Invitation To Show Off Your Stuff...

[hzsimms]

 

 

Amazing handwriting!

 

I'll be very happy if someday I can reproduce 10% of this samples!

 

You absolutely can! You should see my stuff from just a few months ago...looks like a kid went crazy with an Etch-A-Sketch! Keep writin'!

[hzsimms]

Lookin' good Howard!!!!

 

Thanks Brian, still trying to catch up!

[Onefortyniner]

Awesome! All done with a 149?

Yes. By applying gentle pressure (to a well-tuned nib), thick and thin can be achieved. Do not try this with a "green" nib as you will possibly damage it. Break it in slowly over a period of two months.

[Onefortyniner]

 

It's not necessary, as the nib should be aligned with the slant of the script. That's why we commonly used oblique holders for this type of script; they keep the nib positioned properly to do the shades.

I personally do not favor obliques; I rotate the barrel of a standard pen holder slightly, clockwise, to achieve the correct angle. I find (my limitation?) that the oblique pen catches on the upstroke, unless using a very smooth paper. It is also harder for me to apply pressure on the downstroke, because of the lack of leverage. Suggestions?

[Mickey]

Withdrawn.

Edited January 17, 2014 by Mickey

[mvarela]

I personally do not favor obliques; I rotate the barrel of a standard pen holder slightly, clockwise, to achieve the correct angle. I find (my limitation?) that the oblique pen catches on the upstroke, unless using a very smooth paper. It is also harder for me to apply pressure on the downstroke, because of the lack of leverage. Suggestions?

 

To each their own, but from what I've seen, obliques seem to be more favored for pointed pen scripts (and I know for sure I much prefer them). The catching on the upstroke can be due to many reasons, the most likely of which is the flange not being properly adjusted (nib to paper angle too steep). As for the pressure needed to flex the nib, I find it is quite the opposite, one needs to be careful not to apply too much pressure, so proper hairlines can be achieved. Of course, it depends on which nib you're using, but if you're using a very stiff nib for a shaded script, you're probably doing it wrong.

[MusinkMan]

I personally do not favor obliques; I rotate the barrel of a standard pen holder slightly, clockwise, to achieve the correct angle. I find (my limitation?) that the oblique pen catches on the upstroke, unless using a very smooth paper. It is also harder for me to apply pressure on the downstroke, because of the lack of leverage. Suggestions?

 

You do what? I'm not understanding something here? Rotating the barrel won't change the angle of the nib, only it's orientation in relation to the handle. I must be missing something.

 

A nib should not catch on the upstroke in an oblique holder any more than in a straight holder. Use light pen pressure on the upstroke. You can bend the flange a tad to make the nib be a bit less "straight up and down" (angled slightly forward). This will help the nib skate a long the paper better.

 

I'm still confused on your rotating of the pen barrel to achieve a different angle. The oblique pen is designed to hold the nib in that position because most shaded lines are slanted lines (because most all pointed pen texts are slanted). The flange holds the nib at an angle that approximates this angle, thereby allowing maximum flexibility when executing shaded strokes. Maybe I'm picturing it all wrong in my head?

 

Edit: Oh, I see what you are saying. You are misunderstanding the purpose of an oblique holder. It is not designed to rotate the nib within the holder, it is designed to hold the nib out to the side of the holder and angle the nib toward the center of the holder. It has nothing to do with rotating the nib sideways...picture it this way...look at the angle of the nib in relationship to the handle of the pen (on an oblique holder). Now picture the handle being at that angle (the angle of the nib), and picture yourself trying to write like that. You'd have to cross your right arm across your body and twist your wrist all (bleep)-eyed in order to write with the nib at that angle.

 

Now with that in mind, give one a try. Use light touch on the upstrokes (I mean really light), and give it some gas on your beauty strokes. Give it a few days' practice, and you may find that you've found a new "best friend". :-)

Edited January 18, 2014 by MusinkMan

[mvarela]

 

You do what? I'm not understanding something here? Rotating the barrel won't change the angle of the nib, only it's orientation in relation to the handle. I must be missing something.

 

 

I think he means rotate parallel to the paper (e.g. to get the nib more aligned with the slant line)...

[Mickey]

 

I think he means rotate parallel to the paper (e.g. to get the nib more aligned with the slant line)...

I don't think so. As a matter of fact, I'm not sure what he meant, which is why I removed my own post. Referring to 'obliques', the name typically used when speaking about fountain pens, then using both holder and barrel in the same post muddied the waters considerably. Perhaps onefortyniner might clarify the matter before the game starts tomorrow.

[Onefortyniner]

 

You do what? I'm not understanding something here? Rotating the barrel won't change the angle of the nib, only it's orientation in relation to the handle. I must be missing something.

 

A nib should not catch on the upstroke in an oblique holder any more than in a straight holder. Use light pen pressure on the upstroke. You can bend the flange a tad to make the nib be a bit less "straight up and down" (angled slightly forward). This will help the nib skate a long the paper better.

 

I'm still confused on your rotating of the pen barrel to achieve a different angle. The oblique pen is designed to hold the nib in that position because most shaded lines are slanted lines (because most all pointed pen texts are slanted). The flange holds the nib at an angle that approximates this angle, thereby allowing maximum flexibility when executing shaded strokes. Maybe I'm picturing it all wrong in my head?

 

Edit: Oh, I see what you are saying. You are misunderstanding the purpose of an oblique holder. It is not designed to rotate the nib within the holder, it is designed to hold the nib out to the side of the holder and angle the nib toward the center of the holder. It has nothing to do with rotating the nib sideways...picture it this way...look at the angle of the nib in relationship to the handle of the pen (on an oblique holder). Now picture the handle being at that angle (the angle of the nib), and picture yourself trying to write like that. You'd have to cross your right arm across your body and twist your wrist all (bleep)-eyed in order to write with the nib at that angle.

 

Now with that in mind, give one a try. Use light touch on the upstrokes (I mean really light), and give it some gas on your beauty strokes. Give it a few days' practice, and you may find that you've found a new "best friend". :-)

I guess my technique is different: I'm using a standard penholder with, say, a Spencerian nib. I rotate the barrel slightly for the downstroke with pressure. this way, with the tines splayed, they end up square to the basline even though my pen is at an angle. I might have to do an illustration to make clear what I mean. With the standard holder and pen rotated, there's no catching on the upstroke, and a very fine line is achieved.

[Thedakotajennings]

Woohoo. My first handwriting post. It's nowhere near as great as it could be, and barely touches others penmanship skills. But here it is in all it's glory just a small excerpt from my homework, writing as I normally do. And comments or Suggestions On what to fix?

 

Written with a EF Safari and Liberty's Elysium.

[jetsam]

After 30 years of ball points, I guess 160 pages of fountain pens just aren't enough to improve my scrawl.

I'll keep trying though.

Any one care to point out any salient flaws I can work on?

I'm thinking a more consistent slant and maybe more rounded letters so 'm', 'n' and 'e' don't look like 'w', 'u'

and 'i'.

Edited January 30, 2014 by jetsam

[hzsimms]

Woohoo. My first handwriting post. It's nowhere near as great as it could be, and barely touches others penmanship skills. But here it is in all it's glory just a small excerpt from my homework, writing as I normally do. And comments or Suggestions On what to fix?

 

Written with a EF Safari and Liberty's Elysium. image.jpg

 

 

image.jpg

After 30 years of ball points, I guess 160 pages of fountain pens just aren't enough to improve my scrawl.

I'll keep trying though.

Any one care to point out any salient flaws I can work on?

I'm thinking a more consistent slant and maybe more rounded letters so 'm', 'n' and 'e' don't look like 'w', 'u'

and 'i'.

 

Excellent starting point. I don't pretend to speak for everyone else, but my daily handwriting, while much improved since I took up pointed pen work, is still not the greatest. As with anything else, practice, practice, practice!

 

I commend you both for having the fortitude to post.

 

Howard

[attika89]

This is one of the kind of rare occasions when I'm satisfied, so I want to show it here as well
I've tried some bit of a "flex pencil" look.
I don't know why, but I get more shaky lines when I use fountain pens....

http://kepfeltoltes.hu/140202/P1170740_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg

Edited February 2, 2014 by attika89

[mvarela]

This is one of the kind of rare occasions when I'm satisfied, so I want to show it here as well

I've tried some bit of a "flex pencil" look.

I don't know why, but I get more shaky lines when I use fountain pens....

http://kepfeltoltes.hu/140202/P1170740_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg

 

 

That is one sexy pencil! Nice writing, too

Edited February 2, 2014 by mvarela

[attika89]

 

That is one sexy pencil! Nice writing, too

Thank you very much!

It really is a great design, and its even better in real life!

[zemof]

i know i’m late in joining but this thread is lovely! i also know that i have probably missed heaps of useful tips by scrolling through 30 pages just for the photos but, it is really a lot…!

 

Ooh, I like this thread already. This was done recently in response to a request on a subreddit to which I subscribe. I consider it one of the best things I've done since I started calligraphy almost 4 months ago (I cannot believe it's been 4 months already!)

 

@medicalcpa that is totally totally amazing in just 4 months!!!

 

I'll share something from a while ago - this composition is made using the names of Allah, written in Diwani script, arranged within a stylized rendering of the word 'Allah'.



Salman

 

@smk i actually took a few months of arabic calligraphy but my teacher believes in the traditional, no proper pieces for gift or sale till awarded the title was attained… still, this makes me wanna try to do something for my muslim friend!

 

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj229/Popsjill/pens/DSCN1268_zps4f53b490.jpg

 

@Stompie drooling at your gorgeous holder…! How much did it cost you?

 

 

Please note: I make no pretense of aesthetic merit. This is "handwriting," not "calligraphy."

David

 

 

@dms525 David, are you in The Society for Italic Handwriting? I’ve been consciously trying to adapt Chancery Italic into my handwriting but the speed just fails to keep up with my thoughts and I end up reverting back to my original handwriting…! >.<

 

 

I have just returned from iampeth, do allow me to show off some of my new knowledge from there

Both from a flourishing class.

 

 

 

@schin you teaser! have to remind myself: going to Iampeth convention does not make you Schin the Second in a matter of days; discipline and practice does!

 

I usually only share the prettier ones on instagram but hey, i’m honest and i share my early scrawny doodles on facebook too. what do you call a sketchbook that only has calligraphy or typopgraphy or textual stuff, a textbook?! Muji A5 notebook:

 

[mvarela]

Time is getting shorter...

 

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2873/12331110114_ac1c5ee892_o.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5497/12330816243_c7f6601c6a_o.jpg

 

Pen control exercise in English Roundhand. X-heights are 10, 6, 4, 2, 1.5 and 1mm. The mis-alignment in the last three is due to the lack of guidelines so small. I used a Brause 66EF for the larger sizes, and an Esterbrook 355 (first one I try, and like all other Esterbrook nibs I've tried, it was love at first sight! Awesome lil' nib!) for the smaller ones. I started losing control at the 2mm mark, in the last three, the 'm' became rather Spencerian-ish at the joins, but overall, I like how the word is still clearly in roundhand.

[smk]

 

@smk i actually took a few months of arabic calligraphy but my teacher believes in the traditional, no proper pieces for gift or sale till awarded the title was attained… still, this makes me wanna try to do something for my muslim friend!

 

 

I consider myself very much a student of Calligraphy of all forms. I am mostly self taught but I have been lucky to get instructions for a couple of the occidental hands I have learned over the years. For Arabic, I am much more of a novice given the technical difficulty of the hands and my lack of practice time. We can only get better with practice - I have been at it for 6-7 years.

 

Making compositions helps with my practice by providing a source of motivation and inspiration. It takes a while but I can produce half decent work :-)

 

Salman

[MusinkMan]

 

I consider myself very much a student of Calligraphy of all forms. I am mostly self taught but I have been lucky to get instructions for a couple of the occidental hands I have learned over the years. For Arabic, I am much more of a novice given the technical difficulty of the hands and my lack of practice time. We can only get better with practice - I have been at it for 6-7 years.

 

Making compositions helps with my practice by providing a source of motivation and inspiration. It takes a while but I can produce half decent work :-)

 

Salman

 

Salman, you are an absolute MANIC at penwork. Humble to be sure, but I've seen your stuff. Always awesome!