Learning Copperplate...

[measond]

I'm in....or will be once I get to actual words. I tried to learn Copperplate 25 yrs ago with what I now can see with all the wrong tools. Gave it up after undergoing eye surgery and never gave it another thought until joining FPN and finding this forum. I recently received the hourglass holder and a few of the nibs recommended here. For starters I'm working with W.A.Baird and John Jenkins, starting at the beginning, one lesson at a time. I miss writing words but can see why these exercises are so important. So once I get past the boring stuff I'll post some examples.

[thang1thang2]

 

@ thang1thang2: thanks again for your reply and your comments! I am working to learn / develop a handwriting Copperplate style, not Engrosser's script.

...

I know that I write sometimes too fast. My normal handwriting is superfast! Copperplate already forced me to slow down a lot …

 

I would still suggest that, even if you are working on developing a handwriting copperplate style that (at least when practicing) you place a great amount of emphasis on separating the letters into individual strokes, as that's where you get the uniformity of your handwriting from which makes it both legible and beautiful.

 

Separating the letters into strokes will also help with speed. And, when you eventually try to speed up, it will help you retain your legibility at greater speeds easier as it's less complex on the brain and hand to think of letters as a combo of strokes rather than just trying to do everything at once.

[varejart]

Copp_SW-Elektra.jpg

WOW!

Wonderful work.

 

[Estefa]

@ Thang1Thang2: thanks, I will keep that in mind!

 

@ varejart: thank you for your kind words! I am glad you like my script!

 

Stefanie

[caliken]

It seemed a pity to allow this topic to slide down out of sight, so I decided to post another example, thereby creating a legitimate "bump"

 

This Copperplate example was a commission by MusinkMan (Brian Smith) relating to his new business venture "Unique Oblique Custom Pens". I am delighted to have my work associated with such a wonderful product.

 

Ken

 

Edited March 27, 2014 by Ken Fraser

[fuchsiaprincess]

Thank you for the beautiful bump, Ken! I never tire of seeing your masterpieces

[CoffeeForDays]

Hey I've been shadowing this topic for about a year and a half now I'm a high school senior and a year and a half ago I got interested in fountain pens and calligraphy specifically only copper plate. I dont post really at all but I felt this thread shouldnt die and I could use some constructive criticism!

 

http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/ag170/dustinnguyen24/Mobile%20Uploads/Calligraphy_zps3be9c5be.jpg

[caliken]

deleted

Edited March 28, 2014 by Ken Fraser

[Columba Livia]

I'm currently going through the most common two and three word combinations of letters in the English language. So here "nce".

If, like me, you're using a straight pen-holder, I would like to recommend this one as being especially suited to copperplate:

 

http://www.jandtsartandcalligraphy.co.uk/online-shop/proddetail.php?prod=JnTHolderSilver

 

However I would have a go at the metal clasp with some sand paper so that it ends up with a brushed surface, rathe than a slippery shiny one. The "School Penholder" here:

 

http://www.scribblers.co.uk/acatalog/Calligraphy_Penholders.html

 

is also not too bad.

 

You'll also want to keep the paper straight on, your hand turned well over towards the left (pretty much flat) and your wrist off the table. John Jenkins describes how to hold a pen and how to arrange the paper here: http://www.iampeth.com/books/jenkins/art_of_writing_br_john_jenkins,_1813_page27.html

 

http://i.imgur.com/j3PdnVv.jpg

 

I always rule half of my page with slant guidelines, and half without. This is obviously the half without. I don't like being chained to the computer for guidelines, so an essential thing for ruling up practice sheets is an adjustable triangle, resting it on a t-square, it allows you to rule slant guidelines at anything from 90 to 45 degrees:

 

http://i.imgur.com/58kmG5f.jpg

[Columba Livia]

Also, I would like to note that here:

 

http://bvpb.mcu.es/museos/en/consulta/registro.cmd?id=407351

 

Is a scanned copy of "The Penman's employment" by Joseph Champion.

 

For convenience, I've saved all their scans and uploaded them here:

 

https://mega.co.nz/#!DYUkxKSC!PKkPUHzIfV5_MXfv_hZUNxA4UvAuINokPLm7mKBQhOI

 

http://i.imgur.com/jskGNuq.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/f84021Z.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/hx3gvWg.jpg

[Lace]

I picked up the Pentel parallel pens and loved them. Bought a book that had copperplate in it and then bought supplies.... Supplies still aren't here but I'm impatient in that department ....

I've started by just getting the letters down and the way they are written. Has made my handwriting better lol but I'll start posting stuff when I get my supplies in. I've read through as many pages as I could and everyone's work looks lovely! :3

 

Lace

[deathbringer1128]

I picked up the Pentel parallel pens and loved them. Bought a book that had copperplate in it and then bought supplies.... Supplies still aren't here but I'm impatient in that department ....

I've started by just getting the letters down and the way they are written. Has made my handwriting better lol but I'll start posting stuff when I get my supplies in. I've read through as many pages as I could and everyone's work looks lovely! :3

 

Lace

Pentel Parallel Pens? I think you mean Pilot Parallel Pens. Nonetheless, the parallel pen will be useless for Copperplate script. You should be looking for dip nibs like the Hunt 22, Gillott 303, etc.

[caliken]

Columba Livia :

 

Thanks for scanning "The Penman's Employment" by Jopseph Champion. I'd no idea of the existence of this book and it perfectly complements his entries in "The Universal Penman" some thirty years earlier.

 

Ken

[Columba Livia]

Columba Livia :

 

Thanks for scanning "The Penman's Employment" by Jopseph Champion. I'd no idea of the existence of this book and it perfectly complements his entries in "The Universal Penman" some thirty years earlier.

 

Ken

 

I can't claim credit for that one That book was scanned by a Spanish library. I have seen a copy of it, but I didn't scan it because of that copy on-line.

Edited December 6, 2013 by Columba Livia

[Lace]

Pentel Parallel Pens? I think you mean Pilot Parallel Pens. Nonetheless, the parallel pen will be useless for Copperplate script. You should be looking for dip nibs like the Hunt 22, Gillott 303, etc.

 

XD yea I always mix up pentel and pilot >< and yes I do know, which is why I ordered some suggested nibs by some of these nice people. :3

 

I like all of the nibs and have tried each of them but I'm having problems with ink flow. And I've watched as many videos about dipping and using droppers. But I put a lot and it pools up on the strokes and I can't get an even flow. I put to little and I get light nice strokes where I have to add more ink after every letter

[smk]

Lace - welcome to FPN and especially to the Learning Copperplate thread.

 

Have you cleaned your nibs? New nibs have a rather stubborn film of oil on them that prevents them from rusting when in storage. These oils won't let ink stick to the nib properly and you'll get a blob of ink as soon as the nib is flexed. There are many ways to clean nibs. I just use a dab of toothpaste to rub the oils off and then rinse with water. Caliken (Ken Fraser) has found that running nibs through a cycle of the dishwasher (after securing them in a stocking or a suitable container) works well.

 

Avoid touching the tips of the nibs after you have cleaned them as the natural oils present on our hands and fingers can mess up the ink flow too.

 

Salman

[Lace]

Lace - welcome to FPN and especially to the Learning Copperplate thread.

 

Have you cleaned your nibs? New nibs have a rather stubborn film of oil on them that prevents them from rusting when in storage. These oils won't let ink stick to the nib properly and you'll get a blob of ink as soon as the nib is flexed. There are many ways to clean nibs. I just use a dab of toothpaste to rub the oils off and then rinse with water. Caliken (Ken Fraser) has found that running nibs through a cycle of the dishwasher (after securing them in a stocking or a suitable container) works well.

 

Avoid touching the tips of the nibs after you have cleaned them as the natural oils present on our hands and fingers can mess up the ink flow too.

 

Salman

Oh thank you, should the tooth paste be actual paste or can it be jell?

[smk]

I used to keep a tube of the white kind but I have used gel a couple of times and it worked fine. Give it a go and see. Also, you can lick the nib a bit after washing it, saliva helps with the way the ink flows off the nib.

 

S.

[mvarela]

This week I decided to start learning Copperplate. Here's a part of something I did today... It's more fun than I thought! (Still prefer Spencerian, though...)

 

http://i.imgur.com/fbGhNAb.jpg

The joins didn't come out too good, and the shades are nos too consistent, but I'm quite surprised by how this turned out (I'm at below 10h of practice at the moment). I think the nib control transfers quite ok from doing Spencerian. Comments and critique are most welcome.

 

edit: Hunt 101, Blot's ink, 9mm x-height (I based the guidelines on Joe Vitolo's)

Edited January 25, 2014 by mvarela

[Columba Livia]

The first piece,I wrote with an ink I made from red wine, tea, iron sulphate and gum arabic, copying approximately from Mickey's recipe for Rooibos ink. I boiled the tea in 500ml of red wine, then simmered it till I had 100ml. Then I added 2 grams of iron sulphate and then drops of liquid gum arabic till it wrote OK. Oxidised quite quickly and was a very dark brown black. Smelt very nasty.

 

It was pretty serviceable ink, but the had the problem of going mouldy very quickly, so I ended up throwing it out. I suppose at some point I could try adding phenol to a new batch.

 

I always use a straight pen holder. I find the best tool for writing copperplate esp. with respect o getting those ovals really ovalish and making shades taper. In fact, reviewing these, something to work on is getting the taper on shades better so that they thicken and thin in a more gradual and consistent manner.

 

http://i.imgur.com/nnHTblX.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/81APnBv.jpg