Caliken's Calligraphy

[Bronze]

Ken, when you are doing writing that requires an edged pen do you typically use a fountain pen or dip pen?

[caliken]

Ken, when you are doing writing that requires an edged pen do you typically use a fountain pen or dip pen?

These days, I mostly use inexpensive fountain pens by Manuscript, RotringArtpen or Lamy Safari. I also have a couple of old Osmiroids that I use from time to time.

 

Dip nibs by Wm Mitchell still produce the very finest edges and I do still use them, but fountain pen standards are now pretty high, and more than adequate for most of my work.

 

One obvious exception is if waterproof ink is required, in which case I have to use dip nibs.

 

Ken

[caliken]

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/Scripsit500.jpg

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/UniqueOblique600.jpg

 

 

Spencerian Script

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/Spenceriantext600.jpg

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/HomeScroll550.jpg

Edited October 16, 2013 by caliken

[cybaea]

Bastarda Espanola

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/BastardaEspanola600-1.jpg

 

I love the way you change the style for that last 'l' - it is just right

Not personally keen on the very long top bars on the ascenders, especially at the end of the words ("and soul"), but it is beautifully executed and I adore the ornamented 't's - I think I could fall in love with your 'bright' 'thoughts'.

[Bronze]

Thank you for the info!

[caliken]

 

Not personally keen on the very long top bars on the ascenders, especially at the end of the words ("and soul"),

I agree with you...I don't like them much, either. Fortunately, you don't have to like everything about a writing style to be able to write it!

 

Ken

Edited October 15, 2013 by caliken

[caliken]

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/Quotations500.jpg

 

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/Timeistooslow500.jpg

 

 

Copperplate

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/PenmanshipMasterScribe601-1.jpg

 

 

 

A quote from Friedrich Neugebauer written in light Italic

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/THEREARETWOBASICASPECTS600.jpg

Edited March 28, 2014 by Ken Fraser

[caliken]

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/Vivalditext600.jpg

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/Copperplatetext600.jpg

 

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/NeedleStitchScript24.jpg

 

 

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

Edited March 28, 2014 by Ken Fraser

[Italicist]

Seeing all of Ken's fine work in one thread is like paying a visit to a fine art gallery: there's almost too much goodness per square inch of viewing space for the mortal mind to absorb! What a great collection of your work, sir; thanks for pulling it all together in one place. I am still staggered by the fantastic red uppercase A in particular.

[Sinistral1]

Ken:

 

You are a master on so many levels, and it is both inspiring and pure bliss to view your creations. The combination of art and wisdom is like a friend of mine says, "one of those God things". Thank you for sharing your gift with the FPN.

[caliken]

My own Spencerian Ornamental Signature

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/OrnamentalSignature600.jpg

Edited March 28, 2014 by Ken Fraser

[pen2paper]

Standing and Applauding ! < was at full grin, and then the shaded ornamentals began, and it just kept getting better!

 

the single possible improvement, to have that piano piece playing while viewing.

 

 

*I believe it was on #20? sorry I significantly raised the views at youtube. It was lovely.

[N2theBreach]

I'll add my thanks to you for sharing these. I appreciate the opportunity to enjoy the work of someone who is a true master.

Edited October 18, 2013 by N2theBreach

[Lyander0012]

Honestly, Mr. Ken, there are times I'm amazed that your calligraphic works are done by hand. At first, I felt your samples were strangely cold and impersonal, since they were so "perfect" that they hardly seemed to be the work of human hands. Then, eventually, I learned to appreciate each miniscule wavering of a flourish, each perfect hairline and broad flex; there are a lot of things my generation takes for granted, and I'm sorry to say that good penmanship is one of them. Not that "penmanship" does your work any justice, mind you, but that's as appropriate a term as I'm likely to come up with while enthralled by these images.

 

Cheers, and hope to see more of your brilliant pieces!

 

Kevin

[Lyander0012]

Um, not that there's much in the way of wavering in the flourishing. I just wanted to express that it's finally sunk in that perhaps your work's being hand-done no longer seems like such a far-fetched idea to me, is all. I have an alarming tendency to speak (and type) without thinking

[caliken]

Humanistic Bookhand

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/HumanistBookhand600-1.jpg

Edited March 28, 2014 by Ken Fraser

[cybaea]

Oh, wow again. How do you get that bookhand so perfectly consistent? Beautiful. So very beautiful. Any chance of a bigger image so I can use it to practice?

[caliken]

Any chance of a bigger image so I can use it to practice?

Here is an enlargement.

 

Ken

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/humanistsection600.jpg

Edited October 20, 2013 by caliken

[caliken]

Copperplate writing with one of the wonderful penholders by Unique Oblique (MusinkMan)

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/pen401.jpg

Edited October 19, 2013 by caliken

[TPK]

Ken,

 

You may already have done this, but I'd love to see samples of your normal everyday handwriting (if such a thing exists!) I mean the kind of thing you would yourself use if taking notes at a lecture, or any situation really, where pure calligraphic form is not the primary concern, and the need for speed is, if not exactly paramount then at least significantly greater than for calligraphic purposes.

 

Or put another way, if you could allow me some whimsy, how messy do you get? :-)

 

 

tpk

P.S. I'm aware this may all be a bit like asking to see a supermodel without her makeup, so if you'd rather not, feel free to ignore.