Looking For A Good Fast Font.

[nosurlife]

Hi, I've started using a fountain pen for calligraphy (I have the Manuscript Deluxe Calligraphy Set), after trying it out I decided to ditch ballpoints and use FPs. I tried writing cursive with it but it didn't look that good (looked sort of like I was using a marker rather then a pen, not much thick and thin visible), so I decided to ask here. Does anyone know of a font that looks good and is fast? (I tryed to find a cursive italic but failed and couldn't find any other daily fonts that I can use for.... well.... everything )

 

Thanks in advance,

Nik

[pmhudepo]

Italic writing reportedly scales pretty well with speed and is easy to read by most people. Cursive ("looped" or "joined-up", as in Palmer / Business Writing) has the advantage of being a nice flowing script with a good forward drive.

 

I don't know what type nibs a Manuscript Deluxe Calligraphy Set contains, but daily writing is probably best done with a regular fine or medium nib. Fine nibs can provide very neat results, with less chance of letters such as 'e' turning into a blob of ink. Medium nibs can be smoother, generally a bit easier to skate across the page.

 

Regardless of this, you will probably want to spend a few weeks on regular, structured practice. It should do miracles for whatever style you choose.

[wallylynn]

if you want line variation, you're in for a world of hurt. That requires a flexible nib, and practice using it.

 

Or you can try an italic nib. That might be enough for you.

 

By the way, "font" refers to typeface, as in printed material like computers or printing press.

[nosurlife]

  On 3/12/2013 at 10:21 AM, pmhudepo said:

Italic writing reportedly scales pretty well with speed and is easy to read by most people. Cursive ("looped" or "joined-up", as in Palmer / Business Writing) has the advantage of being a nice flowing script with a good forward drive.

 

I don't know what type nibs a Manuscript Deluxe Calligraphy Set contains, but daily writing is probably best done with a regular fine or medium nib. Fine nibs can provide very neat results, with less chance of letters such as 'e' turning into a blob of ink. Medium nibs can be smoother, generally a bit easier to skate across the page.

 

Regardless of this, you will probably want to spend a few weeks on regular, structured practice. It should do miracles for whatever style you choose.

It has 6 nibs I'm using the fine 0.85mm one, the medium is a 1.1mm, so is there some hand that combines cursive and italic? So you get the best of both worlds.

 

  On 3/12/2013 at 3:52 PM, wallylynn said:

if you want line variation, you're in for a world of hurt. That requires a flexible nib, and practice using it.

 

Or you can try an italic nib. That might be enough for you.

 

By the way, "font" refers to typeface, as in printed material like computers or printing press.

Yeh, I'm using a fine 0.85mm, I wanted to get a flex nib but there are no flexible FPs(If there are please tell e haha).

And yeh sorry I meant hand not font.

[smk]

Manuscript Calligraphy pens are perfectly usable for learning Italic. IMO they perform well above their price point.

 

For guidance on learning the Italic hand, look at the pinned topic on books for Italic handwriting and Calligraphy.

 

You'll probably want a 0.5mm nib for writing Italic but it really depends on the size of your writing. Italic minuscules (small letters like a, o, e, x) are supposed to be 5 nib-widths tall.

 

You'll benefit from the broader nibs in your set (1.5mm or broader) to learn the proper letter forms when practicing. The practice translates into excellent Italic with smaller (or even round) nibs.

 

Salman

[Stompie]

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj229/Popsjill/pens/DSCN1286_zps8a96343c.jpg

[nosurlife]

  On 3/12/2013 at 7:34 PM, smk said:

Manuscript Calligraphy pens are perfectly usable for learning Italic. IMO they perform well above their price point.

 

For guidance on learning the Italic hand, look at the pinned topic on books for Italic handwriting and Calligraphy.

 

You'll probably want a 0.5mm nib for writing Italic but it really depends on the size of your writing. Italic minuscules (small letters like a, o, e, x) are supposed to be 5 nib-widths tall.

 

You'll benefit from the broader nibs in your set (1.5mm or broader) to learn the proper letter forms when practicing. The practice translates into excellent Italic with smaller (or even round) nibs.

 

Salman

Thanks, I have done both italic and gothic, but they both take a lot longer to write, so I was looking for something that I can write fast with like for taking notes at a speech etc.

 

  On 3/12/2013 at 9:05 PM, Stompie said:

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj229/Popsjill/pens/DSCN1286_zps8a96343c.jpg

Great, thanks, so do you hold the nib at a different angle? Or do you keep it at 45°?

[Jimmy Joe]

  On 3/12/2013 at 9:05 PM, Stompie said:

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj229/Popsjill/pens/DSCN1286_zps8a96343c.jpg

Unless, of course, you're writing in cursive italic which joins italic letters. The sixth row in Caliken's "Composite of Lettering Styles" is a fine example. He's got a monoline version further down.

[nosurlife]

  On 3/13/2013 at 2:18 AM, Jimmy Joe said:

  On 3/12/2013 at 9:05 PM, Stompie said:

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj229/Popsjill/pens/DSCN1286_zps8a96343c.jpg

Unless, of course, you're writing in cursive italic which joins italic letters. The sixth row in Caliken's "Composite of Lettering Styles" is a fine example. He's got a monoline version further down.

Thanks, looks interesting because most of the linked italics that I have seen they just space them closer together so the "tails" touch the next letter, but if the words in this one are done without taking the pen off the paper then I'll give it a go .

And could you link me to the monoline?

 

Thanks,

Nik

[MusinkMan]

Have you looked into oblique nibs? Or stub nibs? I have a Swan with a flexible oblique nib, which is very cool. Gives you the "best of both worlds"...but also carries with it the "worst of both worlds". Woe is me...there is no free lunch I suppose.

 

As for writing notes in a class or something of that nature, my guess would be that an oblique would likely be preferable to a "pure" italic nib. You'll likely be able to write with if much faster due to the oblique angle on the flattened nib. Just something to look into when you're bored one day.

[nosurlife]

  On 3/13/2013 at 4:33 AM, MusinkMan said:

Have you looked into oblique nibs? Or stub nibs? I have a Swan with a flexible oblique nib, which is very cool. Gives you the "best of both worlds"...but also carries with it the "worst of both worlds". Woe is me...there is no free lunch I suppose.

 

As for writing notes in a class or something of that nature, my guess would be that an oblique would likely be preferable to a "pure" italic nib. You'll likely be able to write with if much faster due to the oblique angle on the flattened nib. Just something to look into when you're bored one day.

Thanks, I've been looking for a fountain pen with a flexible nib and then you mentioned the swan (I might start another topic to see if there are any others, I thought flexible nibs are only on dip pens). I've read around and heard a lot about how you have to hold obliques at a very different angle, and some say its quite hard and takes a lot of time to get used to. What's your experience with them? Also what did you find wrong with the swan?

 

Thanks,

Nik

[Stompie]

nosurlife, if you go to the thread - Don't just tell us about the pen you are using, show us" you will find an array of pens that do all sorts of things including flex!

 

Dip pens are brilliant for flex and for hairlines but some fountain pens come quite close and in the hands of good writers they come amazingly close to dip nibs.

 

Yes, Caliken does do cursive italic, I just did not want to confuse the issues so early on for you

 

and that that I wrote was with the same nib angle all the way through.

[smk]

  On 3/13/2013 at 12:06 AM, nosurlife said:

Thanks, I have done both italic and gothic, but they both take a lot longer to write, so I was looking for something that I can write fast with like for taking notes at a speech etc.

 

Nik, Italic handwriting can be executed as quickly as you'd like. In my experience the Italic hand deteriorates less than cursive when pushing your speed limits but this depends largely on how long one has been practicing a style.

 

The Palmer method of handwriting (which is a cursive style) was designed for fast efficient execution. However, it is done with a pointed nib. I recommended the Italic style because you mentioned the Manuscript Calligraphy set.

 

My suggestion would be to take a step back and see which style you would like to learn. You can then choose the appropriate tools for the job whether they be broad-edged nibs, flexible pointed nibs in oblique holders or fountain pens with flexible nibs such as Noodler's Creaper/Ahab or a vintage Waterman or Swan etc.

 

Salman

[pmhudepo]

  On 3/13/2013 at 7:43 AM, smk said:

  On 3/13/2013 at 12:06 AM, nosurlife said:

Thanks, I have done both italic and gothic, but they both take a lot longer to write, so I was looking for something that I can write fast with like for taking notes at a speech etc.

 

Nik, Italic handwriting can be executed as quickly as you'd like. In my experience the Italic hand deteriorates less than cursive when pushing your speed limits but this depends largely on how long one has been practicing a style.

 

See for instance this post: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/235424-my-journey-to-a-legible-hand/page__view__findpost__p__2536562

[Mickey]

  On 3/13/2013 at 7:43 AM, smk said:

  On 3/13/2013 at 12:06 AM, nosurlife said:

Thanks, I have done both italic and gothic, but they both take a lot longer to write, so I was looking for something that I can write fast with like for taking notes at a speech etc.

 

Nik, Italic handwriting can be executed as quickly as you'd like. In my experience the Italic hand deteriorates less than cursive when pushing your speed limits but this depends largely on how long one has been practicing a style.

 

The Palmer method of handwriting (which is a cursive style) was designed for fast efficient execution. However, it is done with a pointed nib. I recommended the Italic style because you mentioned the Manuscript Calligraphy set.

 

My suggestion would be to take a step back and see which style you would like to learn. You can then choose the appropriate tools for the job whether they be broad-edged nibs, flexible pointed nibs in oblique holders or fountain pens with flexible nibs such as Noodler's Creaper/Ahab or a vintage Waterman or Swan etc.

 

Salman

 

+1 Some version of most hands can be written rapidly enough for note taking, just not the highly stylized or formal versions. Mono-line Spencer (Business Writing), Palmer, basic Round Hand, and Italic can all be written at fair speed. The biggest limitation in cursive Italic is the limited number of 'safe' joins, but if one is willing to affect a few unsafe joins, write with slightly greater slant (c. 7 degrees) and at a compromised scale (c. x = 3.5 pen widths), Italic can be written quite rapidly and with minimal degradation.

[nosurlife]

  On 3/13/2013 at 7:28 AM, Stompie said:

nosurlife, if you go to the thread - Don't just tell us about the pen you are using, show us" you will find an array of pens that do all sorts of things including flex!

 

Dip pens are brilliant for flex and for hairlines but some fountain pens come quite close and in the hands of good writers they come amazingly close to dip nibs.

 

Yes, Caliken does do cursive italic, I just did not want to confuse the issues so early on for you

 

and that that I wrote was with the same nib angle all the way through.

Thanks, I'll have a look around and see if I can find a flex FP(I'm not too fond of dip pens at this point as you lose the mobility of a FP, so you can't whip it out of your pocket and start writing ).

 

  On 3/13/2013 at 7:43 AM, smk said:

  On 3/13/2013 at 12:06 AM, nosurlife said:

Thanks, I have done both italic and gothic, but they both take a lot longer to write, so I was looking for something that I can write fast with like for taking notes at a speech etc.

 

Nik, Italic handwriting can be executed as quickly as you'd like. In my experience the Italic hand deteriorates less than cursive when pushing your speed limits but this depends largely on how long one has been practicing a style.

 

The Palmer method of handwriting (which is a cursive style) was designed for fast efficient execution. However, it is done with a pointed nib. I recommended the Italic style because you mentioned the Manuscript Calligraphy set.

 

My suggestion would be to take a step back and see which style you would like to learn. You can then choose the appropriate tools for the job whether they be broad-edged nibs, flexible pointed nibs in oblique holders or fountain pens with flexible nibs such as Noodler's Creaper/Ahab or a vintage Waterman or Swan etc.

 

Salman

Thanks, the reason I find italic slower is because you have to do each letter separately, while with cursive they are all linked and it flows smoothly. To be honest I would like to learn all styles :roflmho: ,well at least the main ones, but at this point I wanted to find something I can use for casual writing(daily use sort of thing) and also something like copperplate (once I find a flex FP) for more formal writing.

 

  On 3/13/2013 at 1:47 PM, Mickey said:

  On 3/13/2013 at 7:43 AM, smk said:

  On 3/13/2013 at 12:06 AM, nosurlife said:

Thanks, I have done both italic and gothic, but they both take a lot longer to write, so I was looking for something that I can write fast with like for taking notes at a speech etc.

 

Nik, Italic handwriting can be executed as quickly as you'd like. In my experience the Italic hand deteriorates less than cursive when pushing your speed limits but this depends largely on how long one has been practicing a style.

 

The Palmer method of handwriting (which is a cursive style) was designed for fast efficient execution. However, it is done with a pointed nib. I recommended the Italic style because you mentioned the Manuscript Calligraphy set.

 

My suggestion would be to take a step back and see which style you would like to learn. You can then choose the appropriate tools for the job whether they be broad-edged nibs, flexible pointed nibs in oblique holders or fountain pens with flexible nibs such as Noodler's Creaper/Ahab or a vintage Waterman or Swan etc.

 

Salman

 

+1 Some version of most hands can be written rapidly enough for note taking, just not the highly stylized or formal versions. Mono-line Spencer (Business Writing), Palmer, basic Round Hand, and Italic can all be written at fair speed. The biggest limitation in cursive Italic is the limited number of 'safe' joins, but if one is willing to affect a few unsafe joins, write with slightly greater slant (c. 7 degrees) and at a compromised scale (c. x = 3.5 pen widths), Italic can be written quite rapidly and with minimal degradation.

Thanks, I'll have a look into those styles, I guess the more I practice the faster it will flow?

What did you mean by unsafe joints?

Edited March 13, 2013 by nosurlife

[Mickey]

  On 3/13/2013 at 10:00 PM, nosurlife said:

[q

  On 3/13/2013 at 1:47 PM, Mickey said:

 

+1 Some version of most hands can be written rapidly enough for note taking, just not the highly stylized or formal versions. Mono-line Spencer (Business Writing), Palmer, basic Round Hand, and Italic can all be written at fair speed. The biggest limitation in cursive Italic is the limited number of 'safe' joins, but if one is willing to affect a few unsafe joins, write with slightly greater slant (c. 7 degrees) and at a compromised scale (c. x = 3.5 pen widths), Italic can be written quite rapidly and with minimal degradation.

Thanks, I'll have a look into those styles, I guess the more I practice the faster it will flow?

What did you mean by unsafe joints?

 

Depending on the letter scale and slant, some starting and finishing strokes do not line felicitously (causing uneven or over broad looking spacing) and some letters do not have good, natural joins or have them in only one direction.

 

For example, letter like i, m, n, u, et al. can join in either direction. Others like a, c, d... have natural joins only to the right. Still others, like j, o, p... have natural joins only from the left. Finally, there are no natural joins for b, g, k... With additional ligatures (connecting strokes) many unnatural or illegal joins can be effected to get around these natural limitation, though at some cost to appearance. For example you could extend the finishing stroke of n into subsequent a, but the result would not be attractive. Still it would be readable and probably a bit faster to execute.

 

As one becomes comfortable with Italic, one can decide which questionable joins to use in everyday writing and which to avoid in more formal letters. Chosen carefully, questionable joins can add character to your writing, but, as with most things, a little discretion is worth considering.

[Stompie]

All written at speed

 

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj229/Popsjill/pens/DSCN1289_zps043db88d.jpg

[nosurlife]

  On 3/13/2013 at 11:20 PM, Stompie said:

All written at speed

 

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj229/Popsjill/pens/DSCN1289_zps043db88d.jpg

Haha sorry, let me explain, I'm looking for a fast font for my casual day to day writing, while at the same time seeking a flex FP for more formal writing or to use on special occasions for copperplate, so the 2 topics are not in any way connected (apart from the fact that I started them ).

Nice handwriting, the swan seems like a good pen.

 

Nik

Edited March 14, 2013 by nosurlife

[caliken]

  On 3/13/2013 at 4:11 AM, nosurlife said:

Thanks, looks interesting because most of the linked italics that I have seen they just space them closer together so the "tails" touch the next letter, but if the words in this one are done without taking the pen off the paper then I'll give it a go .

And could you link me to the monoline?

 

Monoline, Cursive Italic.

 

This is an enlargement- about twice the original size.

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/Purewater600.jpg

Edited March 22, 2013 by caliken