Topics

1

Show & Tell / 1st Project Show & Tell

« on: February 17, 2014, 01:28:34 PM »

Hi everyone!

Sorry I've been MIA from the Forum for a bit... trying to prepare for midterms while working on a few things on the side.

Here is my first significant project I've done with calligraphy, it is a "marriage certificate" for a Quaker style wedding.

The major points were that the couple wanted to incorporate a few "personal touches" without them being too obvious. Specifically they wanted pine cones and a lady bug incorporated into the filigree... but they didn't want them to be distractedly obvious. Also, the groom wanted to incorporate two goats into the design, but they had to fit in later - because he didn't want the bride to see them in the in progress shots.

With the calligraphy itself, they gave me complete free-rein, but because I'm a newbie... I just tried to stick with Copperplate. I know it's not perfect, but overall - I was pretty happy with the results.

The most difficult things for me were: writing copper plate on an arch for some of the sentences... as well as figuring out the "&'s". I can't even pretend to know how to make an ampersand... I just sort of free handed a bunch until I found one I thought fit alright. Also, I learned how difficult it is to try and match the filigree on both sides. There are quite a few mistakes in the filigree, but again - it was the best I could do at this time.

Thanks for any advice in advance <3

2

Zentangles / Zentangle-ing for Beginners

« on: January 20, 2014, 09:10:36 AM »

I haven't heard of Zentangles before... but they look so fun and whimsical - does anyone have suggestions for getting started "tangling"? I'd love to know more about it, especially how it's used in relation to meditation?
-Karen

3

Introductions / Hi! Karen from Tennessee here :)

« on: January 14, 2014, 09:53:14 PM »

Hi everyone! I am very, very new to calligraphy. I've admired it for a long time - well, actually I guess I've just admired artful penmanship... I was completely clueless to specific fonts/flourishes/etc.

Lately I've gotten more interested in calligraphy so I took a workshop on it this past weekend. My instructor covered "copperplate"... which I am totally in love with - and intimidated by. I've been practicing everyday since. She suggested looking online for resources, which is how I stumbled onto the Forum! I'm very excited to be here, and to learn... and I hope I will be good enough to contribute sometime here in the future

Also... quick question: Does anyone have suggestions for drills/practices to teach your body to always write at the proper 55 degree slant for copperplate? My instructor gave us guide sheets - but I'd like to eventually be able to not rely on guide sheets. Is that even possible?