Looking For Help Finding An Italic/round Hand Style.

[dms525]

Over joyed! WoooHoooo!!!

 

 

 

Very cool! Where did you find it?

 

David

[Abner C. Kemp]

I receiver my copy of "The Italic Way to Beautiful Handwriting" by Fred Eager today. I really enjoy the way the book is laid out and found the tracing exercises especially helpful when trying to learn letter formation. Here is an excerpt of a small exercise I worked on this evening on some french ruled paper. I'm still struggling a bit with the "u" and consistent spacing. Certainly a lot of work to be done but I am already pleased with what I am seeing. I'll try to post back in this thread once in awhile as I hopefully make positive progress.

 

 

[dms525]

I receiver my copy of "The Italic Way to Beautiful Handwriting" by Fred Eager today. I really enjoy the way the book is laid out and found the tracing exercises especially helpful when trying to learn letter formation. Here is an excerpt of a small exercise I worked on this evening on some french ruled paper. I'm still struggling a bit with the "u" and consistent spacing. Certainly a lot of work to be done but I am already pleased with what I am seeing. I'll try to post back in this thread once in awhile as I hopefully make positive progress.

 

 

 

 

Please do post from time to time. Seeing your progress is encouraging to others on the same path.

 

It looks to me like you need to have your pen nib further rotated counter clockwise. You want the flat of the nib at a 45º angle to the writing line. Watch that you keep that angle as you trace the letters.

 

Getting those curves right where you are changing the direction the pen is moving is a challenge. I find watching some one do it helps a lot. Take a look at the Lloyd Reynolds videos.

 

Happy writing!

 

David

[Abner C. Kemp]

 

 

Please do post from time to time. Seeing your progress is encouraging to others on the same path.

 

It looks to me like you need to have your pen nib further rotated counter clockwise. You want the flat of the nib at a 45º angle to the writing line. Watch that you keep that angle as you trace the letters.

 

Getting those curves right where you are changing the direction the pen is moving is a challenge. I find watching some one do it helps a lot. Take a look at the Lloyd Reynolds videos.

 

Happy writing!

 

David

 

 

Thank you sir!! I made the adjustment and the line variation is much more pronounced making the writing look more crisp. I really appreciate the tip. Practicing my letter forms and watching the football game, not a bad Sunday night in my book!!

[Inky.Fingers]

[dms525]

 

[sakayume]

Over joyed! WoooHoooo!!!

 

 

 

I'm envious! I ran a search on abebooks for this and

Tom Gourdie and Alfred Fairbank, on the other hand, seem much more accessible to plebeians like me.

[Inky.Fingers]

 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2016 by #InkyFingers

[Randal6393]

@Inky Fingers: Another book to consider, Ken Fraser's Italic Variants. Think you would enjoy seeing how many different styles of italic there are and enjoy the styles a lot. Finding it may be a problem, for a long time could be ordered direct from Ken. But I can't find the link right now.

 

Ken's work is available on the web, Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube.

 

Enjoy,

[cellmatrix]

Over joyed! WoooHoooo!!!

 

 

Inky fingers, I was lucky enough to also get a copy of this book which I'm still learning from. Good luck and happy italic writing!!

Edited January 18, 2016 by cellmatrix

[Dickkooty2]

Thank you! What a great discussion. I like writing (if I may dare to use the word in reference to my scratches) with a broad stub or an italic nib. I like a bold simple style.

 

The Eager book seems to be what I need to get started on handwriting that is both legible and stylistically pleasing. I just ordered the new 2015 edition from Amazon at a very reasonable price and free shipping.

 

OH NO! Is this the referred to photocopied edition?

 

NB

 

BBC News India 18 January 2016

 

In India, several professions which were passed on within families from one generation to the next have become redundant in 21st Century modern India. In her new book, The Lost Generation, author Nidhi Dugar Kundalia chronicles the "dying professions" of India.

Scribes of old Delhi http://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/4387/production/_87678271_scribesofolddelhi.jpg

Image copyright

Nidhi Dugar Kundalia

Back in the Mughal era, calligraphy was considered a virtuous and pious act and katibs (scribes) were deeply revered by the kings, princes and noblemen. Calligraphy was considered the pinnacle of divinity, and the artist was uplifted along with it. Members of the royal family often learnt calligraphy from the finest experts and offered them high positions in their courts.

Wasim Ahmed, a scribe and teacher of Urdu, Persian and Arabic calligraphy, has been practising the art for over 30 years. He once inscribed books and made hand-drawn posters, both flawless in terms of fine design and flawed in the slight caprices of an artist's hand. They then went to the printers to be replicated and sold to be hung in the homes and offices of people who believed that the sacred verses would bring them good vibes and luck.

But Mr Ahmed and others like him have long lost the patronage and the benefits that came with calligraphy. Their final death knell came with the introduction of Urdu font on computers which had been difficult to create until now.

Why even here, there are times when Palatino just won't do!

[Inky.Fingers]

 

 

The ascender and descender are long 1.5 to 2.0 the height of 5 nibs. The width is 2.5 nibs. Trying very hard to

get it right.... only one thing to do... practice!

 

 

Edited January 18, 2016 by #InkyFingers

[Abner C. Kemp]

Just a short update. I have been taking my time going through the first section of the book. Some of the letter forms were difficult for me coming over from cursive. A very kind FPNer has agreed to assist me a bit with my writing viz PM and that has done wonders. Here's some of my latest practice. There are still many errors but I think it is improving.

[Inky.Fingers]

[cellmatrix]

Abner and Inky - excellent progress both of you. If you are posting to obtain useful suggestions one small improvement would be to try to keep the slant of your letters as consistent as possible (I need to work more on this too). Hope this is helpful!

[Inky.Fingers]

 

 

[Inky.Fingers]

[cellmatrix]

Inky, your slant is getting more consistent and I especially like the example on the right. Great work!

[Inky.Fingers]

Thanks. Hoping to see your and Abner work too.

[Abner C. Kemp]

A short update. Still a long way to go.