Salman,
Thank you so much for your encouraging words, and your excellent guidance. Your post was so helpful, and I am deeply grateful for your feedback. I practiced all night long, until my husband found me asleep at my calligraphy table, nearly falling out of my wheelchair. He woke me up to go to bed, and I groggily replied, “Can’t — gotta practice. BUILT! JILT! BUILT! JILT!” He had no idea what I meant, but glanced down at 18 sheets of BUILT and JILT on the floor and table, and figured it out pretty quickly. Forced into a bit of rest, I woke up at 5 am, eager to make more progress on my practice sheets.
Here is my last effort, and I’m ashamed that I have not been able to get each problem solved, and come out with at least one line of “BUILT” and “Jilt” that didn’t have glaring errors. No such luck. I can now at least SEE the problems, and that is wonderful information! I know it time that my eye-mind-hand will get coordinated, because I can see where my errors are, my problem areas.
As suggested, I have changed to a more flexible Hunt 101 nib, to try to get wider shades. I’ve tried to pay attention to entrance and exit strokes, and get them more parallel and joining at half-x-height. I have practiced movement of my arm, so that I don’t get as much curve in my ascenders —you were so right—It was wrist action causing me to do this, and a bit of old habit as well. I’m still working on all these points to gain some consistency. As you can see, I’m not there yet, but I do see some improvement.
I will keep at it, and am determined to progress and improve. Thank you again for your thoughtful critique, and your welcoming words! I am loving this journey, welcoming the challenge. My husband is thrilled, and says I’m helping stave off Alzheimer’s by working so diligently and staying with it, challenging my mind. I owe you a LOT, Salman!