Learning Copperplate...

[fuchsiaprincess]

Wrote this with a Brause rose nib, ink is Higgins Sepia, the orange is a liquid gouache. Unfortunately, the feathering was quite bad, despite switching paper.

 

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

[fuchsiaprincess]

Thank you very much, Yuqi! It is absolutely beautiful! Although I personally prefer the 3:2:3 ration, your writing is very pleasing to the eye indeed. BTW, what paper did you use? It looks like some sort of onion skin paper.

 

Regards,

Soki

 

Soki,I am sorry because I really have no idea what the paper is it.I can just tell you it is a very large paper,and I cut it to the size as it is now.

 

 

Yuqi

 

That's ok, Yuqi. Hope you're having a nice weekend.

 

Regards,

Soki

[Pineapple Frenzy]

A quick look at my progress. Copperplate is challenging and requires patience. I found practicing much more satisfying once I acquired some gum arabic and began to play with ink consistency.

 

Top and bottom, before and after, respectively; plus some gothic script to satisfy my when round-hand got to frustrating.

 

Critiques?

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v683/skookum_49/CopperplateProgress2011nov14.jpg

Edited November 15, 2011 by Pineapple Frenzy

[sniper910]

pineapple frenzy- very nice! there's a big difference with the two. i really like the contrast between the hairline and shaded lines

[smk]

Pineapple Frenzy, nice examples. Isn't it nice to see improvement as one progresses.

 

My recommendation is to start practicing at a larger x-height. Try writing at double the size you are at. Spend some time doing the basic stroke drills and then do some letters of similar shapes. You can try words with letters of similar shapes egg, age, go, till, little etc.

 

Do keep posting regularly. It helped keep me on track.

 

Salman

[Pineapple Frenzy]

Indeed it is. There was an "ah ha!" moment this week. Before then progress was very slow.

[gibsona9]

A few things here...

 

First, nice job Pineapple Frenzy! Definitely a big improvement from the "before" to the "after"! Very well done.

 

Second, a huge thanks to Soki (fuschiaprincess), the oblique penholders you sent me have arrived, and they are wonderful. It was very, very kind of you to do that! They really do make writing in Copperplate easier -- I feel like I am "fighting" the nib less on downstrokes, since the nibs are flexing equally. I would have posted a "thank-you" earlier, but....

 

... we were at the hospital all day yesterday, and we have just been blessed with our first grandchild! Her name is Piper, and she was born last night (Monday) at 10pm. She is a little blessing, God is good! My son and daughter-in-law will bring her home tomorrow, and in order to commemorate the event, I did a quick little calligraphy project that incorporated at least a little bit of Copperplate.

 

Here are photos Piper and her "welcome home" project. (By the way, "Me-ma" is a southern USA term for grandmother!)

 

 

Best regards,

Brian

[smk]

Please accept my heartiest congratulations Brian.

 

Piper looks lovely and I'm sure you are going to enjoy her growing up. I pray she brings honor and glory to your family.

 

Salman

[Hex]

She's a beauty Brian. You're a lucky man.

[gibsona9]

Thanks, SMK and Hex!

 

She came home from the hospital yesterday, and she liked her "welcome home" sign (I think).... Ha!

 

Brian

[Oliwerko]

Hi!

 

I think it's time to show off and get some feedback again Here we go:

 

 

Observations:

 

- The practice of doing single line strokes paid of even at this early stage. I didn't have to concentrate too much on square cutoffs and such.

- I tended to overshade. That was because while practicing single strokes I didn't have any clue how wide they should be. Now the proportions are better I think.

- The arches are not symmetrical. Should they be?

- I still feel the density of the strokes is a bit off.

 

What do you think? What are the most critical mistakes I'm doing? I think the strokes are too wide, is it true? How wide should they be? Is the shading intensity OK for this x-height? Am I connecting the strokes correctly?

 

Any advice is very much valued, thanks!

[smk]

Oliwerko - good to see a practice sheet.

 

It very easy to overdo the shaded strokes at 6mm x-height so don't worry about it too much. Thinking back on my progress I think a big improvement came when I switched to 1cm x-height. One of the things this did was help with the over-shading and I could see the construction of the stroke, and my mistakes in it, much better.

 

It helps to match the x-height to the shading you are comfortable with. Try a few lines using two lines on that guide sheet. I have 1cm and 5mm ones ready - let me know if you want them.

 

The arches should be identical, and while we are on that subject, the connectors should join and emerge at half the x-height. In the sheet above I notice a tendency to start the hairlines a tad high.

 

I also found it useful to do four or five arches, then look for the best one I made and try to replicate it the next four or five times, pick the best one again and repeat.

 

Salman

Edited November 18, 2011 by smk

[Oliwerko]

Thanks for feedback Salman!

 

Wow, 1cm really seems huge to me. But I'll take the advice. I'd be glad if you could attach the sheets for both 5mm and 1cm.

 

Yes, I've been connecting the hairlines high and making the arches asymmetrical, I also "feel" why, but can't really put that feeling into words. As if I was incapable of joining the hairline properly and making the arch symmetrical at the same time. I think the strokes need to be closer to each other, maybe that's the trick?

 

I also wanted to ask if it's normal when a single dip of a nib lasts for only a few strokes (something around 6 or so). I clean the nib thoroughly with soapy water before writing. I use a Nikko G nib (which I find really comfortable - not too stiff or too flexible, easy to control) and Old World Iron Gall ink. Do you think I'll need to switch nibs for 1cm x-height? (I have some Brause 66EF left)

[smk]

 

Wow, 1cm really seems huge to me. But I'll take the advice. I'd be glad if you could attach the sheets for both 5mm and 1cm.

 

 

It does seem pretty big in the beginning but you get used to it fairly quickly.

 

I think the 6mm x-height is just perfect for the Nikko G nib. They are good learning nibs and perfect for smaller x-heights.

 

The Brause 66EF is much more flexible and you'll get good results with the larger x-height of 1 cm.

 

I am attaching a 1cm/5mm combined sheet that I use for practice. The distance between two dashed or two solid lines is 1cm while the distance between a dashed and a solid line is 5mm. The slant guidelines are spaced such that the width of the letter should be equal to the distance between them if you are using the 5mm x-height. For 1cm x-height the width should be two slant guidelines.

 

CuPl8-5mm-55deg-grey.pdf

 

I hope this helps.

 

Salman

[Oliwerko]

Thanks Salman, that guidesheet is great!

 

I'll try my luck with the 66EF, hopefully I'll be more successful than the last time, when one of them just broke on medium pressure :/

 

How wide should the arches be on 1cm and 5mm? I think I'll stick with basic strokes until I've refined them a bit. How many arches is "a letter"? Three?

[ihtzazqamar]

Wow, 1cm really seems huge to me. But I'll take the advice. I'd be glad if you could attach the sheets for both 5mm and 1cm.

 

 

It does seem pretty big in the beginning but you get used to it fairly quickly.

 

I think the 6mm x-height is just perfect for the Nikko G nib. They are good learning nibs and perfect for smaller x-heights.

 

The Brause 66EF is much more flexible and you'll get good results with the larger x-height of 1 cm.

 

I am attaching a 1cm/5mm combined sheet that I use for practice. The distance between two dashed or two solid lines is 1cm while the distance between a dashed and a solid line is 5mm. The slant guidelines are spaced such that the width of the letter should be equal to the distance between them if you are using the 5mm x-height. For 1cm x-height the width should be two slant guidelines.

 

CuPl8-5mm-55deg-grey.pdf

 

I hope this helps.

 

Salman

 

Salman: Your tips are always great. I (we) would appreciate if you post one written guide sheet so that we get a feel of 1/2x letter width, width of shading, connector heights etc. I personally would be grateful. It will help me overcome several of my confusions.

[Oliwerko]

Yes, that would be most useful! If you could include the principal strokes as well that would be even more awesome!

[smk]

Ah - time to put my ink where my keyboard is :-)

 

I will upload a scan of my exercises showing the use of the practice sheet.

 

Salman

 

Edit: I have not had a chance to put this up, things are a bit hectic these days. I will do it as soon as I get a chance.

Edited November 21, 2011 by smk

[sniper910]

First practice in at least 2 months. Feels good to write again. Still working on making my strokes consistent and my curves a little rounder.

[smk]

As promised, here is how I use the guidelines.

 

I am attaching the scan at full resolution to show the faint guidelines. I used a light ink so my scanner will pick up the guidelines. I printed darker lines but the ink feathered badly into the guide lines and when I tried to draw lines over the letters the thing turned into a mess. I hope this shows what I meant above.

 

 

Sniper - your practice sheet looks good. It doesn't look like you've been away for that long.

 

Salman

 

Edit: Kindly don't take this sample as an example to shoot for. This is merely meant for a demonstration of how to fit the individual letters into the guidelines. Whatever text you are using for instruction provides ideal forms.

Edited November 21, 2011 by smk