What Scripts Are You Learning?

[MidnightInk]

Hey guys! Just sort of polling the community here. I'm curious as to what scripts you all are learning! Do you think it's a good idea to practice two scripts at the same time? I've been learning Copperplate but recently my eye has really been taken by the beauty that is Spencerian. Should I double team them or focus on one? Thanks and can't wait to hear what you all are learning!

[pepsiplease69]

I would say focus on one style initially. I know that sounds boring but let me explain.

 

As you start out with a new style, the thing of paramount importance is practice. The more concentrated time and effort and repetition you can give to a particular style the quicker you will master the basic forms and move on to the tiny little nuances, maybe developing your own variation on the standard style.

 

All along this time you will develop your own work habits, tools, work environment and many other things. You'll also start developing an appreciation of your work. It's a very organic, slow cooking type process.

 

If you start with one style and get wowed by something else and start working simultaneously on two things before you become good at the first, you've basically diluted and divided the focus, the concentration, and quality time by 50%. The worst thing that could happen at that point is that you get disillusioned with both and give up.

 

Keep spencerian in the back of your mind for now and maybe observe and appreciate it from afar, would be my advice. Devote most of your time on copperplate and allow it to evolve. Give it five months if you practice daily, more time if less frequent.

 

Spencerian uses flexible nib the same like copperplate and so practicing both at the same time might create a mish-mash of confusion.

 

Personally I haven't done anything with spencerian precisely for the reasons mentioned above.

 

That's just my 2 cents. Take it for what it's worth.

[MidnightInk]

I would say focus on one style initially. I know that sounds boring but let me explain.

 

As you start out with a new style, the thing of paramount importance is practice. The more concentrated time and effort and repetition you can give to a particular style the quicker you will master the basic forms and move on to the tiny little nuances, maybe developing your own variation on the standard style.

 

All along this time you will develop your own work habits, tools, work environment and many other things. You'll also start developing an appreciation of your work. It's a very organic, slow cooking type process.

 

If you start with one style and get wowed by something else and start working simultaneously on two things before you become good at the first, you've basically diluted and divided the focus, the concentration, and quality time by 50%. The worst thing that could happen at that point is that you get disillusioned with both and give up.

 

Keep spencerian in the back of your mind for now and maybe observe and appreciate it from afar, would be my advice. Devote most of your time on copperplate and allow it to evolve. Give it five months if you practice daily, more time if less frequent.

 

Spencerian uses flexible nib the same like copperplate and so practicing both at the same time might create a mish-mash of confusion.

 

Personally I haven't done anything with spencerian precisely for the reasons mentioned above.

 

That's just my 2 cents. Take it for what it's worth.

Hmm, I'm still not exactly sure what I plan to do but your response definitely helped a ton. I don't want my focus on the two to become diluted by any means. Thanks!

[Tasmith]

American cursive using Micheal Sull's workbook. Figure it's a good place to learn the basics before I try Spencerian or Copperplate.

[Randal6393]

Am working on mastering italic. Have only been working on it for 35 years or so. Also love copperplate, foundational, uncial, and the good old Roman capital. And, maybe, some year I will perfect my hand.

 

At first, one style at a time. Then, when you get a feel for one hand, add another. And have fun.

 

Enjoy,

[Larry Barrieau]

I went to iambeth and found the site confusing. I think I'd like to try Copperplate but which kind of Copperplate? The site doesn't seem to be set up to lead me to the beginning. For instance: to answer my question I would expect to find something like. So you'd like to try Copperplate. Well go here to find out the different kinds and descriptions and samples of the different kinds. Once you decide which kind, go here and get an alphabet and worksheets to try it. Here are videos which will actually show you how to make the letters. etc., etc.

 

At the home page of the site there are things like making a holder, worksheets for 52 and 55 degree slant (I don't know what that is or which is better.), engrossers script (what's that)

 

What I'm getting at is that it seems to be a jumble things which a beginner can't seperate without prior knowledge. Anyone else find this or am I just thick? This is quite possible.

[smk]

IAMPETH.com is a bit of a mess since they revamped the site with a new look. I too find that things are harder to find than before.

 

Here is a collection of lessons from old journals: http://www.zanerian.com/Lessons.html (I recommend the first one by W.A. Baird as well as the one by E.A. Lupfer)

 

Dr. Vitolo also has a free iBook on Engrosser's Script (formal, drawn, version of Copperplate) along with videos on iTunes. There is also a pdf available somewhere but I cannot find the link for it at the moment.

 

- Salman

[Randal6393]

Dr. Joe Vitolo's videos on Engrosser's Script are a great introduction to learning Copperplate work. Studied his videos, read a few of the pdf's, and practised for a few weeks. Then started seeing some progress, after two months or so was able to do a passable job on my daughter's wedding invitations. Also found Eleanor Winter's Italic and Copperplate Calligraphy to be of great help.

 

Best of luck,

[dms525]

 

 

Please excuse the smudges (from putting the page on the scanner before the ink was completely dry) and the change in pen in the middle of "gothic." The pen with which I started ran out of ink.

 

I strongly concur with the advice already offered. Work on one script at a time when you are in learning mode.

 

David

[ALeonardoA]

Greetings,

 

I am getting into calligraphy as of recent and have been focusing on gothic scripts. I'm actually trying to make an illuminated manuscript type of page based on a passage from the Divine Comedy. I'd like to use the more simple style gothic lettering to do it where it seems like the letters are smudged together, I tend to like that style. Anyways, I included an example of gothic majuscules that I enjoy writing and have been practicing with. I just ordered some Pilot and Rotring calligraphy pens as an upgrade from the cheap Manuscript pens I've been using, which aren't that great. Once I complete the page I'll upload it if I remember to. Cheers!

 

ALA

 

 

 

Edited January 18, 2016 by ALeonardoA

[dip_n_flow]

I am practicing the Palmer Method with some lyrics:

[pmhudepo]

I started with Edward C. Mills' Modern Business Penmanship several years ago, because it seemed like an elegant script that has good flow. I'm not sure what the script in Dutch schools ca. 1980 - 1986 was called, but looking back, D'Nealian or Zaner-Bloser would probably be a fair match, at least in general appearance.

 

I like the flow, the swift, thin lines and "horizontal drive" from Business Penmanship or Palmer better than the looks of DN or ZB, so when I found a downloadable PDF of the Mills' book, that's where I started. In retrospect, I might have been better off starting with the Palmer book because it seems to put more emphasis on developing speed. I spent many sessions focused on control (wrist anchored to the table, finger movement) getting frustrated that my writing just didn't have that nice flow of the samples in the book.

 

However, recently, I have been using Lloyd Reynolds' videos on YouTube to practise (Cursive) Italic handwriting and I must say that watching a skilled person write is invaluable. Find his lesson number 15 on YouTube, skip to 9:20, sit back and watch. Combined with numerous remarks throughout the lessons about what to do, what to avoid, about the history of certain letters... just great!

 

So: Business Penmanship and Cursive Italic.

 

Plus a half-decent Chicken Scratch when I'm in a hurry.

[Oldtimer]

Script samples1-13-16001.jpg

 

Please excuse the smudges (from putting the page on the scanner before the ink was completely dry) and the change in pen in the middle of "gothic." The pen with which I started ran out of ink.

 

I strongly concur with the advice already offered. Work on one script at a time when you are in learning mode.

 

David

 

 

I have started with simple italic with a booklet I was gifted from Marshall's stores on 2014's Xmas. I am still not even good at it since I have bouts of "practice every day" and then go back to "can't stand practicing". I try to have a good writing italic nib on my desk and on my pocket book to practice.

 

This booklet is simple, is clear, has the steps 1,2,3 for each letter and that is all than one needs. It even came with a notebook to practice and 3 calligraphy pens that didn't work with their cartridges but that wa snot necessary; envelopes and tags to practice. Can you imagine that? It was the best gift of that xMas. It's called INTRODUCTION TO CALLIGRAPHY by Diane Foisy.

 

Is there a book like that - with no history of the hand, just exercises for each letter for the next simpler hand? Not that I would start now with that second hand I would like to know, but I would like to have THE BOOK already. Ot another book on Italic, simple and straight forward.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Oldtimer

[dms525]

 

 

I have started with simple italic with a booklet I was gifted from Marshall's stores on 2014's Xmas. I am still not even good at it since I have bouts of "practice every day" and then go back to "can't stand practicing". I try to have a good writing italic nib on my desk and on my pocket book to practice.

 

This booklet is simple, is clear, has the steps 1,2,3 for each letter and that is all than one needs. It even came with a notebook to practice and 3 calligraphy pens that didn't work with their cartridges but that wa snot necessary; envelopes and tags to practice. Can you imagine that? It was the best gift of that xMas. It's called INTRODUCTION TO CALLIGRAPHY by Diane Foisy.

 

Is there a book like that - with no history of the hand, just exercises for each letter for the next simpler hand? Not that I would start now with that second hand I would like to know, but I would like to have THE BOOK already. Ot another book on Italic, simple and straight forward.

 

Hi, old timer.

 

Many good instructional books for learning italic script have been published. Unfortunately, some of the best ones are out of print, and when you can find a copy used, it is expensive.

 

A couple good options would include:

 

Fred Eager's "The Italic Way to Beautiful Handwriting." This seems to have been re-printed recently.

 

Dubay and Getty "Italic Letters."

 

My personal favorite, which is out of print for now, is Lloyd Reynolds' "Italic Calligraphy and Handwriting."

 

Reynolds made a series of 20 half-hour instructional videos for Oregon Public Broadcasting in the 1970's, shortly before his death. These can (and should) be used together with the workbook. The videos are available on youtube, Apple's iTune U and the web site of Reed College. I recommend viewing the videos, no matter which books you use to learn italic writing.

 

An "Exercise Book" that Reynolds published before the first edition of the one cited above can be downloaded as a pdf file from the Reed College web site. Here is a link: view as pdf

 

If the document displays for you (as it does for me), choose "View as pdf" from the menu on the left side of your screen and then use your browser's "File/Save as ..." menu item to save it to your own computer.

 

Happy writing!

 

David

Edited February 3, 2016 by dms525

[Gloucesterman]

So much information. Now I'm pulled in so many directions.

 

Take a deep breath...

now again, one more time.

Now where do I want to go?

 

I'm going back to the Spencerian and will come back to the italic in a few weeks (I hope).

 

Thank you to All for the information and resources.

[roycalligraphy]

Struggling with Palmer and Copperplate since a year.

[Oldtimer]

 

Hi, old timer.

 

Many good instructional books for learning italic script have been published. Unfortunately, some of the best ones are out of print, and when you can find a copy used, it is expensive.

 

A couple good options would include:

 

Fred Eager's "The Italic Way to Beautiful Handwriting." This seems to have been re-printed recently.

 

Dubay and Getty "Italic Letters."

 

My personal favorite, which is out of print for now, is Lloyd Reynolds' "Italic Calligraphy and Handwriting."

 

Reynolds made a series of 20 half-hour instructional videos for Oregon Public Broadcasting in the 1970's, shortly before his death. These can (and should) be used together with the workbook. The videos are available on youtube, Apple's iTune U and the web site of Reed College. I recommend viewing the videos, no matter which books you use to learn italic writing.

 

An "Exercise Book" that Reynolds published before the first edition of the one cited above can be downloaded as a pdf file from the Reed College web site. Here is a link: view as pdf

 

If the document displays for you (as it does for me), choose "View as pdf" from the menu on the left side of your screen and then use your browser's "File/Save as ..." menu item to save it to your own computer.

 

Happy writing!

 

David

 

Great! :-)