Learning Copperplate...

[Murphhans]

Bierce, thank you for posting your rookie effort. It looks vastly more competent than my initial try at copperplate. That said, your improvement over several months is startling and very much a source of inspiration. It's also good to hear that you too struggled with equipment in your early attempts. I started with a Hunt 108 (only flexy nib at local art store) and a terrible straight plastic holder. The results were ugly and I was frustrated. Having the right tools (and instructional manual) has been indispensable for me.

 

Salman...looks wonderful...your improvement over mere weeks is also a source of inspiration.

[jglasgow]

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,

 

I've been following this thread from it's inception. You are obviously a very skilled and knowledgeable artist! I've been having some success with a Noodlers flex but can't come anywhere close to to bold shading that most the folks here for getting. I think my next step is to start looking for a good calligraphy kit with dip pens and ink. Suggestions would be very much appreciated.

 

I saw in a separate thread where you had written in Copperplate "roundhand" and stated that there are very few pen lifts in that form of writing. I understood it to mean that basically the whole word is written without a pen lift. How is this different from cursive writing? Is it basically just the shape of the individual letters or am I missing something? I've picked up a copy of the Universal Penman and reference it often. I'm very curious, if you don't' mind my asking, what type of writing do you employ for your everyday writing? As beautiful as embosser Copperplate is, it is not practical for note taking or faster type writing...or maybe it's just me at my beginners level of inexperience.

[smk]

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

 

Warm regards,

Soki

 

Thanks Soki. It was a learning experience. Frustratingly I had better forms on the practice sheet than the final version - I guess I was trying to be too precise and stiffened up. Here's a part of the practice sheet:

 

 

The majuscules look much more relaxed in this version.

 

I drew the lines with the dip pen but placed a couple of sheets under the ruler not quite all the way to the edge to lift it off the paper to avoid smearing.

 

 

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.

 

You know I thought twice about the spelling and then figured no one would notice so spelled it this way. I stand teased :-)

 

S.

[Ghost Plane]

Cosmically connected cousins ALWAYS notice these things.

[Bierce]

That was fun. Forgot a comma, need to work on "D", and need to make sure lines are straight (paper must have moved off the guideline just a little as I wrote. Bad paper.) Also, I've never written at 2mm. Man, it's difficult to keep any sort of consistency at that x. And, you finally forced me to learn my numbers, which I've been putting off since I started.

[smk]

Very nicely done Bierce. I like the Madarasz 's' you do.

 

I found it hard to write small too :-)

 

Salman

[fuchsiaprincess]

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.

 

Ghost,

 

I truly cannot find the spelling error! Where is it?!

 

Warm regards,

Soki

[Achim]

Apparently I misunderstood the task at hand and thought we should make up a template of our own ... I was in a playful mood today so there's some Spencerian influence in my attempt. I also lack proficiency in the majuscules - but it was fun to do anyway. Thanks for the contributions so far - they are awe-inspiring!

 

 

Best, Achim.

[smk]

Achim - there were no rules and I'm glad you chose to go your own route. I was thinking of doing the same at the outset but then chickened out :embarrassed_smile:

 

Cool template.

 

Salman

[bigstick]

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.

 

(seeing red) Cheque cheque cheque cheque (passing out from a rush of blood to the head.)

[bigstick]

I am always up for a challenge, Salman, so here is my contribution. Theme and variation.

 

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii241/bigstickpilot/Bulletin%20Board/OhioTrustcheque.jpg

[bigstick]

Apparently I misunderstood the task at hand and thought we should make up a template of our own ... I was in a playful mood today so there's some Spencerian influence in my attempt. I also lack proficiency in the majuscules - but it was fun to do anyway. Thanks for the contributions so far - they are awe-inspiring!

 

 

Best, Achim.

 

This, I really like also.

[jglasgow]

Apparently I misunderstood the task at hand and thought we should make up a template of our own ... I was in a playful mood today so there's some Spencerian influence in my attempt. I also lack proficiency in the majuscules - but it was fun to do anyway. Thanks for the contributions so far - they are awe-inspiring!

 

 

Best, Achim.

 

GREAT job...what pen are you using?

[fuchsiaprincess]

Apparently I misunderstood the task at hand and thought we should make up a template of our own ... I was in a playful mood today so there's some Spencerian influence in my attempt. I also lack proficiency in the majuscules - but it was fun to do anyway. Thanks for the contributions so far - they are awe-inspiring!

 

 

Best, Achim.

 

Absolutely beautiful, Achim :notworthy1:

 

Warm regards,

Soki

[caliken]

I found it hard to write small too :-)

Salman

 

Salman,

 

Try it with a crow quill.

here

[fuchsiaprincess]

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.

 

(seeing red) Cheque cheque cheque cheque (passing out from a rush of blood to the head.)

 

:bonk:

 

Thanks!

[fuchsiaprincess]

Here's my cheque :

 

http://i1027.photobucket.com/albums/y331/fuchsiaprincess/IMGP2285.jpg

 

I had to white-out a blob of ink when I was doing the Dollar sign

[Achim]

GREAT job...what pen are you using?

 

Thank you all for the praise - myself I'm far from content with it, slant is all over the place (I didn't use slant guidelines for this), the ovals have dents or simply don't look like what I had in my head. But the feeling that it's really only a matter of lots of exercise gets stronger - *dream mode ON* maybe someday I'll be able to draw one of those beautiful ornamental birds *dream mode OFF*.

 

The nib used is again the Zebra G in a plastic speedball penholder.

The border that makes it look like a death notice was a Pilot Parallel pen 2.4 mm.

[amyx231]

PEOPLE wrote those letters? Wow, homework! I hope you guys still love the script after you finish all the practice pages.

 

 

noodlers flex- i want one, i do - but i wanna handle 1 first. any physical stores have them yet? i shoddy yellow!

 

say... is there any danger of flexing a flex nib too much?

Edited March 11, 2011 by amyx231

[smk]

Ken - thanks for the crow quill tip and the video link. I don't have one but will get one when I get a chance. I did try out a Nikko G nib and it worked much better than the 303 for the smaller script. You make it look so easy in the video - its lovely to watch the letters being formed so smoothly.

 

bigstick - your templates are really nice. I like the idea of the flourish at the end.

 

Soki- your rendering is nice. I think the 'Ohio Trust Company' could be a bit bigger but the overall look is nice and clean. I like it.

 

amyx231 - yes you can flex a nib too much and spring it i.e. it goes beyond the point where it'll spring back. I haven't used the Noodler's flex pen (want one though) but I suspect you'll enjoy the script much more with an oblique holder and a few nice flex nibs, it'll cost you less than $10 :-)

 

Its lovely to see such participation. It spurs me on to redouble my efforts.

 

Salman