Author Topic: Calligraphy in 24 Hours by Veiko Kespersaks  (Read 6588 times)

Offline Sunny

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Calligraphy in 24 Hours by Veiko Kespersaks
« on: February 28, 2014, 11:24:57 PM »
(Click image to view on Amazon for US members.)


Last year I got the book Kalligraphie: 24 Lektionen für Einsteiger from Veiko Kespersaks. There is an english equivalent - click image above.

This is one of the best books I own.
 
Veiko Kespersaks is a leading Scandinavian calligraphy specialist and lettering designer based in London. He has gained an international reputation as one of the most skilled lettering artists and teachers currently working in the field.

Beginners in the exacting art of calligraphy will learn 15 alphabets, letter-by-letter and stroke-by-stroke, as they progress through this carefully structured series of 24 one-hour lessons. Special exercises are designed to help them build their speed and confidence as they reproduce a variety of calligraphy styles with accuracy and consistency. The author advises on the importance of practicing newly learned skills at the end of each lesson before going on to a new lesson and new challenges. The book's 24 lessons include a series of projects that will enable student calligraphers to produce professional looking results. The projects include greeting cards, invitations, wall hangings, place settings, and many others. More than 350 full-color how-to illustrations present step-by-step instructions for mastering each alphabet. An opening lesson introduces students to the standard calligraphy tools--pens, inks, and papers.

My favorite chapters are (16) copperplate minuscules, (17) copperplate majuscules, (19) flourished copperplate, (21) Spencerian minuscueles, (22) Spencerian majuscules and (23) flourished Spencerian - and this in a german translated book!
« Last Edit: November 06, 2014, 01:22:53 AM by Erica McPhee »

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Calligraphy in 24 Hours by Veiko Kespersaks
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2014, 07:19:05 PM »
Thank you so much for this great write up! I love this book. His copperplate capitals exemplar is one of my favorites.  ;D The english version is linked on the forum home page.
Warm Regards,
Erica
Lettering & Design Artist
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Offline Linda Y.

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Re: Calligraphy in 24 Hours by Veiko Kespersaks
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2014, 02:08:41 AM »
Thank you for this great recommendation! Another book added to my Amazon Wish List  ;D

Offline treehugger9

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Re: Calligraphy in 24 Hours by Veiko Kespersaks
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2014, 10:55:27 AM »
I'm a beginner and I started learning copperplate with Erica's Tutorials, in the future I'd like to learn some different scripts, both pointed pen and broad edge pen, I was wondering if this book is a good choice in order to learn different styles! What do you think?

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Calligraphy in 24 Hours by Veiko Kespersaks
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2014, 09:50:21 PM »
Hi Alice,
I love this book for the exemplars. But I don't find the instruction to be that thorough. However, I wasn't reading it for the instruction so much. I will go back and review it and let you know my thoughts.  :D
Warm Regards,
Erica
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Offline treehugger9

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Re: Calligraphy in 24 Hours by Veiko Kespersaks
« Reply #5 on: May 28, 2014, 01:56:50 AM »
Hi Alice,
I love this book for the exemplars. But I don't find the instruction to be that thorough. However, I wasn't reading it for the instruction so much. I will go back and review it and let you know my thoughts.  :D

Thank you Erica! It would be great to have your opinion, the book is not expensive but I don't feel like wasting money!

Offline JanisTX

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Re: Calligraphy in 24 Hours by Veiko Kespersaks
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2014, 04:56:52 PM »
I bought this book at my local Michael's, fully expecting to hate it. After all, we ALL know the premise is ridiculous!  Learn any hand of calligraphy in 24 hours??  Not possible!  However, I came away from the book suitably impressed!  There is almost NO instruction provided, but the exemplars are really good & Ive found that I refer back to the book often!  It's worth buying!

Janis

Offline Ken Fraser

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Re: Calligraphy in 24 Hours by Veiko Kespersaks
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2014, 08:10:01 AM »
This book is worth having, IMO.

There are really good examples of fine calligraphy, clearly illustrated and described.

One small error I have found however, is on page 99 where the ductus of the flourished Copperplate d shows the execution of a swelled upstroke. As anyone who has ever attempted to write with a flexible nib will testify, a shaded upstroke is impossible.
This book is by no means alone in this respect.

In the otherwise excellent book "The Calligrapher's Bible" by David Harris, this same mis-direction appears in the instructions for flexible nib scripts where many swelled strokes are shown written in an upwards direction; (for example on pages 164, 166 and on page 170 where only the ductus for the letter G is possible) 

In their advert for this book, John Neal Bookseller say :- The instructional photos for the pointed pen script alphabets do not follow the standard practice in the USA

This is a great pity because in other respects, this is a good, original book with many interesting, well-executed ideas.


Ken
« Last Edit: October 14, 2014, 09:04:12 AM by Ken Fraser »

Offline Cally

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Re: Calligraphy in 24 Hours by Veiko Kespersaks
« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2014, 09:41:05 AM »
I have had personal lessons with Veiko and he is a great teacher and his work is beautiful. He is very knowledgable about ink properties and the history of writing.

I would also recommend this book!

Offline chiarag

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Re: Calligraphy in 24 Hours by Veiko Kespersaks
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2015, 05:16:14 PM »
It looks like interesting and useful For beginners as I am.
I would Look For it