If you could travel back in time and give yourself advice...

[Marc]

Anyone can respond, because I think there's room to include all of life's lessons here, and I've got one of my own at the end, but I'm looking squarely at all you masterful Copperplaters (Copperplatists?) in particular!

If you could travel back to the point in time when you started learning Copperplate, and gave yourself advice that you totally know now would've helped you at your start, what would you tell yourself?

I have in hand my copy of Eleanor Winters' book.  I've read all the way up to the start of instructions, and I'm about to dive in!  I've only really noodled around with my oblique holder, my nibs and ink, just getting comfortable with cleaning and prepping the nibs, etc.  I've not done anything serious, yet, so I'm more or less a blank slate right now.

A piece of advice I got a long time ago from a tech instructor in software development, said, and I'm super paraphrasing this, "I want you to give yourself permission to not be great at this right away; permission to be confused or even frustrated, because I want you to trust that I'm going to get you through the worst of that confusion and frustration, where you'll emerge on both feet, able to carry yourself forward to wherever you want to go."  Shorter version might read, "It's okay, we all sucked at the beginning, just don't quit!"

You can be specific, you can be general, it's all good!  Oh and if someone else has already started a thread like this, by all means point me to it! LOL!!

[joi]

don't get seduced by all the tools, supplies, and inks.  head down and practice your script.  and keep practicing.  i know this is hilarious advice coming from me...because my tool box, er cabinets, are overflowing with inks, holders, nibs, brushes, etc etc...
it's not the holder that makes you good, it's the hand, heart, and brain attached to it. 

[sheila247]

I started Copperplate two months ago and have been seduced by all the wonderful tools.  I have now put myself on calligraphy shopping moratorium.  The advice that I would give myself is to practice daily, even if it is only for a half hour or so and not do so many four or five hour sessions.  I have found that when I do the longer sessions my hands hurt so badly that I have to miss a day or two and it causes a tad bit of burnout (it doesn't last long as I love calligraphy).

[evjo]

Advice to self: 

Date and then save your first attempt at using the pointed pen.   Continue to date & save a practice page on a regular basis.  This will be evidence that you have improved that you can look at when you think you have not.

[Marc]

Thanks everyone!  Love the suggestions!!  Especially the dating and keeping of practice sheets, or at the very least, I can scan them and archive them all on my computer.  Love that and seems like a totally useful no-brainer for on the days when I feel like quitting I can just browse my progress and feel a little less inept!

As to buying supplies and tools... well I am, by nature, a hoarder of "things I like that I fear could go out of stock, and then what will I do".  So, like with gel ink pens (my first true love in the pen word)?  I've got dozens upon dozens of Pilot Juice, Pentel Energel, you name it.  Fountain pen inks?  I've got a stockpile that exceeds any rational human life expectancy.  So putting the brakes on this, for pointed pen, will be essential, because I can totally see myself becoming convinced that I "must" now have such-n-such vintage nib because so-n-so swears by it, and if having a few of those is good, well then having a full unopened box will be better.  Ugh!  Someone please delete my Paypal account! LOL!

I really appreciate everyone's input!

[jeanwilson]

Maybe you can redirect your budget for supplies into a fund to travel to a place to take a workshop with one of the masters. If I could travel back in time, I would have figured out a way to go to more workshops, international conferences, and IAMPETH conventions. A few hours with a master can make a world of difference. I started before Joe had written this (FREE) book and made the (FREE) videos. IMHO it would be the best place to start. The Winters book has a lot of good information, but the videos that Joe has produced have a lot more detail.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/script-in-copperplate-style/id547108521?mt=11

or

if you are PC rather than Mac, you can get all the info here (click on the links that take you to IAMPETH)
http://www.zanerian.com/

I second all the advice to hold off on buying too many supplies. It is a distraction to try everything that you hear recommended. I cringe at some of the things that people recommend - so - don't think you need to try everything.

I second the advice to be sure you practice a little every day. Building muscle memory is essential. If you have a ton of gel pens, you can use them to practice your drills when you don't feel like getting out the nibs and ink. And gel ink will *gel.* So, you might as well use them before they expire. Being able to write beautifully with a gel pen is very satisfying. The basic shapes of copperplate are lovely. Learning the shapes -without the shades- is a valid way to study.

[Inked botanicals]

Dear Alba from 4 years ago:

That ink is really a bad choice, and that nib is defective, it is not your fault, don't quit! Don't wait a full year to try with another nib! Keep going! You will see improvement in a few weeks of daily practices!

That is what happens when you start with a "souvenir calligraphy kit"...

[StudioApricity]

Start with research first! It took me awhile to actually properly begin; I wish I started learning the classic fundamentals sooner. I also wish I knew about Walnut Ink much, much earlier. It would have saved me a lot of money and frustration.

[tiffany.c.a]

Wow, this is all great info that I am soaking in. But already guilty of buying too much stuff when I don't really need it. Trying to curb this.

Anyway, among other things, I would tell my beginning self to get an actual art desk sooner, and then take more time to learn about the right height for it and body position. I just recently realized that the desk, all this time, was too high for me. Now that I adjusted this (by sitting on a thick phone book), it's so much better!

[Marc]

Love the recommendation about saving for a workshop - kind of a no-brainer, now that I think about it!

I'm also definitely finding my chair is too low/table is too high so I will play with that variable and see if I can't get it just right.

Loving these ideas, thank you all!

[AndyT]

Memo to self, four months ago:

Don't put the drawing board in the conservatory.  It'll be either too hot or too cold, and you won't be able to hear yourself think when it rains.

Credit where it's due: Scarlet Blue told me pretty much exactly that at the time, but by then it was in place ...   

[marilyns]

Jean, you always have such good advice, hints, tips, etc.  Really appreciate your input!

[Ergative]

Good broad-nib paper is TERRIBLE for pointed pen! That beautiful toothy paper that catches the broad nib so beautifully and displays such lovely crisp edges will be a disaster with your Gillott 303. Get some Rhodia, get a Zebra G, and quit wasting your time with all those nib snags.

(Actually, the Lupfer correspondence course replicas I was working from said that good paper was absolutely essential; I simply didn't understand what that meant at the time. I thought I had good paper!)

[schin]

I would say... learn and practice how to grip the pen properly! I let myself indulge in bad habits, and now my grip is not ideal. Wish I would have fixed it before it got too difficult to change!

[FrancescaV]

Don't skimp on the drills! I feel I set myself back months by not having a disciplined approach to drills!! I also find if i'm having a shaky hand day doing 10/15 minutes worth of drills settles my hand down nicely!