Learning Italic

[caliken]

Following on from the success of the three ongoing threads - Learning Copperplate, Learning
Spencerian and Learning Palmer Business Writing, perhaps there is a case, on this forum, for starting a thread on Learning Italic .

 

 

It might be a good idea to stick to the basic principle as set down by Salman in Learning
Copperplate, back in 2011.

I hope that others will join in and we'll all learn in a collaborative manner - critiquing, advising and supporting each other.

 

I’m not going to attempt an in-depth history of the script as I lack the necessary knowledge to
tackle this subject. If it is required, I am sure that there are many on this forum better qualified than I, to share their knowledge as the subject arises.

I am more interested in the beautiful script itself, and how best to produce it.

 

A bit of self-indulgence now, as I present to you this example of early Italic. This was written by
Bennardino Cataneo in the 16th Century and is truly magnificent. There’s nothing like starting at
the top, and IMHO this is as good as it gets. It’s a real testament to the strength and quality of
this writing style, that it has remained virtually unchanged for hundreds of years. Incredibly, this is an enlargement of writing at an x height of 2mm!

 

I’ve followed this, with an exemplar of my own of the complete alphabet which may be of use and short examples of my own Formal and Cursive Italic in action.

There are many on this forum who write beautiful Italic and who may be prepared to offer advice to aspiring writers of the style. They include HDoug, Salman, Italicist, Katim, Kate Gladstone and Nanny. The last two are experienced teachers of Italic. This is not intended as a definitive listing - they are just the names which come immediately to mind. I know that there are many other fine writers of the script on this forum.

 

Please post examples of your own Italic and, if you are just beginning, please feel free to ask any questions, regarding recommended books, materials, techniques etc. I am sure that someone will be able to help you

.

 

Ken

 

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/cattaneo600.jpg

Edited November 14, 2013 by caliken

[caliken]

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/Italicnew300.jpghttp://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/WRIT400.jpghttp://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd289/caliken_2007/Italichandwritingextract600.jpg

Edited November 14, 2013 by caliken

[smk]

Thank you Ken - I am all for it. I have been meaning to do a project in Italic but have not been able to practice regularly. This thread will provide a welcome incentive to post regularly.

 

Here is my practice from a few weeks ago:

 

 

This is done on Kraft paper using Dr. Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White with a Mitchell No. 4 nib. Not the easiest of surfaces or ink to use but makes for good (and demanding) practice.

 

Salman

[caliken]

 

 

 

 

Salman:

 

With your recent concentration on Copperplate, it has been easy to overlook your accomplished Italic. This is a lovely example of the script....and in such a difficult medium. Thanks for posting!

 

Ken

[tigger23505]

Sadly my lack of attention to detail shows too many letters either incomplete or sloppy. I guess I can stake a claim for the low end.

[ruben50]

Thanks for this post Ken. I've been meaning to practice my italics and hopefully learning with other folks here will give me the push I need to continue.

 

Rube

[I like mango cheesecake]

I used google images and typed in "italic calligraphy" and got a whole host of exemplars to practise on.

 

here is the google link;

https://www.google.ca/search?safe=active&hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=631&q=italic+calligraphy&oq=italic+cal&gs_l=img.1.0.0l7j0i5l3.1037.2858.0.5103.10.10.0.0.0.0.145.1124.0j10.10.0....0...1ac.1.31.img..0.10.1118.mKOBL9VlChg

 

The one I am particularly interested in is this one:

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pC_17VVACCs/Tmjx2y33ApI/AAAAAAAABVs/Qvp3y0P86qQ/s1600/ItalicAlphabet+Aug2010-2resized.jpg

[dms525]

Thank you for starting this topic, Ken! I will submit some italic samples for comment and advice soon.

 

In the meantime, while Cataneo's italic hand has a great many admirable qualities, I find it much too "pointy" in the arches and the entry and exit strokes. I much prefer your hand or Salman's both of which seem exquisite to me.

 

David

[mboschm]

http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o565/mboschm/DSC_0583_zpsc5f98d1d.jpg

[JeffPDX2]

I will post an example of my practice shortly; I have been practicing the hand for a month or so, making slow progress. I am also using this opportunity to transition from doing calligraphy left handed to using my right hand for broad nib hands, reserving my left hand for Copperplate. Interesting experience, and suprisingly easy; since my fine control of my right hand is not as good, I am forced into using more whole arm movement...

 

Anyway, the purpose of this post is to draw attention to the series of videos that are posted on youtube of the late Lloyd Reynolds; do a search for "Lloyd Reynolds Italic Calligraphy and Handwriting".

 

Lloyd Reynolds taught calligraphy for many years at Reed College here in Portland; interesting note, taken from Wikipedia:

 

In his 2005 Stanford commencement lecture, Apple Inc. founder and Reed dropout Steve Jobs credited a Reed calligraphy class for his focus on choosing quality typefaces for theMacintosh.^[101] While the full calligraphy course^[102] is no longer taught at Reed, Paideia usually features a short course on the subject.

[ehemem]

 

 

Anyway, the purpose of this post is to draw attention to the series of videos that are posted on youtube of the late Lloyd Reynolds; do a search for "Lloyd Reynolds Italic Calligraphy and Handwriting".

 

Lloyd Reynolds taught calligraphy for many years at Reed College here in Portland; interesting note, taken from Wikipedia:

 

In his 2005 Stanford commencement lecture, Apple Inc. founder and Reed dropout Steve Jobs credited a Reed calligraphy class for his focus on choosing quality typefaces for theMacintosh.^[101] While the full calligraphy course^[102] is no longer taught at Reed, Paideia usually features a short course on the subject.

 

A point of clarification: by the time Jobs got to the Reed campus, Lloyd Reynolds had retired. Robert Palladino was teaching the calligraphy/paleography course. Reynolds continued to teach at least one course at the Portland Art Museum.

[dms525]

 

David

[Randal6393]

 

And, yes, I finally read the instructions for uploading and posting a picture.

 

Enjoy,

Edited November 15, 2013 by Randal6393

[dms525]

To update the status of calligraphy instruction at Reed College: It is true that calligraphy is not offered as a formal course. The Cooley Gallery sponsors a weekly "scriptorium" on Thursday evenings that is open to students, faculty and alumni. Gregory MacNaughton, the Cooley's director of eduction, conducts the Scriptorium, largely based on Lloyd Reynolds' Handbook. However, there are frequent guest instructors such as Greta Dubay and Jaki Sveren.

 

Calligraphy was such an important element in Reed's culture for so long that there is strong support for this tradition among alumni. Currently, Greg MacNaughton is doing a one day "traveling scriptorium" for Reed alumni groups in 10 different cities.

 

More information regarding the Calligraphy tradition at Reed College can be had here: Reed College | The Heritage of Calligraphy | Home

That site also has links to the Reynolds' instructional TV programs already mentioned and a (free, downloadable) copy of Reynolds' Handbook, as well as other instructional materials.

 

David

Edited November 16, 2013 by dms525

[dms525]

 

And, yes, I finally read the instructions for uploading and posting a picture.

 

Enjoy,

 

Thank you, Randal. You're too kind. It's certainly "a work in progress."

 

David

[dms525]

[Mr Snuffles]

I think I'll enjoy this topic very much!

Here's my entry:

[smk]

Ken - thank you for the kind comment.

 

David, that is a very nice Italic hand. Do you write without any guidelines or use them under the page you are writing on?

 

Felipe, your writing looks quite fluent and pleasant. Thanks for sharing.

 

S.

[mvarela]

I started out working on my penmanship with chancery italic last year, and then switched to Spencerian. I still use italic more for daily handwriting (it's more compact). I haven't however, been practising it formally for a while. This is something I jotted down (at normal writing speed) a couple of weeks ago. Sorry about the craptastic picture quality.

 

http://i.imgur.com/EU452id.jpg

[dickydotcom]

I have neglected italic for a while because I have been trying to get a better faster writing style for work and italic seemed to really suffer if I try to rush.

 

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/dickydotcom/DSCN16991_zps4361d1c2.jpg