Inky T O D - Ink Pen Paper And Handwriting Musings #4 - Which Script Do You Think You Will Learn To Use?

April 16, 2018

Inky TODs are Topics O'Day and are meant to generate conversation about a particular topic. Yesterday, my beloved nib guy (who is also a penpal) sent me the following following:

I was contemplating on some of the things you expressed about your handwriting.

I like to know what your opinions are concerning this matter as we leave our marks behind with the pen we use.

Personally, before I go six feet under, I like to impress my daughter and everyone that is left behind with the knowledge that I have acquired and mastered three handwriting script, of which I deemed most useful: Fraktur for the times when I want to be a little mysterious, Spencerian for all the times I like to show off, and for the everyday hand italics. These three scripts, I am currently nurturing and to perfect. The closer I get to it, the more I like it.

Musing one: http://www.fountainp...y/#entry4035298

Musing two: http://www.fountainp...g/#entry4036188

Musing three: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/335140-inky-t-o-d-ink-pen-paper-and-handwriting-musings-3-whose-handwriting-do-you-like-the-most/

Which handwritten script do you think you will learn to use with fluidity? Or which script if any will you attempt to learn?

Now examples might include: Spencerian, Kurrent, Chancery, Fraktur, Zaner-Bloser, Gettey Dubay, D'Nealian, Palmer (you tell us)

Now before Lapis asks why this topic is here (and not in another forum) - the answer is because for me the answer has something to do with ink. If it doesn't for you, that's okay.

For the best handwritten reply (or perhaps more than one great reply), I will send out a gift. (Nothing huge, but you can be surprised.) Enter as many times as you want. Only the handwritten posts will be considered for special gifts, but all posts are appreciated.

April 16, 2018

Pen is my new TWSBI eco 1.1mm. I dont have it under full control yet, it literally just came yesterday. Calligraphy is freehand, without guidelines. Ink is Platinum Carbon Black on the theory that Ive liked it in much wider nibs and its married to the xf eco. It seemed like a good first place to start. Paper is Fabriano Eco Qua. (Aka first thing I found)

I get something out of doing this kind of absolutely freehand calligraphy. Not sure why I like it, but I do.

I keep toying with going back to pointy u, v and w lately. The round versions are easy and comfy, and they offer more serif chances than pointy does. Too hard to get huge flourishes to fit a pointy version.

You can take the i/j confusion in my hand from my cold dead hands tho.

Theres some really great lowercase bs in this sample. Im often unhappy with them because the kerning tends to go nightmarish. But I think I got the b about right. And I worked in some tricky ligatures.

The paper/ink combo is a bit feather prone. I havent worked out how much of the blobby feel Im fighting is feathering yet.

April 16, 2018

Great question. Here is my reply:

Written with a Conklin Duragraph FP with 1.1 stub nib

Paper is Cambridge notebook paper

Ink is Rohrer & Klingner Verdura

And yes this ink bleeds and feathers terribly on this paper using this pen. This was the first time I have tried this pen/ink/paper combo. I won't make the mistake again.

April 17, 2018

I am trying to re-create the Roundhand style I was taught in Grade 4, for one year. I cannot find any examples which contain all the letters in the form I remember I was taught. I seem to have elements of Zaner Blose, Palmer, Vere Foster and something that was taught to Portugese speaking children.

I may have simply had a deranged Primary School teacher...

The next year, at a different school, I was taught what was then called Modified Cursive, a style of Italic, which I still use.

More to come...

April 17, 2018

April 23, 2018

So, I realize that I need to try and learn a style that for me has the lowest barrier to entry. For me, the barriers, are the financial costs and the time costs.

http://www.sheismylawyer.com/2018-Ink/2018-04/slides/2018-04-23_Ink_1.jpghttp://www.sheismylawyer.com/2018-Ink/2018-04/slides/2018-04-23_Ink_1side.jpg

Barriers to entry are the existence of high startup costs or other obstacles that prevent new competitors from easily entering an industry or area of business. ... Common barriers to entry include special tax benefits to existing firms, patents, strong brand identity or customer loyalty, and high customer switching costs.