Reed Calligraphy Initiative Starts Italic Handwriting Group

[dms525]

With the start of the new school year, the Reed College Calligraphy Initiative is adding an "italic handwriting group" to the twice-weekly calligraphy-oriented "Scriptorium." This pleases me enormously. Handwriting is an "everyman's (and woman's) art." It's too important to leave to the artists! I am sure Lloyd Reynolds and Alfred Fairbank are smiling down from Heaven.

 

In other news, The Calligraphy Initiative, which has been instructing Portland school children in italic handwriting for a few years, is now collaborating with the Portland Calligraphy Society in this venture. They have donated 500 Pilot Parallel pens to this program.

 

David

[Randal6393]

Always up for a bit of good news. Thanks, David.

[ksm]

With the start of the new school year, the Reed College Calligraphy Initiative is adding an "italic handwriting group" to the twice-weekly calligraphy-oriented "Scriptorium."

#@$!$# it is stationary only. I've hoped for an e-learning initiative :-(

[bobje]

Great news! They're creative folks ... I'm sure an e-learning extension is in the back of their minds.

[dms525]

#@$!$# it is stationary only. I've hoped for an e-learning initiative :-(

 

Anyone would have quite a job to improve on the 20 instructional videos Lloyd Reynolds made for OPS, particularly when viewed in conjunction with his workbook. However, if you have some specific thoughts about the kind of e-learning activity you would like to see, share them. I will be happy to pass them on. If you are offering to endow such an endeavor, better yet.

 

David

[ksm]

I quite disagree, there is a lot of room for improvement.

• Lloyd Reynolds' lectures require heroic work on sound quality. Signal to noise ratio is very low in some episodes, it makes them hard to understand, especially for those to whom English is second language. The minimum effort solution would be closed caption text.

• There is also the matter of missing episode.

• If I remember correctly Lloyd Reynolds' lectures focus on calligraphic aspects of italic handwriting, some content pertaining to use of cursive italic as day to day handwriting would be nice.

 

I would like to take part in instructor led e-Learning.

• Study materials should be freely available.

• There could be paid for component.

  • Course should have clearly defined schedule.

  • Each week there should be assignments. (to be turned in by uploading hi-res scan of handwritten “answer”).

  • Instructor(s) should give timely feedback on assignments.

Paid for course, and regular assignments would provide additional motivation. Money would go to compensate instructor and to keep infrastructure running.

 

Of course there would be the usual problem of mismatch between my Polish income and American course cost, but this is to be expected.

Edited September 8, 2016 by ksm

[dms525]

I quite disagree, there is a lot of room for improvement.

• Lloyd Reynolds' lectures require heroic work on sound quality. Signal to noise ratio is very low in some episodes, it makes them hard to understand, especially for those to whom English is second language. The minimum effort solution would be closed caption text.

• There is also the matter of missing episode.

• If I remember correctly Lloyd Reynolds' lectures focus on calligraphic aspects of italic handwriting, some content pertaining to use of cursive italic as day to day handwriting would be nice.

 

I would like to take part in instructor led e-Learning.

• Study materials should be freely available.

• There could be paid for component.

  • Course should have clearly defined schedule.

  • Each week there should be assignments. (to be turned in by uploading hi-res scan of handwritten “answer”).

  • Instructor(s) should give timely feedback on assignments.

Paid for course, and regular assignments would provide additional motivation. Money would go to compensate instructor and to keep infrastructure running.

 

Of course there would be the usual problem of mismatch between my Polish income and American course cost, but this is to be expected.

 

I don't find the sound quality a problem. I think there may be a difference in the quality, depending on whether you are viewing the videos on youtube, iTunes U or the Reed College web site. That said, these videos are from ca. 1978 tapes, many of which were in poor shape when re-discovered just a few years ago. The missing Episode 2 is ... well, missing. I suggest you try accessing each source. You may find one easier to understand. All are free of charge.

 

The "study materials" that support the videos are currently out of print, although old copies are available through Amazon dot com. Reed College is currently working on re-publishing both Lloyd Reynolds' workbooks and Jaki Svaren's "Written Letters." I'll post something here when those become available. I have no idea about what they will cost.

 

What would be hard to improve on is Reynolds' charisma, his depth of knowledge of letter forms and his zen-informed sophistication in art instruction. These videos are like many great works of literature; as you become more knowledgable, new layers of insights are revealed, layer after layer.

 

I do agree that the techniques of distance learning have come a very long way since 1978. I will gladly pass on your suggestions. Thanks for taking the time to share them.

 

David

Edited September 9, 2016 by dms525

[bobje]

David,

You're right -- the Reynolds videos on YouTube are amazingly good resources. What's great about the video close-ups of his letter formation is that they show the rhythm, timing and shape of the strokes. If the series were to be made today, the iPad ebook on copperplate, created by Dr. Joseph Vitolo, might be a good model.

 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/script-in-copperplate-style/id547108521?ls=1

[dms525]

David,

You're right -- the Reynolds videos on YouTube are amazingly good resources. What's great about the video close-ups of his letter formation is that they show the rhythm, timing and shape of the strokes. If the series were to be made today, the iPad ebook on copperplate, created by Dr. Joseph Vitolo, might be a good model.

 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/script-in-copperplate-style/id547108521?ls=1

 

You are so right! No static image can fully communicate movement - direction, tempo, rhythm. And these are so important for calligraphy.

 

I did share ksm's wishes with Greg MacNaughten who coordinates calligraphy instruction at Reed. With his permission, Greg's reply follows.

 

Greetings, David.

We haven't really engaged this concept...yet. However, we are in the process of developing a website to serve both the Calligraphy Initiative in general as well as the Critical Practice Institute specifically, so we can better support our public school teachers.

 

Also, and this might be of interest to your FPN connections, Inga Dubay's new book should be out by the end of the month. Although she has developed this latest book with K-8 students in mind, I believe that included in the purchase of the book is access to the on-line instructional films she has been making with her son. These would be suitable for anyone learning the basics of the italic hand.

Finally, although we really want to encourage students to seek out teachers, we know that even Lloyd had visions of creating instructional films beyond the ones he made for public broadcasting. Those original films, as you know, are available on youtube and, although not of great production quality they are excellent for their instructional value.

So, the short answer is that we're thinking about initiating this kind of activity, but not just yet.

Best,

Greg

--

Gregory MacNaughton

Education Outreach and Calligraphy Initiative Coordinator

Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery Reed College

 

Inga Dubay's up-coming release was news to me.

 

Happy writing!

 

David