Your discussion about history and the contrast between oblique and straight nib holders is very interesting and informative, and thanks, Ladies.
Several things struck me about watching the video, however.
1--How he holds the pen, it appears, right on the flange.
2--The absence of squared tops and bottoms--almost intentional points. (Maybe that's coz he's a guy... )
3--The tiny light on the pen. I think I'm going to add that to the inventions desired page.
Any thoughts or comments about the first 2?
Thanks for reviving this thread
!
Just my two cents regarding your questions – 1) I do that too – I thought it was the normal way to hold a pen, but I guess everybody does it how it's most comfortable? And 2) I'd say, that is his personal style, he also uses unusual shading in his Capitals …
Ah. I've only just got around to watching the video in the first post of this thread, and it's not the one I thought it would be. What I expected was this:
Oblique Vs Straight Holder
Highly recommended. Towards the end he brings up some not so obvious points about the relationship between the angle of the pen relative to the paper (as opposed to the slant of the letters) and the effect that has on the ease of splaying the nib tines and the speed of snap. I still don't understand his antipathy to oblique holders for copperplate really, because surely the workaround is simply to hold the pen at a steeper angle, but it's an interesting video nonetheless. Besides, some of you seem to enjoy seeing him.
Thanks for posting this, Andy! And I admit, I also still don't understand his antipathy against the Oblique for C.. I just saw in the first video, that he really holds the paper in a nearly 90 degree angle to his body, and from time to time turns the paper. I understand his points about the T and Q as he explained in your video, but I must admit that's not such a big argument for me regarding all the other points that
for me make it easier to write Copperplate-ish. I mean, we shouldn't forget that ALL attempts at writing C. are workarounds, as it was historically written with a quill (broad nib – possible to make square bold lines as in T, but also flexible, so you could write the capital stem with a shade) …
Well, but his writing is so gorgeous, I don't care
! I just will not switch to a straight holder for Copperplate.
And I thought anyhow that the Oblique holder was an English invention?? Just never very successfull in Europe for whatever reason? Would be interesting to know more.