a month in and stalled?

[flomade]

I do hope the image shows up. I'm loving this process, and have been using eleanor winter's book. I practice every day. I'm suddenly unsure about how to go forward. I want to start Majuscules but am not sure if I should when there is so much that I need to improve upon. Also uncertain of the best path forward on practice/learning balance. I usually write the alphabet, and a few practice pangrams. I try to look at them for errors and places to improve. Any suggestions? I'm eager to learn more and practice well!
Thank you!!
kindly,
flo

[ericp]

You're doing great!  Just be patient and keep on with the drills.  Try to find something to get your mind off the drills (like song lyrics, quotes, etc) to provide more opportunities for practice.   Stalling is part of the process, but don't stop.  In fact, never stop!  There is no goal, it's a journey   

As for the majuscules, you have to start sooner or later, so go for it!   (Funny you mention this, personally I dislike majuscules, but eventually I have to write names on envelopes, so...  )

[Salman Khattak]

You have made great progress in just one month.

Now that you have the basic shapes done, it is time to refine them. I find it beneficial if I limit my practice sessions to no more than 15 minutes and concentrate on just one thing e.g. writing a good 'i'. I write it out in groups of 5 and then look at each one closely. I put a tick mark on the good one(s). I then try to replicate/improve the good one 5 more times. I know I have it when I can get 4 good ones out of 5 attempts. Then I write a few words with the letter in different places.

Sometimes I work on even more focused things, like the loop of a 'y' or the 'q'. You get the idea.

It also helps to have very good exemplars. I use Lupfer's examples on IAMPETH found under lessons.

- Salman

[jeanwilson]

If you are Mac, go to Zanarian.com and download Joe's free book, Script in the Copperplate Style. If you are PC, there is a link to IAMPETH where you can get all the lessons. You have done fine with the Winters book. You will probably be able to refine all the details with Joe's lessons. Or as Salman says - find more refined exemplars at IAMPETH

Doing the alphabet, in order isn't a good use of your time. You are past that. Majuscules will be fun. Just don't try to learn them all at once. Learn them in the groups that go together based on similarity in the first stroke.

Try some tracing of the better exemplars. Getting the feel of the more graceful exemplars can be very helpful. When you trace over something that is perfect - you can be quite impressed that "wow, that came out of my hand" and then when you do it on your own, you will be much closer to the exemplar. Over the years, I have talked with numerous scribes who mention that tracing over the caps in a font is the fastest way to learn a new font - when you have to learn a new font for a job.

[AndyT]

Hello Flo. 

One thing which will pay dividends immediately is if you pay close attention to your slant.  I think you're forming your letters rather nicely - certainly for just a month in - and if you get them all consistently sloping that'll improve the appearance a lot.

[nibn00b]

I've been using Sheila Water's practice method and it's turning out to be an excellent use of my limited time. It goes like this:

Divide your available time for the practice session into half. The first half is analytical practice, the second half is rhythmic practice.

For the Analytical half of your practice:

Using the piece you last wrote for your rhythmic practice, analyze:
 * word and interlinear spacing, overall format
 * letterforms by group (depends on the hand, but for example the round ones, branched ones and diagonal ones)

Then for each letterform group analysis, work on those letters together where you find issues. Keep checking and rewriting.

Work on serifs, loops, entrance/exit strokes, etc. (For your script, you'd work the basic strokes)

Work on ligatures/letter combinations, letter spacing, etc., esp. the troublesome ones.


For the Rhymical part of your practice:

Pick something to write, preferably full sentences/paragraphs.

Rule your paper, set up your margins, etc.

Warm up with a few lines of the basic strokes or primary letters that build the hand (e.g., for you the underturn, overturn, entrance stroke, arcades of u's and m's, ovals, etc.)

Using the same hand which you analyzed previously (don't switch hands during this session), write out the piece.

Keep the pace consistent whether it's an "easy" or "hard" letter.

Use only the knowledge in your hand and head about the script -- try not to look at an exemplar (you'll do that during the analysis of this piece next time).


Following this method not only helps organize your practice session in a systematic way that helps you learn from your mistakes, but also helps you build up a nice binder full of samples to look back over time and see improvement!

This is just a recap of her longer article on practice from her book "Foundations of Calligraphy."

[flomade]

Thank you all so much for the excellent advice! I'm excited to put these tips to work.

[ericp]

I've been using Sheila Water's practice method and it's turning out to be an excellent use of my limited time. It goes like this:

Divide your available time for the practice session into half. The first half is analytical practice, the second half is rhythmic practice.
...
This is just a recap of her longer article on practice from her book "Foundations of Calligraphy."

Thanks for the heads up, good advice!
I will look into this book (as it's been mentioned in several threads and I've been procrastinating about picking it up  ).

[Elisabeth_M]

I've been using Sheila Water's practice method and it's turning out to be an excellent use of my limited time. It goes like this:

Divide your available time for the practice session into half. The first half is analytical practice, the second half is rhythmic practice.
...
This is just a recap of her longer article on practice from her book "Foundations of Calligraphy."

Thanks for the heads up, good advice!
I will look into this book (as it's been mentioned in several threads and I've been procrastinating about picking it up  ).

I received Foundations of Calligraphy for Christmas and it has been a fabulous tool for me ever since.  I'm learning Italic and she has quite a bit of information about Italic that I haven't seen elsewhere.  I've been using the analytical/rhythmic practice method and I can see it helping my letterforms.  Note:  the styles are all broad pen, there are no pointed pen styles in the book.  Since I haven't branched out into pointed pen, yet, a book focusing only on broad pen styles is perfect for me, but if you are looking for specific information about improving a pointed pen style, this would not be the book for you.

[Elisabeth_M]

I do hope the image shows up. I'm loving this process, and have been using eleanor winter's book. I practice every day. I'm suddenly unsure about how to go forward. I want to start Majuscules but am not sure if I should when there is so much that I need to improve upon. Also uncertain of the best path forward on practice/learning balance. I usually write the alphabet, and a few practice pangrams. I try to look at them for errors and places to improve. Any suggestions? I'm eager to learn more and practice well!
Thank you!!
kindly,
flo

I'm not a pointed pen person, so I don't have any specific advice on your letterforms, but when I start to feel stalled, I take some time to make something "real".  Maybe I write a letter to a friend or do some mail art on an envelope or work on something for one of the exchanges.  It's a great break from analyzing your calligraphy and it feels good to see your work on something real.

[flomade]

Thank you so much, Elisabeth!