Flourish Forum

General Categories => Broad Edge Pen Calligraphy => Topic started by: garyn on May 06, 2017, 01:16:19 AM

Title: which hand next?
Post by: garyn on May 06, 2017, 01:16:19 AM
I'm kinda comfortable with my italic, enough to move on to another hand.
So now I'm looking at uncial or foundational.  Unless I find yet more hand to want to learn, which I probably will.

Which of the 2 would you recommend I learn next; uncial or foundational.
Or do you have other hands that you recommend me learning?
Title: Re: which hand next?
Post by: Scarlet Blue on May 06, 2017, 03:04:35 AM
Foundational  :)
Uncial is a bit hobbit like  ;D
Title: Re: which hand next?
Post by: ash0kgiri on May 06, 2017, 03:26:08 AM
Thats hilarious @Scarlet Blue :D :D
Gary,why not both together. May be learn one and play with other. :D :D
Title: Re: which hand next?
Post by: JohnK on May 06, 2017, 10:31:29 AM
Hi @garyn.  I think one nice thing about Uncial is that it is so different from much other western calligraphy.  Maybe this is due to it's roots in ancient Greek letterforms and their often rounded character.  And the nice thing is that there is not just one Uncial style.  You can choose from several versions, presented in their historical context, in the book Medieval Calligraphy: Its History and Technique by Marc Drogin.

Good luck with any new style you try, they can all be fun and rewarding!
Title: Re: which hand next?
Post by: InkyFingers on May 06, 2017, 01:47:50 PM
I personally would choose Fraktur as it goes so well with italics.  The two compliments each other so well.

One is straight and curvy, the other slanted and spoke, vice versa.
Title: Re: which hand next?
Post by: garyn on May 06, 2017, 04:40:09 PM
I personally would choose Fraktur as it goes so well with italics.  The two compliments each other so well.

One is straight and curvy, the other slanted and spoke, vice versa.

Geez, Fraktur scares me just looking at it.  Nice but I'm not up for something like that yet.  Maybe in a few years.
Title: Re: which hand next?
Post by: Erica McPhee on May 06, 2017, 05:48:55 PM
Some would argue Foundational as it helps as the "foundation" of others. But ... I am big fan of Uncial. I find Foundational boring... so ...  ;)
Title: Re: which hand next?
Post by: AndyT on May 06, 2017, 07:13:42 PM
There are uncials and uncials ... and some are less hobbitish than others.  I think in practical terms Foundational would be a wise choice because it's designed to teach a lot of basic principles; it's also highly legible, suitable for lengthy texts and does look good when written well ... but I'd go for artificial uncials anyway.  ;) That said, of all the first millennium hands it's Carolingian minuscule which appeals most to me, but for capitals you'd need to think about Roman versals too. 
Title: Re: which hand next?
Post by: SueL on May 06, 2017, 09:50:23 PM
I'm trying to choose what to learn next too. I love uncials precisely because they're so medieval. I'm also enthralled by blackletter and gothicized italics.
Title: Re: which hand next?
Post by: garyn on May 06, 2017, 11:34:25 PM
oooo the Carolingian minusclues look neat. 
I looked at a few samples and it seems to be within my skill level.
OK that is #3 in the list.
-- thanks Andy

But like you said there are several different variants of the uncial hand.
Title: Re: which hand next?
Post by: Pramod on May 06, 2017, 11:37:14 PM
Hi all sorry for being away from forum I have been ill with Crohns Colitis flare up .
Back to it as a beginner and left handed I like foundation
Title: Re: which hand next?
Post by: InkyFingers on May 07, 2017, 02:10:51 AM
Artificial unical is more challenging to me as I was learning italic.  It's structure is round, works against everything I worked so hard on my italic.  As is foundational.

Here is a sample of week two of Fraktur, after I was comfortable with my italic.  Notice there wasn't much changes from italic to Fraktur.  No slant.  But habits dies hard.
It is to me a flourished, embellished alphabet of the italic.

(https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5708/30554139223_5ddfb477ff_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/NxXX6R)
Title: Re: which hand next?
Post by: KrzysiekS on May 07, 2017, 04:55:23 AM
I've been facing the same choice few months ago.  I've decided to go for Foundational and follow it with Roman Majuscules.  Uncial is visually appealing, but I think that in the long term I'll benefit more from lessons on structure of writing those styles can teach me.