Author Topic: Tuition in the South of the UK  (Read 4240 times)

Offline capsch

  • Freshman Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2
  • Karma: 0
    • View Profile
Tuition in the South of the UK
« on: May 07, 2014, 09:43:54 AM »
Hi a few years ago there used to be loads of calligraphy courses in the Berkshire area, I now wish to take this up again but cannot find anyone offering tuition in calligraphy let alone copper plate anyone know of anywhere/one?

cheers

Red

Offline Scarlet Blue

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 773
  • Karma: 26
  • I do joined up writing.
    • View Profile
    • Wonky Words
Re: Tuition in the South of the UK
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2014, 05:34:03 AM »
Hello,
Scribblers advertises correspondence courses on its site... if that's any help? I think they're with Gaynor Goffe. And Joy Daniels runs the Copperplate Special interest Group.
But, yes, I agree, it's very difficult to find copperplate classes in the South of England.
The tutorials on the flourish forum are excellent.
Sx

Offline chantellehoffmann

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 249
  • Karma: 12
    • View Profile
    • Bespoke Strokes Calligraphy
Re: Tuition in the South of the UK
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2014, 10:27:01 AM »
I'm on the Berkshire/Oxfordshire border and agree its very difficult to find any classes. I joined the Oxford Scribes calligraphy guild recently as they do host some classes occasionally. However, I seem to be sensing that pointed pen hands are not terribly popular here. I was practicing some Spencerian at one guild meeting and was actually told by one of the tutors that they didn't like the hand (not just my poor rendition of it, thankfully). Broad nib definitely seems to be more prevalent. If you do find something local, please do share :).
Chantelle Hoffmann
Instagram: @bespokestrokes Web:BespokeStrokes.com Facebook: FB

Offline capsch

  • Freshman Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2
  • Karma: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Tuition in the South of the UK
« Reply #3 on: May 09, 2014, 04:17:51 AM »
ok will do I cant find any generic calligraphy anymore, its a shame as its way better learning as a group

Offline Erica McPhee

  • Administrator
  • Super Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7201
  • Karma: 332
  • Be brave. Love life!
    • View Profile
Re: Tuition in the South of the UK
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2014, 01:08:20 AM »
Perhaps search for Anglaise instead of Copperplate, as it is more commonly referred to in Europe? But yes, broad pen is much more popular there than pointed pen.
Warm Regards,
Erica
Lettering & Design Artist
Flourish Forum Shop
Instagram

Offline Estefa

  • Super Hero Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1523
  • Karma: 124
    • View Profile
    • Federflug
Re: Tuition in the South of the UK
« Reply #5 on: May 10, 2014, 03:30:11 AM »
I guess, in England itself maybe looking for " English Roundhand" is also a good idea … on the other hand Ken Fraser wrote somewhere that his clients wouldn't understand the term "Roundhand", so it would be interesting to know how you call it usually in UK, somebody (Ken?) could clear this up ;)?

I checked on Paul Antonio's site (I'd so like to go to a workshop – I'd fly to London for this – but that's an aside …), and he calls it "Copperplate" on his site … but maybe because he also works for international clients?

So here's a list of how's it called in different European countries, as far as I know:

France: "Anglaise"
Spain: "Inglesa"
Germany: "Englische Schreibschrift" or "Anglaise", "Copperplate" starts to be used

Anyone knows more?

@chantellehoffmann That's really – how smug is that?? I have heard though similar things from a calligrapher here in Germany. She learnt all the most important historical hands as part of her tuition as a letterer in the 80s in the GDR, and she told me that her teachers told her often that calligraphy should NOT be "pleasing", meaning not flourished, simple, up to the purpose and not decorative. So I am not sure if that is the same attitude but something a bit similar at least. I think that has a lot to do with the work of Edward Johnston whose books were translated to German very early and have a huge influence on how calligraphy is seen here today. He regarded pointed pen and excessive flourishing more or less as a deviation from the perfection of the broad pen medieval and rennaissance book calligraphy … in all German calligraphy books I have, that go a bit in history, they point out that the 19th century was a time of decadence and decline in terms of handwriting and calligraphy, and they blame this duly to the rise of the pointed steel nib (I think what was part of a romantic idealisation of the pre-industrial world, part of a bigger artistic / historical movement … I am not sure of this, it's just my impression, I just soak up bits and pieces of informations I find on my way ;D) … it's really strange considering that in the US this era is regarded as the Golden Age of Penmanship!!

Sorry for the meandering post!!
Stefanie :: Website :: Blog :: Instagram

Offline Brush My Fennec

  • Junior Member
  • **
  • Posts: 90
  • Karma: 17
    • View Profile
Re: Tuition in the South of the UK
« Reply #6 on: May 10, 2014, 08:30:19 AM »
I live in the UK and I got very curious a while back as to why calligraphy is like it is today in the UK with respect to the broad edge pen and pointed pen, so I did some reading and research and what seems to have happened is that in the late 19th century there was a surge of interest in Medieval illumination and lettering and various books were published on the subject. One of these was "Alphabets: A Manual of Lettering" by Edward F. Strange. The young Edward Johnston had/saw a copy of this book and became interested in calligraphy, ending up teaching at the Central School in London in 1899, and teaching a class at the Royal College of Art.

Edward Johnston disliked the then contemporary calligraphy, especially the pointed pen and preferred medieval manuscripts. He did not use the pointed pen and appears to have known little about it or the history of calligraphy beyond the middle ages. He passed his dislikes onto his students and he and/or his students preached various dogmas such as pointed pen calligraphy not being real calligraphy, that calligraphy was only the broad edge pen and that the broad edge pen had been lost/forgotten till Edward Johnston re-discovered it ; these are all claims which can be found in books or material published by students of Johnston or students of his students (E.g the "Calligraphy Today" books). Johnston's book : "Writing, Illuminating and Lettering" (which is heavily indebted to Edward Strange's book, if you've ever compared the two) was claimed to be *the* calligraphy book.

The upshot was, over the course of the 20th century, Johnston and his students had some success in creating the idea that calligraphy = broad edge pen, medieval manuscripts and Edward Johnston in the UK, and abroad evidently. I suppose they were also riding on the coat-tails of romantic ideas about industrialisation, medieval period, authenticity and so forth and influenced by those ideas themselves.

Offline Estefa

  • Super Hero Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1523
  • Karma: 124
    • View Profile
    • Federflug
Re: Tuition in the South of the UK
« Reply #7 on: May 10, 2014, 08:57:22 AM »
You might like this book by Ewan Clayton I reviewed here

http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=789.msg7474#msg7474

(if you didn't read it already, I mean ;)!)

It goes in some depths into the circumstances and story of Mr. Johnston and his students … (among a 1000 other things regarding writing / calligraphy).

Stefanie :: Website :: Blog :: Instagram

Offline AndyT

  • Super Hero Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 2093
  • Karma: 150
    • View Profile
Re: Tuition in the South of the UK
« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2014, 10:49:58 AM »
Yes, Johnston's influence on British calligraphy can hardly be overstated.  I've often thought that he ties in well with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the Arts and Crafts movement, what with that focus on a mediaeval aesthetic combined with a concentration on the "craft" side of calligraphy.  I like his handwriting rather more than his calligraphy, truth to tell.

Returning to the subject of tuition, the Spencerian Study Group run by Brian Walker still seems to be going.  Although it started out as a Northern thing, there's no mention of the meetings in York in the latest information sheet, so maybe it's best regarded as an international correspondence learning community now.  Despite the name, the stated aim of the group is to "inform and promote the appreciation, understanding, study, practise and creative extension of a period of American artistic endeavour now regarded as the Golden Age of Ornamental Penmanship", and "Engrosser’s Script (Copperplate), flourishing, amazing signature writing (called Superscription), drawn portraiture, engrossing and illuminating" are on the menu.  Up till now I've been far too timid to approach Brian, but my writing's now at the stage when I could use a little help so joining up is on the cards.

Contact details here
« Last Edit: May 15, 2014, 01:24:11 PM by AndyT »

Offline Erica McPhee

  • Administrator
  • Super Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7201
  • Karma: 332
  • Be brave. Love life!
    • View Profile
Re: Tuition in the South of the UK
« Reply #9 on: May 15, 2014, 11:16:17 AM »
Such interesting reading! I have experienced this type of prejudice first hand (of broad pen being superior). Indeed there is some snobbery still happening in calligraphy today. I try to avoid it at all costs lest it detract from the pure love I have for all that are letters.

Andy, no need to be timid in regards to Brian. He is so very generous and kind. We corresponded many years ago and he sent the most marvelous mail.  :)
Warm Regards,
Erica
Lettering & Design Artist
Flourish Forum Shop
Instagram

Offline AndyT

  • Super Hero Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 2093
  • Karma: 150
    • View Profile
Re: Tuition in the South of the UK
« Reply #10 on: May 15, 2014, 01:26:41 PM »
Erica, I contacted Brian over the weekend, and got a charming reply despite him being on holiday.  I'll report back on the study group when I know more.  :)

Offline Scarlet Blue

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 773
  • Karma: 26
  • I do joined up writing.
    • View Profile
    • Wonky Words
Re: Tuition in the South of the UK
« Reply #11 on: May 15, 2014, 02:40:34 PM »
It was the snobby, elitist vibe that put me off having any lessons. Back in the eighties when my interest in calligraphy began, it was even worse... I felt a little bit alienated by the calligraphy 'authorities'!
I think it's shocking that a style of writing was dismissed in a whole country because one very small group of people didn't approve of it. The UK can be very stuffy sometimes!

Offline AndyT

  • Super Hero Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 2093
  • Karma: 150
    • View Profile
Re: Tuition in the South of the UK
« Reply #12 on: May 15, 2014, 03:35:39 PM »
The UK can be very stuffy sometimes!

Oh, hear hear!  That's why there's absolutely no chance of me ever joining a photographic society. 

Offline Ken Fraser

  • Super Hero Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 2295
  • Karma: 174
  • Calligrapher
    • View Profile
Re: Tuition in the South of the UK
« Reply #13 on: May 17, 2014, 04:54:05 PM »
In response to Estefa's post #5,

As I explained before, if I call the script by its correct, original title - "English Roundhand" none of my clients know what I'm talking about.

When I call it "Copperplate" most have an idea what it looks like, especially when I add "the sort of thing you see on Wedding Invitations".

Ken