Copperplate Exemplar & Guidelines

[Erica McPhee]

Hi Flourish Friends!

Attached is a new Copperplate (Engrosser's Script) exemplar with ductus and guidelines I have developed using sizes and spacing from exemplars of the old masters, most notably Earl A. Lupfer.

As I worked to improve my Engrosser's Script, I found it important to have specific guidelines to help me make more consistent letterforms. I have tweaked this quite a bit and am happy with how it has developed.

As always, please let me know you have any questions. I hope you enjoy! 

[cejohnson]

Very cool Erica. I did something similar to what you did, but I also added an additional line slightly above the headline and slightly below the baseline for the ascending and descending loops. This example uses a Charlton Howe example.

I agree with you about developing these based on the work of past masters. Right now I am studying WA Baird and creating a lower case exemplar based on his lessons. It is a lot of work, but I learn so much 

Cat

[Erica McPhee]

Gorgeous Cat! Thanks for sharing. Yes, it has been interesting to see the variances in the masters. Unless you really break it down, it all seems similar. 

[KristinT]

What a delightful exemplar, @Erica McPhee !  I really like how you've labelled the guidelines, too.  I will definitely be printing this out to keep at my desk for reference.  Separately, may I ask what blue ink you are using (maybe McCaffery's?)?  It's quite a lovely shade!

[Erica McPhee]

Thanks @KristinT ! Yes - that is McCaffery’s Indigo. I like it full strength but I also like it as it wears down and I dip in my water then the ink - it becomes this really pretty aquamarine color (my favorite). 

[lale_75]

Wowwwww!!! Thank you Erika! I'll try it hiding the legend to see if my copperplate is correct!

Thank you!
Alessandra

[Erica McPhee]

You're welcome Alessandra! I hope you enjoy it! 

[Karl H]

Hey Folks,

If you could recommend only one or two books that have good exemplars of the Old Masters, which ones would they be?  I'm just comfortable enough with basic techniques now and am interested in exploring the letter forms in more detail, and studying the masters and comparing their differing styles sounds like a good way to go about it.  There seems to be quite a few to choose from, and I've no idea which would be "best" for what I'm after.

Thanks in advance for your recommendations!

[cejohnson]

Hi Karl

This forum is so rich with many exceptional penman that will provide more than I can, but I wanted to share with you a few of the sites I have used that provide 'free' material from various penman of the past:

The Zanerian Manual of Alphabets (this is a great pdf guide most everyone would recommend)
https://masgrimes.com/archive/zanerian-manual

Zanerian.com provides website links to many of the great old masters
http://www.zanerian.com/Lessons.html

Mr. M G Ward has put together some of the lessons from the old Business Educator into pdf files:
https://mrmgward.com/archive/business-educator-lessons/

And if you want to buy one book with many great examples, you cannot go wrong with 'The Universal Penman' by George Bickham:
https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Penman-George-Bickham/dp/1607964082/ref=asc_df_1607964082/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312138007830&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6153203327111332201&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033471&hvtargid=pla-568061557820&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=60258871097&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312138007830&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6153203327111332201&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033471&hvtargid=pla-568061557820

I hope some of these will be helpful.

Peace,
Cat

[Rivers]

Erica,
This is awesome! Thank you.

[Wanderful Writs]

Thank you Erica, enjoy your flourishing techniques and calligraphy style. 

[Tasmith]

Thank you!

These will be most helpful as I just started learning Copperplate using Eleanore Winters' book "Mastering Copperplate Calligraphy", and Gordon Turner's book "The Technique of Copperplate Calligraphy.

[clonehappy]

Hi there! This is amazing info thank you! My question here is ... is Engrosser's the same as Copperplate?  I'm getting so confused, cause I thought English Roundhand was pretty much the older name for Copperplate. But it seems like Engrosser's is being used interchangeably with Copperplate, but it looks like there's a different slant and slightly different shape to the letters with Engrosser's. Then I saw Engraver's >.< Can anyone shed some light on this so I can get it and maybe KEEP it straight lol. I just dont want to learn what I think is proper, then realize oh wait ... I've been going with something NOT Copperplate   Thanks!

[Erica McPhee]

This is such a good question!

Copperplate is a general term used to describe several styles of shaded scripts (called hands) done with a pointed pen. While the differences are subtle, Roundhand, Engrosser’s Script, Engraver’s Script, Anglaise, and English Script are all frequently referred to as Copperplate.

Beginning in the late 1500’s, English Roundhand Script was written with a quill and frequently engraved onto copper plates. Thus the term Copperplate came to be. In the 1800’s, penmen emulated the engraved style with steel nibs and the terms Engraver’s Script and Engrosser’s Script were used interchangeably.

While English Roundhand was written like handwriting, Engrosser’s and Engraver’s Script were drawn using individual strokes.

I believe Ken has posted a sample of each somewhere, let me see if I can find it and will post a link. 

[Erica McPhee]

This is a great article by Dr. Joe Vitolo: Demystifying the Copperplate/Spencerian Script Enigma