Messages

1

Tools & Supplies / Re: Screaming About Inks

« on: May 26, 2023, 04:34:35 PM »

I have a little experience with some of these inks; maybe you'll find it helpful. Pedantry ahoy, 

This might be a bit of an information dump, so apologies if it's not your jam. I'm really into the composition, chemistry, and properties of ink though.

Love it.
So. @K-2 , aka "Inkmaster," two questions:

I've bought a "Col-o-ring" to save samples of my burgeoning ink supply. As you put new samples on the ring, do you group them in colors (roygbiv, for example) or in some other way?

I have two of the Inkvent calendars plus some larger bottles of those inks,  Do you store them in the original boxes? Add to that, 24 bottles of Dr. Martin's ink (fortunately still in their original circular trays), and a myriad of individual bottles of all sorts of inks.  How have you organized your inks so you can find what you want?

2

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

« on: May 13, 2023, 09:45:19 PM »

Written with a Principal EF nib acknowledging the the great composer.

I do like that "T"

3

Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Roundhand Calligraphy / Re: Superimposed minuscules

« on: May 11, 2023, 09:18:16 AM »

Does anyone know who first thought of this ingenious display of all the Copperplate minuscules superimposed?

@Ken Fraser
I haven't seen this before. Where did you find it?

4

Broad Edge Pen Calligraphy / Re: Gillott No.5005

« on: May 10, 2023, 09:31:10 AM »

Magnificent.
She will love it.
1001 Thank yous.

5

Show & Tell / Re: Menu

« on: May 07, 2023, 12:18:47 PM »

I think I'd skip the soup and main course and go straight to the cranachan and whisky truffles.
Did you get to sample the menu, @Ken Fraser  ?

6

Broad Edge Pen Calligraphy / Re: Good advice

« on: May 07, 2023, 12:14:39 PM »

So very true.
A comparison between one's best effort and that of a master can be quite humbling. But also quite inspiring--to continue to improve.

7

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

« on: May 03, 2023, 04:35:57 PM »

Not a direct copy, but written in the style of an entry in "The Universal Penman".

That would fit in nicely in the UP. A nice page 211.
Of course, you would have to sign and date it and find an engraver who could put it on copper.

8

Show & Tell / Re: The Vatican Observatory

« on: May 03, 2023, 04:22:16 PM »

Best yet - Brother Guy invited me to visit him and his library at the Vatican, with it's collection of rare medieval and renaissance manuscripts and early print editions on cosmology and astronomy. Now all I have to do is scare up some grant funding!

Need someone to carry your bags?

9

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: How Steel Pens Were Made

« on: April 25, 2023, 09:55:59 AM »

Very interesting. I downloaded it from the site.

10

Show & Tell / Re: Bookplate

« on: April 24, 2023, 09:23:28 AM »

Nicely written.

I'm glad the punishment for overdue books was only 2 cents per day in my youth.

11

Tools & Supplies / Re: Esterbrook nibs - "natural slant" vs "modified slant?"

« on: April 23, 2023, 11:14:48 AM »

I'm enjoying using a vintage R. Esterbrook "Modified Slant" #702 nib.  Would like to get more. I see also Esterbrook nibs described as "Natural Slant."

What is meant by modified or natural slant with respect to pointed pen nibs?

@Zivio
There is an action for a box of these on eBay right now starting at 9.99. As the number 702 is not mentioned in the title of the auction (and the box is in poor shape), these might go cheap.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/204311411782?hash=item2f91e8bc46:g:rpUAAOSwcbNkQdJM&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4HaNb%2FsNKbz5gEDwrXZLLlGjT%2F82yFNlEvH3XDu821C3wdDZ4i3ztyAQSP6NIbiqOgRBquRmtqnJi%2BGyeprzE1czYEjUV%2Ff7m%2F8NPliawxrOChF3wKWc2%2FPgNyf3v%2Bn9C7wxHf7vz%2BXJaN7A6lMstWKUynmNWz1U1%2FvWwrbv1ZvUSzEHnJEJ9%2BZukkNlv%2FBo31pnjcN23Hb7qRlZrUi4LF8cmZgCwTfrEw8O9T23%2BuhlTwyvy8rDg%2BDejPIeNjTbx%2BZ5NJ8KQ%2FZN6ozOaX4NSqJy6IW%2FVzfj2ZFnlxAklesb%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9zaour1YQ

12

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: For your enjoyment

« on: April 23, 2023, 10:39:27 AM »

From The AtlantaJournal-Constitution, April13, 2023.

13

Show & Tell / Re: Edged nib

« on: April 21, 2023, 09:27:37 PM »

Edged nib compilation

Superb.

14

Spencerian Script / Re: Cherry Blossoms!

« on: April 21, 2023, 09:49:18 AM »

Yes, I do use whole arm movement, especially for the flourishes. The letters themselves I use mostly muscular movement with my forearm on the corner of the desk so my forearm pivots. But I do use minuscule hand movements while doing the lower case letters. I barely grasp the pen and must continue to remind myself to relax my grip. Another thing … when I do Spencerian, the pen rests just to the right of the knuckle on my index finger. When I do Engrosser’s Script it rests just to the left of it. 

The first is my Engrosser’s hold. You can see the pen is much more upright and it rests just before the third knuckle on my index finger.
The second is my Spencerian hold. The pen rests just after the third knuckle (slightly to the right). It is a much more shallow hold.

@Erica McPhee
Very interesting. I've never seen such a vertical hold before, if I'm viewing this correctly. Is the paper resting on the light pad or is it on some kind of slant board? Certainly works for you.

15

Show & Tell / Re: Flexibility

« on: April 20, 2023, 06:08:15 PM »

I'm sorry, Mike - I doubt it. They are extracts from writing over many years and I have no record.

Goes to show, mastery is not in the nib, the ink, the paper, but in the hand of the scribe.
You could probably do good work with a broken hoe handle. Such is a master scribe.