Messages

841

Brush Calligraphy / Re: trouble with letters in brush lettering

« on: January 04, 2015, 03:15:10 PM »

John Neal has several wonderful brushes for brush lettering.
My favorites for beginners are the largest Pentel Color Brushes.
The ink is in a cartridge, so it is pretty easy to get a steady stream of ink.
They are nylon, so they have a lot of snap and they last forever.

Regular watercolor brushes will work, after you learn the basics, but IMHO, they are too soft for beginners.

http://www.johnnealbooks.com/prod_detail_list/s?keyword=pentel+color+brush

He also has the Cocoiro which is more like a marker - but lots better than most markers.
It is quite small, so it would not be my choice for a beginner.

Markers are OK for a few styles, but the tips are not as fine as the Pentels.
Also, the tips of markers tend to get mushy until you have mastered the techniques.
After you learn the basic brush lettering techniques, you can write carefully with a marker and preserve the tip.
But for beginners, I think the Pentel Color Brush is hard to beat.

If you buy markers and ruin the tip, you'll wish you had bought the Pentel.
You can take them apart and refill the cartridge.
You can also dip them into inks or gouache that would not work in the cartridge.

Although, I see there is a book by Linda Schneider. I know she has been a big fan of markers and if you like her style
and prefer markers, the Pitt markers and the Linda Schneider book would probably get you started

Jean

842

Tools & Supplies / Re: The Lettermate

« on: January 03, 2015, 07:21:50 AM »

the size of my sweet spot decreased when i started wearing line-less bifocals.
they really distort parallel lines.

and i now wear a pair of readers over the top of my regular glasses
which looks very strange, but it is amazing to have the writing enlarged.
even if you don't need readers, you might try them to see if you like seeing things enlarged.

there should be a discussion somewhere on the forum about taking care of your eyes
and back and neck and elbow and hands
lots of people struggle with issues after they spend too much time hunched over their desks.

jean

843

Tools & Supplies / Re: The Lettermate

« on: January 02, 2015, 09:32:26 PM »

The envelope stays level by keeping it square with the edge of the template.
The x-height is consistent from practice.
I have heard Sheila Waters say that when she was first studying, they only used double lines for a very short while.
They switched to just a baseline - because your eye should be able to see the x-height - and keep it consistent.

Which brings us to *the sweet spot* - which is right in front of you.
If you try to write a line that is 8 or 10 inches long, after about 4-5 inches, things will start to get out of whack.
I write *Mr and Mrs*  then I slide the envelope to the left to write the name.
Unless it is Mr and Mrs Joe Fox - that is a short enough name, that I would not need to move the envelope.

But with Mr and Mrs Christopher Hermanstorfer
I would need to move the envelope to the left.

With script styles, I have the paper or envelope tilted at an angle.
With broad edge, I have the paper square in front of me.
But with both, I move the paper or envelope a lot, so that the *sweet spot* is right in front of me.

Jean

844

Design & Layout / Re: Name layout and design project

« on: January 02, 2015, 07:38:29 PM »

That's Jane Farr's work.
You can see lots more on Pinterest.
Just do a search for Jane Farr
or go to her Flickr page - she's CarmelScribe

845

Tools & Supplies / Re: The Lettermate

« on: January 02, 2015, 07:35:49 PM »

Yes, templates are very useful when you can't use a light board due to dark paper or a lined envelope.
The alternative is drawing lines with chalk or soapstone...which is very tedious.

But, I use templates for all my addressing.
I did not have a light board when I was first learning, so when I finally got one, it didn't really offer any advantage
and I gave it away.

My templates are not like the Lettermate.
I only use a baseline.
So it is like a guard sheet and I pull the envelope up -one line at a time-
I have marks along the edge to keep the line spacing even.

Jean

846

Tools & Supplies / Re: Help for rusted nib.

« on: January 02, 2015, 12:27:26 PM »

I used to clean nibs by rubbing them with a regular *lead* pencil.
(What we call lead pencils are actually graphite, I believe.)
It was a quick way to get rid of dried ink.
Seems like it removed rust as well -
Maybe someone can try this and see if it works.
Jean

847

Design & Layout / Re: Design Tips for Calligraphers

« on: January 02, 2015, 12:16:39 PM »

Another tip when you are designing a piece that is to be framed.
If you are not going to have a custom frame, it is wise to have a selection of standard sized mats.
You may want to adjust your layout so that it fits nicely within the dimensions of the opening.

Or if you do not want to have mats on hand, you may draw a pencil line for reference.
I like to do layouts on graph paper.
It helps to keep things in a grid, which is one of the tips on the PDF.

When doing commissioned pieces, it is wise to discuss the framing before you do the artwork.
You may ask clients with a modest budget to supply the mat and frame and then you can do the
artwork to suit the frame.

Most clients appreciate suggestions for frames and I like to steer them towards choices that I think will look best.
It is always sad to see a nice piece of art that has been stuck in the wrong frame
because somebody did not have a good eye for how to frame the piece.

Jean

848

Design & Layout / Re: Name layout and design project

« on: January 01, 2015, 12:26:37 PM »

following the suggestions on the PDF, you have two elements, so you might want a third.
and, you might want to increase the contrast
make anne larger and full of grace smaller
i think it would look fine if the two elements were centered
then - you could make the flourish on the g swing down below the anne
which would give you your third element.

this pin on pinterest shows gold detail on top of walnut ink, done by jane farr

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/164944405076204200/

i tried to attach another one by jane with the name sue.
i hope it shows up.

if you made the uncial anne using walnut ink, you could add some details
and full of grace could be in gold
it would be lovely on white or ecru paper

if you have never flourished
it would look fine to have the name centered, large
and the full of grace - small, centered underneath
and then don't worry about a third element

although, if you do a search for *flourish* on pinterest
you will see many examples that are pretty easy.
with a centered layout, you could add a fine line and a small flourish above the name
as your third element

i'm not sure you want to capitalize grace - that makes it look like a name
rather than a noun

my 2-cents
jean

849

Workshops & Conference News / Re: IAMPETH 2015 & 2016 Announced

« on: January 01, 2015, 12:01:48 PM »

Many of us do eventually have one style that is our *best.* But, there is so much crossover between styles. Also, it is good to take classes from a variety of people. You learn all kinds of things just by listening to different people. Very few people who are hooked on copperplate or Spencerian would see any value in studying basic Romans, but there are times when you need some very pretty tiny printing. If you look at the historical examples, you will see some very tiny manuscript printing and see the value in learning some Roman styles.

Some instructors are adamant that you should master one style at a time. IMHO, it is just fine to dabble in a little bit of everything. The steps to practicing any style are similar. So, there is no harm in trying all of them. At some point, you will figure out which hand is going to be the one you want to master. I gave myself fits trying to master copperplate - and then it was Spencerian that elevated me to the level I had been seeking.

Jean

850

Workshops & Conference News / Re: IAMPETH 2015 & 2016 Announced

« on: January 01, 2015, 09:40:38 AM »

Sarah said: I'd love to go in 2015, but don't want to invest the time and expense if I'm not going to be able to get into any classes except goth (no offense to the gothic lovers out there!).

The way classes work at IAMPETH is that for each time slot, there is one very large room and then a few smaller rooms. Some classes are full day others are half day. They offer basic copperplate and basic Spencerian every year and if you are a beginner, you will want to start with those classes. Those classes are usually full day. I have never seen Spencerian or Copperplate offered all day on multiple days. So, you will automatically get a lot of variety in classes. The people who have been going for years do not fill up the basic classes, they tend to take the classes that are in the smaller rooms offering topics that are not offered every year. There is no way you would get stuck in gothic for a week because, at most, it would be a half day class. Even if you did get stuck in a half day class that was of no interest to you, you should look at every class with an opportunity to learn something that you may use someday, down the road.

One year - maybe 15 years ago - when there were only 75 people at the convention and all the classes were in one room, so there were no choices in classes, there was a half day class taught by one of the oldest members. He was probably in his late 80's. The class was heraldry, and I had no interest in heraldry. I thought about skipping the class but ended up staying and it was one of my most memorable classes. While I have not been doing any heraldry, I have noticed that it is becoming a hot design in contemporary wedding suites. So, it is nice that I know a bit about designing family crests. But the thing I enjoyed most was listening to the gentleman. He was so charming and it was a treat to hear his stories. He has since passed away.

Another class that I had no interest in (many years ago) was Spencerian. It never appealed to me as I was learning all the different styles. But, after I sat down and tried it, I realized that I loved the feel of it and it changed the way I do a lot of my work. I like the proportions of larger caps and I find that I can apply that to other styles. There have been numerous styles offered in classes that do not look interesting to me, but after I spend some time learning the proportions and shapes, I find that it is good to have had some contact with the style. Some of the styles that have no appeal in larger sizes are completely adorable at a very tiny size. I have some examples of gothic that are so charming. I'll have to dig to find them. While I hardly ever do gothic, it is nice to know how to do it. I recently had a bride with a musician groom (yes, heavy metal). The only place the groom was allowed to insert his taste was on the table cards, so I was happy to know how to do some nice gothic and do it in a way that it blended with all the other paper items.

Another thing you get at IAMPETH is a notebook with the handouts from all the classes. So, even though you may not be in a class, you still get the exemplars which can be useful down the road.

If you are interested in going to IAMPETH, yes, you need to join now and then when they open registration, you have to jump on it and register. Recently, it has been so popular that it fills quickly. Then they have a waiting list. So, if you register and then find you can't attend, there will probably be plenty of people who will want your spot. Although Tennessee is not as easy to get to as some of the other cities. So there may not be as many people who would go to Tennessee at the drop of the hat.

Jean

851

Workshops & Conference News / Re: IAMPETH 2015 & 2016 Announced

« on: December 31, 2014, 05:39:33 PM »

Some people have been using AirBNB as a cheaper alternative to the hotel. Having a kitchen can save a lot of money. Ideally, if a few people shared an AirBNB, one person would have a car to make it easier to shuttle back and forth to the hotel. IAMPETH organizers usually work out an inexpensive parking rate for people who are commuting and not staying at the hotel. I have also seen people save money by figuring out food that they can store in their hotel room, rather than eat in restaurants for the whole week. But that starts to feel a little bit like camping unless you really like fruit and granola bars.
Jean

852

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Touching up and correcting lettering

« on: December 24, 2014, 08:11:04 AM »

Andy T wrote:
A new thread on the relative merits of spontaneity and precision would be most welcome.

Precision is different from perfection. Good scribes aim for precision but understand that perfection is an unrealistic expectation. Spontaneity is that lovely quality where you can see that the writing was done with enough speed that the scribe had some serious confidence to *nail it.* To have complete control - and speed - only comes with time.

Rock stars who teach (at least the ones I have encountered) always include tips on how to do successful touching up. If you go back and add a tiny bit of ink to fill in a tiny gap or straighten an edge, it is not cheating and if done successfully, it is imperceptible. If you can scrape away a tiny bit of ink with a scalpel, again, that is not cheating. It is just doing your job.

Any job that is done for reproduction may have as much cut and paste and correcting fluid as necessary. It is not to be framed. The goal is entirely different.

The hardest place to do any touch up would be a hairline flourish in Spencerian...but, I bet there are people who can do it. Not me.

IMHO, corrections are different from touch ups. Many scribes become very skilled at making corrections. If you are addressing envelopes and have extras, it may be easier to just address a new envelope. If the envelope took 5 minutes to address and the ZIP code has a 1 instead of a 7, you might be able to correct that in 30 seconds. It's not cheating, and it does not invalidate your title of *calligrapher.*

All of the rock stars instructors of the classes I have taken, have shared stories about mistakes and corrections. I would be very interested to hear if anyone who is actually making a living as a scribe would suggest that touching up and corrections are not acceptable. That sounds like a comment coming from someone who has an opinion, but not much experience in the day to day life of a scribe.

I had one client who said to me, "I assume there will be no mistakes, since you are a professional." I politely told him that I was not perfect and mistakes happen and while I proof my work, the final responsibility for catching mistakes was actually his responsibility. When I delivered the job, I returned the address list. There were 5 mistakes on his list that I had caught. I circled them. I told him that I had caught 5 typos and corrected them....and if he could find 5 errors (made by me) in the envelopes, then we would be *even.*

I'm sure he would have been thrilled to find a mistake in my envelopes, but I did not hear from him, so I assume they were all fine.
I do think it is important when doing envelopes to remind the client that they need one more final proofing by the client. This would be something I would include on a contract if I ever used contracts.

Jean
Lettering Artist
(See, I don't even call myself a calligrapher - there are too many conflicting opinions surrounding that title - I have a degree in Art and the subject matter of my art includes letters. It is of no concern to me if anyone thinks they are beautiful.)

853

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Share your USPS bloopers

« on: December 22, 2014, 05:15:16 PM »

Yes, UPS and FedEx are a little more expensive.
But, I gave up on the USPS when I saw the reality of a lost order.
I was working with a letterpress printer.
She had to re print the order - and pay me to re-address.
It cost her a lot - and I could tell what an ordeal it was for her...
so, I just include the shipping cost in the original estimate.
It's easy to find the cost online.
Nobody has ever complained.
Jean
I also recommend that the client have the printer ship the envelopes
to me directly. That easier for everyone.
And, I can usually fit envelopes into a much smaller box
than the ones they arrive in - which probably saves enough that the cost
is probably comparable to the USPS.

854

Open Flourish | General Discussion / Re: Share your USPS bloopers

« on: December 22, 2014, 07:18:19 AM »

It has been many years since I trusted any work for clients to the US Postal System. While they offer tracking, it is hit or miss, at best.
I let clients know at the beginning that we will be using UPS or FedEx exclusively. If they are not willing to do so, they will have to find another calligrapher.

I have a Packaging Store nearby. They have been in business for more than 10 years and they have never had either Fed Ex or UPS lose a package. The worst that happened was that a package went missing for a few days, but it eventually turned up.

The last time I tried to send an important item through the USPS was to my son who lives in a rural area that does not do home delivery (he has a PO box). UPS and FedEx will deliver to his home address, but, they just leave things on the doorstep. I thought it was safer to have it go through the USPS. I paid extra to register the package and that seemed to hold things up for about an additional week. It normally takes about 5 days for mail to reach him. We could track it - but for some reason, it just sat in Kansas City for a week.

And...my husband has ordered items, twice, that needed a signature for USPS delivery. The mail carrier never left a notice and shipped the items back to the sender. Thankfully, I have a good friend who works for the P.O. and she was able to retrieve the second package. She could see it was back in the town of the sender and had it rerouted, back to us. But, it is a huge hassle to drive to the main PO to get personal help with my parcels.... <sigh>

I recommend UPS and FedEx to anyone who wants to avoid headaches. The USPS has some lovely individuals who seem helpful, but as a group, they are not doing very well.

And don't get me started on the inconsistencies in what they will charge for wedding invitations that are more than one ounce or over size. I have had so many brides go to one branch to get their invitation weighed and measured and then when they are ready to mail, a postal worker will tell them that they need more postage. I just heard a horror story that involved a holiday card mailing. So sad... although, if people talk to me before they place their orders, I can steer them towards designs that will fit the normal charges for postage.

Jean

855

Broad Edge Pen Calligraphy / Re: Circle calligrams.

« on: December 21, 2014, 07:37:27 AM »

Yes, the techniques work with any style of lettering. The easiest lettering to put into a circle is probably uncial because it is so compact. When you get into styles with long ascenders and descenders it can be a little trickier because of the *wedge* shape allowed for each letter. But, it is also beautiful to turn the ascenders and descenders into flourishes that add a lot to the overall design.

Also, any style with a lot of slant will be more challenging to write in a circle. I will show some examples of slant compared to upright to illustrate the differences.

I will try to post some examples.
Jean