Flourish Forum
Tutorials => Kind Critique => Topic started by: cameraflier on February 15, 2015, 11:51:03 AM
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I have photos from a few recent efforts. I'm going to start posting them here, and (hopefully) periodic updates as my skills improve. Joining this forum is inspiring me to better my hand. I'll mark the starting point here.
First up: helping a friend pay bills. I snagged the envelope, and whipped out my workhorse Waterman. It's an old 2a nib that serves as my daily driver. Alas, no dip pen kit yet. But I'm working on that.
I could spend days poking at this. The second line is crowded. That's the big one I see. It's a start....
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I like sending letters and postcards to nieces, nephews and extended family kids. The black is all with the same fountain pen as above, with colored markers. The recipient is a toddler, so I figured it's all about color. I didn't want to lettering too fancy, as he's still working on his ABC's. I had fun with the stamp.
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So I had the paper hidden in my cache, but had never used it. As I walked through a craft store, looking for my first dip pen kit, I had this idea for Valentine's Day. I had seen a Florentine Letter Fold (http://www.ghh.com/elf/FlorentineLetterfold.html) elsewhere, but hadn't tried it. I somehow build this concept as I stood in the isle. I picked up a crow quill, and three miniature bottles of speedball ink. My first project with a dip pen.
Only the address is written on this outside. The stamp seals the envelope closed.
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Thanks for sharing
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These are so lovely! I know what you mean about spending a day picking at your own work ... but to my eyes, these are great, and you really don't need to.
I also LOVE that letter to a toddler! I'm going to have to use that brightly-coloured idea - I have a four-year-old who I owe a letter :)
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Do I detect another Virginia calligrapher? Welcome to thd Forum!
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These are beautiful!!
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Thank you for sharing !
What a wonderful things to see before going to sleep !
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I love that folded envelope!!!! So fun!
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More with the Crow Quill. I'm coming from a fountain pen background, with a stash of fp inks sitting on my desk. I used Diamine Chocolate for the address and butterfly. First in pencil, then inked. I'll find some real dip pen inks soon.
My "K" needs serious work. I fill practice sheets, but I'm still unsatisfied with it. I should spend an afternoon prowling images for a really good specimen to mimic. I saw the exemplar in the "Pointed Pen Nirvana". I'll probably start there.
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That butterfly is GORGEOUS.
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Got my first oblique holder, some Zerbra Gs, and McCaffery's glassy black. .... more to learn.
This is a second attempt at executing this envelope idea. I liked lady on the first one better. I had inked that first, then I went for some Diamine fp ink for the address. (I wanted some color) It bleed horribly. The attached second attempt is all McCaffery's. This time it seems I completely lacked discipline with my lettering guidelines. Considering giving it a third go. .... I already stamped it. So I probably won't.
practice and patience... practice and patience.
If you see Kathleen, please keep this one a secret. ..for now. ;)
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Still trying. I was more vigilant of guidelines this time. I think the 'R' is the weakest link. I also need to reconsider my A. I think I pulled when I should have pushed the left side. oops. Unhappy with the mug handle, but that's different.
Criticism is always welcome.
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Still at it. I've been doing a lot of kid envelopes. Finally a grown-up offering here, showing a little progress (I hope). This time a set of nested envelopes, with a kind nod to Jean's blog post here. http://pushingtheenvelopes.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html
the smallest envelope has a small note inside.
much to work on.....
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I'm having fun with the nested envelopes. Here is another variation on the same theme. This time, I know the recipient is very fond of puzzles. Maybe she'll get a kick out of it.
I feel ok about her name, but after that ... I'm not so keen on the addressing. I purposefully did the name a bit bigger. Maybe the change in scale had something to do with it. Oh well... it's progress, and it's in the mail.
I should start tracking the watercolor discussion...
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The idea of nested envelopes is brilliant!
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On a tear lately.
All pointers are appreciated.
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Nice work! What a gorgeous stamp in the corner too!
About the horizontal line, something about it that bugs me, can't put my finger on it though...
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...About the horizontal line, something about it that bugs me, can't put my finger on it though...
I have a bad habit of over-slanting. My letters start falling over, and sliding off the page. I'm trying to use more/better guidelines, and be vigilant. I wonder if that's what you're seeing.....
Also, the photo was a little skewed, warping the perspective. (that's a weak excuse though)
Here with a scanner.
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That must be it. I perceive a difference in the parallelism of the text lines and the physical line. The physical line accentuates this. So be careful, all your pencil guide lines should be absolutely parallel.
I also notice that the physical line is a little "sloppy" in a couple of places. Try to draw it in one unbroken and even stroke.
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This is my second try with white. (Dr. Martin's) Generally, I love the stuff. Still working toward the proper dilution. I think it was too thick this time. But I'm hooked on white.
The M, R, and A... ugh. tons to work on.....
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Still writing, if not posting.
Attached is my offering for Valentine's Day. I typically lay siege to the mailbox this time of year. I've been putting one in the Missus each day for a while. I'm holding this one for last. Tons to work on, but it's progress.
It's a blatant steal from here: https://thepostmansknock.com/typography-art-envelope-tutorial/
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Lovely! Very nice for Valentine's Day :).
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I love that Valentine envelope! Lucky girl!
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The Valentine's envelope finally arrived. It was *way* late. I was nervous that the envelope was too square, and I had used the old butterfly. These new "non machinable" charges are frustrating. It'll be better when my stamp stash catches up, but for now it's hampering my ability to coordinate stamps with envelopes.
I flatter myself and say it traveled slow because the postal workers were showing it off to colleagues. ;)
Also, stole my 3 year old's water colors and tried to ink up with it. I let some water sit on the orange for quite a while, mixed with a brush, and brush loaded the nib directly from the paint cake. It worked out pretty well. (see postcard) I got a few glops, but I'm really excited about it. It's my first try with a non-purpose-made ink. I see endless possibilities. Now I'm looking at everything as possible ink. I should to go read the backlog of ink mixing threads.
Also, I just replaced my old $2 Speedball holder with an upgrade from JNB. Wow. It's like starting all over, and I really like it.
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Such pretty envelopes! I may have to steal that envelope template myself, thank you for sharing the link.
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Wonderful envelopes. And nice progress from the beginning of your posts to now.
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Two more offerings, but only one counts as penwork.
1 - I'm getting the hang of Moon Palace. Good stuff. Also my first try at single spacing. It just sorta worked out that way. I may try it more often. I had hoped for more from the snowflakes, but oh well. I have until next winter to mature the idea.
2 - I found some old press type designed for typewriter corrections. The white background transfers with the letter. I've been waiting for an opportunity to use it. Then I got a small kraft paper bag with a card shop purchase. It had fun robots stamped front and back. It's age appropriate for the recipient. The bag is full of big puzzle pieces.
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Great envelopes. The snowflakes look nice!
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I still travel for work, and most every hotel room comes with a desk and chair. I have my travel kit, so the letters and envelopes keep coming. I only write 2-3 letters a month, but postcards make for good practice. If you got one for your birthday, it might have been me.
Here is a recent offering. You can see that I picked the wrong white pencil. I tested the erasability while at the craft store, but on the actual envelope it didn't work out. oh well...
I feel like I'm finally getting a rhythm about my writing, and my "K" doesn't stink quite the way it did. I've been working on squaring my tops and bottoms, but this is a poor example. ... Still, it was a fun one. The Harry Potter stamps have been interesting, especially the owls.
Happy Weekend!
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there's nothing wrong with leaving the lines in as a design element.
i have heard (although this may be a rumor) that back in the day of handwritten (manuscript) books - if you wanted the scribes to write on straight lines, you had to pay extra for the time it took to line the pages - so of course you wanted the lines to be left in. there is usually a vertical line on both the right and left - to create an even margin. i love the look of fine lines (with the margin lines) on both envelopes and broadsides.
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Howdy,
I've been off FF for a while, but I'm still writing. Here are a few recent attempts for your kind critique.
Happy inky day,
-c
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Not a particularly good scan, or penmanship, but I like the quote. It's from Ronald Regan, written to his son on his wedding day.
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Still at it.
I tried two holiday postmarks this year. It's my first time. One worked, and one was lost somewhere. The success is below.
I feel like I'm making progress. Like I'm slowly developing some consistent rhythm and angle. Persistence counts. (the walnut did bleed on the envelope a bit)
I got the Michael Sull book for Christmas. I've not started yet, but I'm excited to tackle doing some drills.
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This is really nice. The blue stamp and the walnut ink really compliment each other. It looks like the wind is blowing snow off the flower :)... did you send it to the post master in snowflake AZ for that special cancel? What thoughtful stamp placement.
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Still at it. .... I lately changed the angle of my paper on the table. That seems to have made a big difference to my spacing. Marginal gains are adding up, slowly.
Some are a little off-topic. Not exactly calligraphy, but posting anyway, just for fun.
Happy Monday!
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Still here, still doodling, still writing love letters from hotel rooms around the globe.
I need a new "A". Gotta find some exemplars...
Happy inky day.