Messages

31

Tools & Supplies / Re: Moon palace sumi ink

« on: December 16, 2020, 05:16:58 PM »

Thank you very much for your answer. I didn't know that video and it is very instructive indeed. I don't quite like Kuretake mainly for two reasons: it makes thick hairlines it sticks to the nib (you can't wash it out). However in the video ranking it is one with the finest hairlines. The only advantage I see is that it works well in almost any paper (doesn't feather at all). However I will buy a bottle of Moon Palace if I can find it around. Thanks again.

32

Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Roundhand Calligraphy / Re: Comparison

« on: December 16, 2020, 09:28:11 AM »

Thank you anyway, Mr. Fraser. I am not a Copperplate practitioner, so the two questions were just for the shake of curiosity.

Concerning the book, I think the only edition available today is the one I have (or another one quite similar). It is a shame, because the plates are so reduced they are almost unreadable (at least for my poor eyes).

33

Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Roundhand Calligraphy / Re: Comparison

« on: December 15, 2020, 07:54:31 AM »

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I am learning a lot in this thread. May I have two questions?

1) Do you know the source of that John Clark's quote?

2) Who were the two proficient engravers Clark had in mind? I assume George Bickham is one of them, but what about the other?

Well, in fact I have a third question a bit off-topic: Is there any good modern facsimile edition of "The Universal Penman". The one I have is a humble paperback pocket edition printed for Amazon. Attending to the introduction by Philip Hofer (signed in 1941), this seems to be a cheap reprint of a larger format facsimile. 

Thanks in advance.

34

Tools & Supplies / Moon palace sumi ink

« on: December 12, 2020, 06:05:07 PM »

In my short calligraphy journey I have tried all the inks I could find and I have to confess that I am not fond of (generally beloved) sumi ink, specially for pointed pen. Everybody recommends Moon Palace, but the only sumi ink I can find around is Kuretake. My question is very simple: is Moon Palace much better than Kuretake? If so, where is the difference? I just would like to know if it is worth to try to find it somewhere. Thanks in advance.

35

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Two Short video clips

« on: December 01, 2020, 04:18:02 PM »

I find a lot of analogies in the processes of learning calligraphy and learning to play a music instrument, but it maybe just a personal perception. The overlapping of music and chess seems more evident, as both have a mathematical foundation. In the 18th century François-André Danican Phillidor excelled in composing music and playing chess. I am not sure if today's chess players know anything about his music compositions or if music lovers are aware about his chess career. We are too overspecialized to think something like that is even possible.

The other day Paul Antonio posted a video in Instagram, where he sings Gregorian chant while writing in textura, connecting the rhythm of the music with rhythm of the letters. I think is worth a watch.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHvWcFZgJ2R/

By the way, does anybody know other musician-calligraphers (present or past) apart from Mr. Fraser?

36

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Whisky label (video)

« on: December 01, 2020, 06:37:56 AM »

Whisky is not my favorite spirit, but watching this I definitely feel like a drink. Cheers.

37

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Two Short video clips

« on: December 01, 2020, 06:32:33 AM »

As an amateur musician and a wannabe amateur calligrapher I am truly impressed by your skills. Keep it going!

38

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Two Short video clips

« on: November 30, 2020, 04:02:17 PM »

I don't know if I like more your playing or your writing! Bravo, maestro!

39

Everyday Handwriting | Penmanship / Re: The mysterious blue lines

« on: November 30, 2020, 09:42:39 AM »

Thank you very much for your advice, Jean.  As I am working on my arm writing (muscular movement) the size of the letter is quite important, because with this technique I find difficult to write in a small size. However, it seems that is the kind of writing the advocates of the method were aiming for. I have found another way to calculate the overall size they had in mind: the length of the sentences they purpose for practice. I assume that they have to be written in just one line, but with my actual size I very often have to jump into the next line. I will follow your advice and try to reduce gradually the size once I get more control on my writing.

40

Everyday Handwriting | Penmanship / Re: The mysterious blue lines

« on: November 29, 2020, 03:22:23 PM »

Thanks once again. By no means I do intend to be finicky about this topic. I don't think making the ovals a bit bigger or smaller will make a big difference. What I would like to know is the expected overall size of the letters. I am using standard European grid paper (Rhodia pads and  similar stuff) which has 0,5 cm squares. This means that two lines of this paper (which is the common use) have a measurement very close to a 3/8 inches lined paper. As the proportion of BW letters follows the tradition of Spencerian, you have to divide this space in three parts, which gives about 3mm for normal letters without ascenders or descenders. But this is in the case you use the whole space between lines. One should write considerable smaller to avoid the collision of ascenders and descenders in two consecutive lines. I just don't know how to do my practice. I usually use two squares (1 cm) as a maximal height of my letters (for capitals and ascenders) but I write one line every three squares (I skip one square to avoid the collision between lines). I don't know how to explain it in a better way. Hope it makes any sense. Anyway I have the feeling that my writing is bigger than expected.

However, the more I dive into the question the most mysterious I find it. In his Lessons in Practical Penmanship H.P. Beheresmeyer says: "It is advisable that one use a good quality of paper size 8" by 11" with standard ruling" (pag. 3). And on the other hand, in his Modern Business Penmanship, Mills (who continuously refers to the blue lines as a reference of measurement) doesn't find necessary to mention any lines in his description of the desired paper for practice ("Good foolscap paper, having rather a smooth surface, is best for this work"; at the very start of his method, which is unpaged).

41

Everyday Handwriting | Penmanship / Re: The mysterious blue lines

« on: November 28, 2020, 03:35:21 PM »

Thanks everybody for the answers. With different linguistic expressions the reference to the space between two lines of the paper is definitely in a lot of old methods (Zaner, Tamblyn, Champion, Palmer...). I don't know if they all refer to to same measure or even if they thought the exact distance between lines was not so important.

42

Everyday Handwriting | Penmanship / Re: The mysterious blue lines

« on: November 28, 2020, 01:39:11 PM »

Well, thank you for such a precise answer, but I am at the same point, as I don't know which of these measures do the old methods refer to.

43

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Show me your festive flourishes! 😊

« on: November 27, 2020, 05:14:58 PM »

Thank you @Nikki I haven't signed up, as I am not ready yet for such a big task. I still have to practice a lot. Maybe next year.

44

Everyday Handwriting | Penmanship / The mysterious blue lines

« on: November 27, 2020, 04:04:13 PM »

This may be a stupid question, but it keep me intrigued. All the methods of business writing take the space between two (blue) lines of the paper as a unity of measure, but I don't have a clue about the standard distance between lines in the paper of that period in the US. If anybody could help me with this, I would have a better idea of the desired size of the letters and the movement exercises. Thanks.

45

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Show me your festive flourishes! 😊

« on: November 27, 2020, 03:41:11 PM »

Well, I though calligraphy might cure my aversion to Christmas and gave it a try.