.

 

I haven't learned the majuscules yet but I'll give it a try.

 

So - are you interested?

 

Salman

[fuchsiaprincess]

Hi Salman,

 

You read my mind! I was wondering what to do with my Copperplate, now that I've covered all the lessons So, yes, I'm in!

 

Warm regards,

Soki

[fuchsiaprincess]

PS - do we write it free-hand without the help of a grid?

[Achim]

I'm in - don't know when I'll have the time for it bit hopefully sometime this week.

But I don't think Copperplate or Spencerian was ever written without guidelines - it's virtually impossible to write a line like "The Ohio Trust Company" perfectly straight without guides.

[smk]

Hi Salman,

 

You read my mind! I was wondering what to do with my Copperplate, now that I've covered all the lessons So, yes, I'm in!

 

Warm regards,

Soki

 

Cool - lets have some fun with it now. I haven't done any of the majuscules but I think it'll be fun pushing my limits on this little project.

 

PS - do we write it free-hand without the help of a grid?

 

I'm with Achim on this.

 

Here's a horizontally laid grid at 6mm that might be useful: CuPl8-6mm-55deg-grey-H.pdf

 

It'll take me a day or two to practice the majuscules used in this example.

 

Salman

[fuchsiaprincess]

Fantastic! I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to use a grid. I would have been weaving all over the page

 

Thank you very much for the grid, Salman!

 

Warmest regards,

Soki

[caliken]

How about we all participate in a little project every couple of weeks or so?

 

I haven't learned the majuscules yet but I'll give it a try.

 

Salman

This is a great idea, Salman, and I'd love to participate, but for the time being, all my spare time is taken up with my book.

Co-incidentally, I'm working on majuscules, as we speak!

 

Ken

[Ghost Plane]

Can't wait to see.

[smk]

 

Co-incidentally, I'm working on majuscules, as we speak!

 

Ken

 

Oh how I wish I had your instructions for learning majuscules.

 

S.

[Wickwack]

Great idea! I've been searching for a good poem/saying to letter for this topic. I'm still working on majuscules myself! Thanks for the grid too!

[Bierce]

Here's my latest attempted ripoff of Ken's magnificent work, complete with missing words.

 

 

I'm left handed, and using a Speedball plastic oblique, gingerly custom-crafted *cough* with a candle and two pairs of vice grips for that perfect attack angle. After a while, I get seasick from writing upside down. Flourishes are a whole 'nother thrill ride I'm still muddling through.

 

Sorry for replying that late - but congrats anyway - this is very accomplished work, even for a lefty :clap1: . How long are you studying and exercising Copperplate?

 

Thanks Achim. My first attempted alphabet (shudder) in this style is dated 9/11/2010. I date everything I do for reference, with notes on the back regarding what tools I used, as a sort of visual progress report to try to keep my motivation up when I'm getting a little aggravated (quite often, really). I don't know, calligraphy is just a sickness I sort of wandered into, and now I can't seem to get out! You all certainly seem to be flying right along.

[smk]

My first attempted alphabet (shudder) in this style is dated 9/11/2010. I date everything I do for reference, with notes on the back regarding what tools I used, as a sort of visual progress report to try to keep my motivation up when I'm getting a little aggravated (quite often, really).

 

Bierce - we know the 'after' is really lovely, how about sharing some of those 'before's for inspiration. Success stories are always inspiring and your progress over just a few months is definitely one.

 

Salman

[Bierce]

Here's some stuff I grabbed from the "file of shame" from around 9/10, complete with blobs, smears, and I think some Cheetoh powder. Going thru that stuff reminds me that a MAJOR frustration at that time was finding the right tools. The ink was too thick and too thin at the same time, the pen would drop ink everywhere (in retrospect, it was just my lack of technique along with the wrong ink mix), and for heaven's sake, I was trying to do pointed pen on a 15-cent loss leader notebook I found at a big box (bleed had never been a huge problem with any other style of writing I'd done up to that point, which was all done with broad pen). That aspect worked out though, and then I could finally settle in to focusing on the writing. And now it consumes just about all my spare time. Hey, it keeps me out of trouble.

 

Thanks for the compliment SMK; still have a ways to go though. I've always been the all-or-nothing type, and I'm pretty frustrated for most of the trip in any of these types of endeavor.

 

I must say I'm very glad I found this forum. It's hard to find support and advice, seeing as how calligraphy, in my view, is sort of an arcane pursuit (which is probably part of the allure to me). I remember my first trip to Blick to get an oblique, and I had to describe to the clerk for about five minutes what it was and what it was for (and they didn't carry it anyway).

 

BTW, this particular attachment I'll consider intellectual/creative property, and I must INSIST that NO credit EVER be given to me. :embarrassed_smile:

[Achim]

BTW, this particular attachment I'll consider intellectual/creative property, and I must INSIST that NO credit EVER be given to me. :embarrassed_smile:

 

I had been glad if my first attempts would have looked that good. And I'm sure many people would be glad to ever get that far at all :ltcapd:

What was the model for you letters? The "s" seems quite unusual to me.

[Bierce]

What was the model for you letters? The "s" seems quite unusual to me.

 

I started with OE Hovis, with a few letters that I preferred from other penman (like "z", "t", etc.). I love Hovis' overall clean look. The "s" came from the Vitolo series. I got an awful lot of hands-on from that series, and am very thankful Joe posted it. He states in the series it's not a traditional "s", but I really like the look of it. Now I just scrounge around for anything I like.

 

By the time I'm done, I imagine I should have a completely bastardized alphabet.

[fuchsiaprincess]

This is probably blasphemous, but can we make our own alphabet?

[Ghost Plane]

Of course! How do you think new scripts happen?

 

I suspect that, much like art, you need to learn the basics before creating your own style. :hmm1:

[smk]

OK -here's my cheque. You can tell the need for more practice in the majuscules. Writing in small size was much harder than I had expected. The x-height for the small letters is 3mm which is pretty hard to keep consistent with this nib, I provably should've used a stiffer or a smaller nib for these. But then again - this is how we learn.

 

 

I'm looking forward to the other contributions.

Salman

[fuchsiaprincess]

Absolutely beautiful, Salman! Don't be so modest! How did you draw the lines?

 

Warm regards,

Soki

[Ghost Plane]

Salman, I can't resist teasing you. If you're drawing an instrument on a U.S. bank you need to check that your cheque is spelled check.