A plea for more discreet flourishing

[Ken Fraser]

I dislike the current trend to over-flourish lettering and present this, as an example of the worst of the genre.

This job dates from the sixties when I was keen to get work and would accept any commission, no matter how tasteless. The client insisted on a lot of  flourishing around, and on top of, the lettering and repeatedly asked for more and more until the resulting mess quite overwhelmed the script. To maintain some kind of legibility I was compelled to strengthen the letters, completely destroying the original look of the piece. By this time, I was sick of it and just wanted to get finished. So here it is; an example of the very worst of "barbed wire" flourishing which does nothing to enhance the script and just looks awful.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not against flourishing and frequently indulge in the practice myself. However, I think of it like a framed painting, No matter how ornate, the frame should never overwhelm the painting but should enhance it. Similarly, flourishing should enhance lettering and make it more interesting and attractive but it should never be allowed to compete for attention. 

Unfortunately, over-flourishing is quite common today, and there are many examples of otherwise competent lettering which has been submerged under a welter of spaghetti!  I think that I'll have a tee shirt printed "LET THE LETTERING BREATHE!"

Ken

[Jamie]

I absolutely agree with this Ken!

Especially since in my opinion the over-flourishing makes it much harder to actually read what's been written, which (most of the time) defeats the point of having written words in the first place. In my opinion.

If you really want a piece of art instead of words to display, then just do some kind of abstract pointed pen inspired piece, but don't attempt to put any actual words in it if someone has to stare at them for long to be able to even read them.

[Elisabeth_M]

So here it is; an example of the very worst of "barbed wire" flourishing which does nothing to enhance the script and just looks awful.

Ken

It looks a bit like when my cat gets ahold of some yarn.

[AndyT]

Haha!  Reminds me of Schin's "Annoy a Postman" project a while ago. 

Not altogether sure how I feel about this.  Legibility is probably the weakest argument against excessive flourishing, and good taste the strongest - but that's subjective anyway.  Were one to compile a list of the worst offenders when it comes to baroque decoration, it would have to include Jan van den Velde, Edward Cocker and George Bickham, amongst many other big names.

[Ken Fraser]

Andy is, of course, correct and whilst I concur entirely with the following sentiment expressed by Ambrose Serle, I do appreciate that this is totally subjective and that all opinions have equal value............just as long as everyone agrees with me     

[AndyT]

That would be the Ambrose Serle who died of mercury sulphide poisoning when an outraged illuminator slipped some in his tea, would it? 

[Ken Fraser]

That would be the Ambrose Serle who died of mercury sulphide poisoning when an outraged illuminator slipped some in his tea, would it? 

Oh!   How unfortunate.     However, he was spot on as regards penmanship, and their disagreement may have been about football or something, and nothing to do with lettering!