Topics

16

Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Roundhand Calligraphy / Cursive in Grade School - Different Countries

« on: December 01, 2014, 12:48:15 PM »

Did you (UK and Europe) have to learn cursive in school growing up? Maybe that is why the states here are more responding to handwritten and calligraphy items.

17

Kind Critique / Italic lowercase letters critique

« on: November 24, 2014, 07:28:53 PM »

I decided to learn some Italic. Mainly because the temp is in the "feels like" single digits, so hey why not.

I watched Reggie Ezell's video on Italic to see how the strokes are made and I am using Winters “Italic and Copperplate Calligraphy (book)” exemplar. I have a 7° , 1:1:1 ratio with a 1.5 mm nib. I noticed the Italic hand has many styles, so if you have a exemplar you prefer, let me know.

If you have learned the Italic hand, I would love your input and guidance. I haven't really focused on the letter spacing as much with the words, because I am so focused on the correct form. So don't really worry about that as much at basic strokes and form.

Thanks in advance!

18

Favorite Resources / Calligrafia book by Barbara Calzolari (Info please)

« on: November 21, 2014, 05:12:35 PM »

I was just wondering if anyone heard if Barbara's book, will be available in the US, or at least in English. I saw the book on her Facebook and someones IG feed and I was just wondering how I could get a copy.

Any info would be great. Thanks in advance,

19

Workshops & Conference News / Spencerian and Engrossing Saga (have you attended)

« on: November 20, 2014, 11:06:02 AM »

I was just wondering if anyone has been to either the Spencerian Saga or Engrossing Saga. I would love feedback. I just wondered if it's something I should put on my calligraphy to attend list.


http://www.acornarts.org/spencerian-saga.html

20

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Poll: How did you find out about The Flourish Forum? (Please vote)

« on: November 16, 2014, 12:00:22 AM »

Greetings!

I was curious how everyone has come to join our Flourish Forum Family. I love stats!

I joined from an Instagram hashtag #flourishforum

Please vote and thanks in advance!

21

Tools & Supplies / Noodlers Ink not drying

« on: October 31, 2014, 11:25:54 PM »

So I used my Noodlers ink on a piece of watercolor paper I was working on last night.  I wrote mostly thin Spencerian with a few shades. I let it dry and this morning it was still not dry in the heavy ink spots.  It was sticky. I used Apache and Shah Rose colors.

So I warmed up my oven to 180 degrees and bakes it for 25 mins. Yes, I Betty Crockered it, but I have done this before with ink on cork board for my wedding invite bands that wouldn't dry. I found the idea on some website for ink stamping.

And it worked. It dried up the areas and I could erase my guidelines.

Has anyone seen this with Noodlers before? I used watercolor paper, not Arches just some Blick Art brand, so it seemed to soak up the ink.

I will probably water the ink down next time, so it's less dense.

Thanks for any help.

22

Spencerian Script / Spencerian Capital Variations Exemplars

« on: October 24, 2014, 10:32:04 PM »

I found this rare book on IAMPETH.com full of wonderful variations of capitals, "New Spencerian Compendium", Spencerian Authors, 1879. The link to the book is here

http://www.iampeth.com/books/spencerian_compendium/compendium_index.php

It has a lot of reading, but half way through there is the capital variations. I think I counted 19 R's. Great practice for you Spences and OP's out there.

IAMPETH's Rare books are my new favorite place to be on the web.

The Italian Script letters are so amazing.

23

Broad Edge Pen Calligraphy / Broad pen calligraphy ink

« on: October 18, 2014, 10:41:21 PM »

I would love any input into what are your favorite inks for broad pen nibs. I have two kinds I am starting to use Mitchell and Tape. I prefer the Tape.

Black

Colors

White

Gold

Thanks in advance for your input.

24

Broad Edge Pen Calligraphy / What broad edge calligraphy hand to begin with

« on: October 09, 2014, 09:37:14 PM »

I have a question for all the broad edge pen experts. My nephews would like to learn some calligraphy, so I was wondering what hand would be easy to learn for 10-14 year olds?

I was going to get them a starter kit with some parallel pens for Christmas and I thought I would get some exemplars too.

Would love your opinions.

Broad pen for 10-14 year olds:

Votes:
Gothic Textura (Gothic Bookhand) 7
Fraktura 4
Italic 4
Uncial 2
Foundational 2

No way just yet votes-
Roman Caps 2

Supplies:
Metallic broad pens

25

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Join a calligraphy guild

« on: September 23, 2014, 11:23:49 PM »

So I have been wanting to join a guild. I actually had the paper filled out for months. I saw another local calligrapher send her application in. Then I had a few discussions with other FF members about guilds. I was nervous and I just hate people looking at me and judging me, I know sorry excuse. My hubs does his best when I explain some new calligraphy topic of the day, so I thought I NEED TO BE AROUND MORE CALLIGRAPHERS. I sent my app in.

So last week I finally attended my first CCC meeting here in Chicago. It was wonderful.

At first I couldn't believe my eyes. I met Master Calligrapher Reggie Ezell and Master Penman Mike Kecseg! Holy moly. They are in my local guild. I am so lucky.  Actually, I didn't know that Mike was a master penman until two hours into the meeting. They are both down to earth and super nice. I also met Janice who doesn't own/use a computer, but has lived off being a calligrapher her whole life.

So, for the meeting, I tried to act all cool, but it was crazy. Crazy in a good way.

Everybody shared info, magazines and new tools. It was great!

So anybody that is afraid to join a guild like I was, don't be. It's wonderful to be here in the FF and also in a room full of practicing and very successful calligraphers too.

26

Favorite Resources / Master Calligrapher Barbara Calzolari

« on: August 05, 2014, 09:19:30 PM »

I fell in love with the medium of calligraphy not past masters and scripts.  But the more I read on this forum and buy exemplar books, I have come to have some calligrapher crushes.  My newest crush is Barbara Calzolari. I am amazed buy her lettering and calligraphy.  She is amazing!

Thanks to a few forum members, I was introduced to her.  My newest past time is to browse through her envelopes and addressing web page located here http://www.barbaracalzolari.com/envelopes-and-boxes/

I am a beginning envelope artist and I hope over the years of practice, I can be even close to her talent. I hope one day I will get to be a student of one of her classes.

http://www.barbaracalzolari.com

27

Spencerian Script / Favorite nib for Spencerian

« on: June 19, 2014, 10:10:03 PM »

I would love to know what nib(s) your prefer to use for Spencerian.  All opinions or facts, would be lovely.

Thanks in advance

28

Favorite Resources / Master Penman Jake Weidmann

« on: June 02, 2014, 09:29:17 AM »

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2012/11/30/so-you-want-my-job-master-penman/

I found a great interview about Master Penman Jake Weidmann. He answers a lot of questions and has wonderful images of his work.

Very inspiring!

I hope you like it as much as I did.

He is teaching a offhand flourish class in July in Texas at the International Lettering Arts Conference too. http://calligraphyconference.com/index.php/component/content/article?id=71

29

Tools & Supplies / Ziller Ink: any helpful suggestions

« on: May 19, 2014, 09:41:32 AM »

I was wondering if anyone uses Ziller ink. I found some info about this ink and was wondering if anyone has tried it.

Any info and nib you use would be great.

Thanks in advance!
 

30

Introductions / Hello from Chicago

« on: April 29, 2014, 08:57:30 AM »

Hello, my name is Amy. I started writing calligraphy in the 7th grade from a very diligent art teacher. I learned to write Chancery Cursive. I have always lettered on my own.

I studied art/design/typography in college and have been an art/graphic design teacher for 11 years.

I started calligraphy again over a year ago when I wrote out my save-the-dates for my wedding.

I currently have a calligraphy shop on Etsy, 5th Floor Designs. I love being able to share my talents with others on their envelopes, signs and invitations. I create my own fonts, and would eventually love to make them into digital type files. I love pointed pens, but also love to drawn modern calligraphy too.  I am an avid student of Copperplate and Spencerian that I hope to master one day...

I saw a #flourishforum tag on the Gram (Instagram) and found this amazing site! I am so glad that calligraphy, handwriting and cursive writing is still alive!

Thank you so much for creating this and putting in the hours to manage it!

Happy lettering!
Amy