Messages

1

Spencerian Script / Re: Spencerian punctuation?

« on: August 07, 2022, 02:09:01 PM »

Lots of examples. I'll check my books as well regarding instruction.

2

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: "My First Lesson in Beauty"

« on: August 04, 2022, 05:17:32 PM »

@AnasaziWrites thank you for sharing this fine article!  Would love to see your Spencerian rendering of the "steal" quote. 

Happy to oblige, although I'm pretty shaky today, but I have a couple of pieces of scrap paper from a recent project on my desk that need using up, so here are two versions, one at x-ht 1/10th inch, the second at 1/16th inch. I'm posting these less than excellent bits of writing to encourage you and all others to post what they can do, and not wait 'till you think it's perfect or the best you can do. Give it a go.

3

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Lapis Lazuli in woman scribe's 1000 year old teeth!

« on: August 04, 2022, 05:04:41 PM »

Oh this article made my day! I want lapis lazuli in my dental plaque! 

Lapis Lazuli Hidden in Medieval Woman's Teeth

It made my day, too. Thanks for posting it. I may send this article to my dentist.
Women did a lot more than they got credit for in history, I'd say.
As an aside, the article mentioned Hildegard Von Bingen. There is a CD done by the group Anonymous4 entitled Hildegard Von Bingen, 11,000 Virgins, Chants for the Feast of St. Ursula. "the fab four of medieval music" per the New Yorker. Absolutely my favorite chant CD. Heavenly, and good to do penmanship by.

4

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Book recommendations for studying pointed pen calligraphy

« on: August 02, 2022, 09:58:41 PM »

@TeresaS Thanks for your kind words! My publisher is still evaluating options for an English edition … but I guess the English speaking market is a bit saturated with calligraphy books, so maybe it will not happen.

I'll buy a copy.

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Spencerian Script / Re: Simple Spencerian example

« on: August 02, 2022, 09:56:37 PM »

Best B in the business.

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Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Roundhand Calligraphy / Re: Common Majuscule

« on: August 02, 2022, 09:54:14 PM »

I turned the paper 90 degrees to the right and wrote the letter starting at the top.

Brilliant.
Most instructive.
This is the kind of insight we need.
Thank you.

7

Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Roundhand Calligraphy / Re: Common Majuscule

« on: August 01, 2022, 09:18:33 PM »

Nice integration of the names, and the differing sizes of the first and middle minuscules vs. the last name minuscules.
What is the orientation of the paper when you write the C?, @Ken Fraser

8

Open Flourish | General Discussion / "My First Lesson in Beauty"

« on: July 30, 2022, 11:21:50 AM »

For your enjoyment.

9

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Bardolino

« on: July 24, 2022, 05:53:50 PM »

The quote isn't mine but I can't remember who wrote it!

A lovely script, @Ken Fraser , legible and very easy on the eyes. I don't know how you came up with it, but am glad you did. Thanks for sharing it.

The quote is from The Secret Skill of The Skill of Madarasz, His Philosophy and Penmanship Masterpieces , more commonly known as the Madarasz Book (on p5 in my copy), in a letter Madarasz wrote in 1902 to T. Courtney, a friend and student of his.

10

Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Roundhand Calligraphy / Re: Ladies' Hand

« on: July 24, 2022, 05:20:51 PM »

Ken, of all the amazing pieces you have shared with us, I think this is the best. Incredible work! 

Thank you, Erica.
This script was devised c1900 as a form of Spencerian Script, but it can be applied, as here, just as easily to English Roundhand. I wrote this from memory as I've mislaid my original exemplar but I remember seeing this named "Ladies Hand" around 30 years ago.
 
This was the the end result of many attempts.

This is written at an x height of 5mm. Any larger and the extended strokes are beyond me!

Beautifully done, @Ken Fraser . Truly lovely.
Earlier examples of Spencerian Ladies hand are in P. R. Spencer's Spencerian Penmanship, Book 13, 1857,,
including Ladies Italian (made with flourishing strokes), Ladies Epistolary, Ladies Capitals, and undoubtedly are in the twelve lessons that precede this book. I'll have to research earlier works to find earlier examples from Spencer.

11

Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Roundhand Calligraphy / Re: Superb penholders

« on: July 24, 2022, 05:11:01 PM »

Far right, a unique oblique that I've had for a few years now.  Totally unused.  Come to think of it, I haven't picked up a dip pen holder for a very long time.  Shameful really, but I guess it's not really my thing, and so as it stands I have a small collection of decorative sticks.  First world problems of course!

Well, @InkyFingers , they can be appreciated as the art they are without being used, just as people collect jewelry without wearing it, watches, fountain pens, knives, guns, stamps, so many things. Keep 'em as long as they bring you joy.

12

Show & Tell / Re: Cover for a Portfolio

« on: July 09, 2022, 09:46:12 PM »

Superb.

13

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Happy Independence Day!

« on: July 04, 2022, 09:15:49 PM »

Nice, nice, nice.

14

2022 Exchanges / Re: Stuck on You Exchange Sign Ups are Now OPEN!

« on: July 01, 2022, 09:54:04 AM »

May I also add a request to all participants to put (on the back, perhaps, with the return address) a mention that this is a flourish forum exchange envelope, such as "FF exchange Stuck 2022." With other colorful mail coming in from other sources, and some mail being delayed well after the exchange ended, it's helpful to know who sent what for what purpose. Two days ago, I received an envelope from the Recycle exchange in March and had to go to the archives to figure out what exchange it belonged to (very happy to receive it though).

15

Completed/Past Exchanges / Re: 2022 Sun Moon & Stars Exchange Results

« on: June 28, 2022, 04:17:31 PM »

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