Messages

1

Coffee & Nib-bles / Re: How to combine calligraphy practice with kids around?

« on: February 12, 2017, 05:19:06 AM »

it's all the time "watch me, help me, do this, I want that"

Hi! And welcome to the club  . The quote above is just about what most of the kids do. My own included. And pretty much I do what Anjali said already. Apart from that I enjoy my wife's support who whenever she can she would take our (almost) 5 yo daughter and give her something else to do. But mostly the night is when I can practice. And sometimes during weekends when grandmas come to the rescue.
On the other hand, try to talk to them. It's easy to say, I know. But when the nibs came and I started calligraphy, imagine her eyes wide open... She wanted to touch and write with everything. I told her the nibs are for dad only and she could hurt herself with the nibs because "look, see how pointy and sharp they are!!". Inks are always somewhere high up. What I like is that she often comes near me bringing all her pencils and drawing pads and start doing her own calligraphy  . I think it's OK to let the kids see (not necessarily write) you practicing. Plus, most of the kids loose interest pretty soon. So, what can I say, keep doing your stuff, talk to them, seek help within your family... Assign them other chores and give rewards if they let you do your stuff.
Hope this helps...

2

Copperplate Tutorial by SMK / Re: Copperplate Minuscules - Group 4

« on: February 06, 2017, 02:10:09 PM »

Thank you very much, Salman. Both for your kind words and, especially, for your patience and helpful feedback.
Of course, I'll keep practicing and I think I'll give it another try with the sentence. I'm considering posting it to my previous post on Kind critique section if you don't mind. And I am proud (kinda  ) but it is only lately that I discovered how much work, time, determination, attention and systematic practice it takes to get around here (which is not far, I know, but "every thousand miles starts with the first step").
Looking forward to majuscules...

3

Copperplate Tutorial by SMK / Re: Copperplate Minuscules - Group 4

« on: February 03, 2017, 02:05:52 AM »

Hi.
Well, not much to say, just practicing... Of course there are some letters gone wrong, but ...up from a plane they look good  .

4

Copperplate Tutorial by SMK / Re: Copperplate Minuscules - Group 4

« on: January 30, 2017, 02:57:26 PM »

Thanks for the feedback, @SMK .
You mean writing the words at the beginning of this group or the sentence??

5

Copperplate Tutorial by SMK / Re: Copperplate Minuscules - Group 4

« on: January 29, 2017, 03:38:01 AM »

Thanks, Brad, for your appreciation. Actually, I too get angry when my hand doesn't obey so I leave the nib aside and do something else (in fact, lately, this "something else" means I am flirting with broad edge calligraphy  ). But there are moments when frustration escalates no matter what I do. I should have started this beautiful art when younger....
Latest update below...

6

Copperplate Tutorial by SMK / Re: Copperplate Minuscules - Group 4

« on: January 26, 2017, 05:19:20 PM »

It is killing me!!! The "s" minuscule. And the "x". Sometimes I feel like I GOT it, sometimes my hand (and nib and ink and paper) just doesn't want to listen to my brain. And I get frustrated. And if I see that 2 or 3 rows of practice just don't look/feel right, I decide to leave it for some other time. I looked over your example many times, draw the letters by pencil, measured them, traced over them with nib w/o ink... And, yes, asking myself if I'm just stupid?!
On the brighter side of things  , I found a word (that's me discovering the wheel again  ) that is short and it has both "s" and "x" in it and which pleases all of us - if it's not only on the paper .  You'll figure it out for sure. Oh, yes, and I hope I'm not stepping on eggs here.

7

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: How Do You All Get Here?

« on: January 24, 2017, 05:06:54 AM »

My bookmark points to http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php.  I sign in every time, by the way.

The same for me. Plus bookmarked "unread topics" on my laptop, and occasionally sign in from phone (when at work  ).

PS Don't know where to click on the poll above?!

8

Tools & Supplies / Re: W&N ink problem

« on: January 23, 2017, 04:02:19 AM »

Yeah, this is why I like this community so much: there's always someone to come to the rescue.
I let the bottle open over night - didn't do much for pointed pen, BUT I've tried it on a broad edge nib and it works (somehow) - thanks Salman and Stefanie for suggesting this. It seems is like I cannot make crisp corners at the beginning. Like too much ink flows too quickly and then it began to settle. Until I load the nib and it does the same thing again. I suspect this time it's not from the ink but from something I do (or don't do!?). Anyone had the same problem? I was using a WM Roundhand nib.
Tried Quink - it's ok for me, the only issue is that I have to load the nib more often than with other inks (wonder why???). I've also tried gouache and it performed very well.

9

Tools & Supplies / Re: W&N ink problem

« on: January 22, 2017, 12:11:41 PM »

Thanks brd4790 and Stefanie for the replies.
I did this: put about 8 ml ink in a smaller container and added about 10 drops of gum arabic and stirred. And the result was more or less the same. Do you think I should add more? I'll try that and see...
I am a bit disappointed about this - since it says clearly on the label "calligraphy ink" . Not to mention that I put a new nib to try and - the same. Though the nib works alright with walnut ink from you, Stefanie  , and with the one made by myself... And on 3 different paper types (on one of these it did bleed a bit).

10

Tools & Supplies / W&N ink problem

« on: January 22, 2017, 06:07:43 AM »

Hi everyone.
And sorry Erica if this is not the right place for the topic.
So, I got some Winsor Newton "Calligraphy Ink, Violet". I was very excited, but when I tried to use it - no more hairlines, plus that the color starts to fade away as you move forward. I really want some help, since I bought 3 bottles (different colours) and I don't want to think they are completely useless. I upload a photo of the problem, maybe someone bumped into this as well and is willing to give some hints.
PS Both nib (cleaned it just before using W&N) and paper are OK since I can write very well with walnut ink or Pelikan ink (these are the only inks I have at the moment).
Thank you.

11

Copperplate Tutorial by SMK / Re: Copperplate Minuscules - Group 4

« on: January 21, 2017, 12:58:01 AM »

The day of the fox 
...coz this is what I've been practicing lately. Looking forward to some feedback. Have a nice weekend everyone.

12

Copperplate Tutorial by SMK / Re: Copperplate Minuscules - Group 1

« on: January 15, 2017, 02:40:52 PM »

Hi. I guess that x-height is good (though it looks very big for me) as Salman advised us to start at bigger x-height (my practice sheets are at 7.5 mm or 8 mm which I found to be about 19/64 inches).

13

Copperplate Tutorial by SMK / Re: Copperplate Minuscules - Group 4

« on: January 14, 2017, 04:14:55 PM »

Back again. I did practice on specific letters and I'll post my practice words though I don't feel like I'm ...proficient or something. I'll keep practice anyway.
P.S. Don't mind the first 'extr?me' - it's crap. Hope it doesn't injure anyone's eyes.

14

Completed/Past Exchanges / Re: Poem in Your Pocket Forum Share

« on: January 13, 2017, 12:23:28 PM »

Thank you for the answer, Erica. And congrats for all your exchange/share ideas.

15

Completed/Past Exchanges / Re: Poem in Your Pocket Forum Share

« on: January 12, 2017, 10:33:20 AM »

I love this idea of "sharing" since I'm just a newbie here and a real exchange seems daunting at the moment.
This one and the Cheer Up the Lonely Challenge Share are by far the most attractive to me. So my dumb question is: I am to share my favourite calligraphed poem on April 24th exactly, or sometime along but no later than that particular date?