Need critique for improvement..

[prasad]

hello all wonderful calligraphers,

It’s time again to expose myself to your comments.  Please don’t be too kind. 

After the wonderful advice from members here,  I ordered and finally received the Walnut crystals and Principality EF nibs.  I also got an adjustable Oblique holder.

I AM IN LOVE…

sorry for the caps but the EF nib is an absolute dream.  The hairlines one gets from it are just lovely.  Of course, my hairlines turn out like squiggles, all shaky and twisted,  but there is hope. 

I have put up two samples of writing for critique. 

Self critique for both:

1) Shaky strokes, specially on hairlines
2) Non-existent squaring off
3) variations in ovals.

I have the patience of a 3 year old and loose interest when I practise just letter forms and shapes, so I copy out passages, quotes and poems that I like. 

I also feel that I have hit a plateau, for despite slowing down and focussing on letterforms, after about a page or so of writing I find the same problems cropping up each time.

Enough rambling I guess and on to the samples:
I tried some basic flourishing, and some of it look alright, while others just look like a mess,


Principality EF nib, Tomoe river paper and Higgins eternal ink
x height - 2mm



Principality EF, Tomoe River paper, Walnut ink
x height - 3 mm

Please be brutal.

[mary ellen]

can I suggest that you only do one or two lines?  or even one great word?  the sheer amount of
all that lettering is holding you back I think from getting what you want out of the practice.
I know this from my own experience.  I even think you will love the outcome more.  a small quote, a name,
anything you like to letter!

your consistency of spacing is good.  work on improving letter forms,  and use guidelines with slant lines,  base lines, x height,  etc.  you can find them on the
IAMPETH website.  if you don't have a light box,  draw directly on your practice sheet,  it may sound tedious but you will see a difference.  Even the experts use
guidelines.
when you feel good about that go back to
larger pieces.

patience, young grasshopper,  that is the key

[Starlee]

I agree with Mary Ellen on choosing smaller passages. Keep going with Douglas Adams though...can't go wrong there! Endless stunningly funny and intelligent quotes to use there. But repetition is key. It can be monotonous. For my drill sessions, I make myself do proper drills. I start off with the basic forms, move up to letters, then words. At the end, to let loose (and as a reward), I bust out the free form flourishing. I will a little earlier in the practice if I find myself too stiff (I find wonderful swoops help with finding the flow). I'd love to do nothing but swirls all day long, but I know without good letterforms, my work will never look the way I see it in my mind. That comes with practice...over and over and over some more

[joi]

all very good advice.  i know you said you lose interest, but you must put the work in the fundamentals to see improvement.  practice with intent.  i am not joking when i say that i have drawn and entire page full of 1 or 2 basic strokes.  and i do not lose interest.  i see the beauty - or not - in each stroke, the sound of the nib on the paper, the glisten of the wet ink, how a row of perfect pressure and release combination strokes makes a beautiful pattern.
i think if you are doing such long passages you must have to concentrate on the next word/s.  so i like mary ellen's advice about practicing a word, a name, or a short phrase.
good for you to post your practice and want critique...you are getting great advice and will greatly improve from it!

[prasad]

can I suggest that you only do one or two lines?  or even one great word?  the sheer amount of
all that lettering is holding you back I think from getting what you want out of the practice.

 if you don't have a light box,  draw directly on your practice sheet,  it may sound tedious but you will see a difference.  Even the experts use
guidelines.

patience, young grasshopper,  that is the key

Thanks so much Mary Ellen,
It was about 20 pages of Quick Brown fox and Six Jelly doughnuts, and I really wanted to write something of substance....
Just goes to prove,  can't run before you crawl 

I am making a light box, and that will surely help the slants a lot.  I also think I need to write bigger.

The grasshopper listens, Sifu   

[prasad]

I agree with Mary Ellen on choosing smaller passages. Keep going with Douglas Adams though... That comes with practice...over and over and over some more

Definitely can't go wrong with Mr. Adams
Thanks for taking the time to advise

all very good advice.
good for you to post your practice and want critique...you are getting great advice and will greatly improve from it!

I realised what a wonderful place this is...... if you are open to critique.  Big thanks to all you guys for taking the time to read and help and advise.

[Roseann]

Hi Prasad!
I just print the guidelines from IAMPETH directly onto good laser copy paper!  It saves me so much time!!!
I know this will help you tremendously!

[Faeleia]

It's very pretty overall, and you have a penchant for the fancy lettering (as do I!!) but you could benefit from working right on the basics, strokes, making lines, curves. I find them the most important when having lettering work that look even, well spaced and sturdy. You will find SIGNIFICANT improvement just by making the slightest of change in any of the 3 which will illustrate my point: 1) even shades 2) even slants, 3) even letters (every time the same letter appears, does it look like all the previous ones?) Whichever you select to work on first, make it look even like it's typed out every time.

Just by working on 1, you'll see how the other 2 comes into play to make an improved version of your calligraphy skills.

Mary Ellen also makes a strong point, by focusing on 1 small word, you'll put more effort into them than a scattered effort over many words (happens for impatient people like me)

And there's literally a million things you can study just from copperplate alone. I could look at Z and see it in a new way every time, notice something new about it I previously didn't realize. Much like art and knowing your subjects will help you make a more realistic portrait, similarly I find that the better I know the letters, the better my portraits of them become.

[prasad]

Hi Prasad!
I just print the guidelines from IAMPETH directly onto good laser copy paper!  It saves me so much time!!!
I know this will help you tremendously!

Thanks Roseann.  While checking for guidelines, found another site that lets you adjust the height of letters, number of lines and even darkness of lines.  http://shipbrook.net/guidelines/

Took all your advice and printed out guidelines and wrote.  I Have to get my lighbox made soon

. You will find SIGNIFICANT improvement just by making the slightest of change in any of the 3 which will illustrate my point: 1) even shades 2) even slants, 3) even letters (every time the same letter appears, does it look like all the previous ones?) Whichever you select to work on first, make it look even like it's typed out every time.

Just by working on 1, you'll see how the other 2 comes into play to make an improved version of your calligraphy skills.

This worked like a charm.  Still a LONG way to go to develop consistency, but I am sure it will come.  Attached an image of the next practice sheet after taking your advice.

[joi]

omg what a difference!!!  great job!!!

[Starlee]

Like night and day...very nice!

[Nickkih]

Awesome Job!

[Faeleia]

YAY YAY I actually helped someone! Lol! I'm glad it works for you! It looks so pretty now!

[mary ellen]

most improvement young grasshopper, see how much nicer it looks?
your spacing and angle are getting more consistent.

your next challenge if you accept it is to practice your a.o,d,g and p

you need to think of them as ovals and not circles.  oval oval oval do one or two lines or maybe more of each
then when you are done look at your work, decide which looks best and worst,  circle the good one in color pencil
figure out why it's good then
practice the good one again
also no flourishing just yet,  let's get your lower case straightened out before you go further

wax on wax off
goodnight young grasshopper 
I am pleased with your progress!

[Roseann]

Wow!
That's so awesome!  Good for you!